Bruce Fowler, leader of the Enormous Bones, a trombone ensemble, performs the National Anthem and It’s a Beautiful Day for a Ball Game.
The Enormous Bones
The Enormous Bones
The Baseball Reliquary sponsored the 2005 Induction Day ceremony for its seventh class of electees to the Shrine of the Eternals on Sunday, July 24, 2005, in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium, Pasadena Central Library, Pasadena, California. The inductees were Rod Dedeaux, Jackie Robinson, and Lester Rodney. The keynote address was delivered by John Schulian, a longtime Sports Illustrated contributor and former Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist. In addition, the Baseball Reliquary honored the recipients of the 2005 Hilda Award, Dr. David Fletcher, and the 2005 Tony Salin Memorial Award, Richard Beverage. All photos courtesy of Larry Goren.
Dr. David Fletcher, Chicago, Illinois, accepts the 2005 Hilda Award, named in memory of the beloved Brooklyn Dodgers fan Hilda Chester. Dr. Fletcher founded Clearbuck.com, an organization dedicated to clearing former White Sox third baseman – and banned Black Sox member – Buck Weaver.
John Schulian, author of the recently published book Twilight of the Long-ball Gods: Dispatches from the Disappearing Heart of Baseball, delivers the keynote address for the 2005 Induction Day.
Accepting the 2005 Tony Salin Memorial Award on behalf of Richard Beverage are Beverage’s wife Rae (right) and daughter Stephanie (left). One of the preeminent authorities on the Pacific Coast League, Beverage is founder and President of the Pacific Coast League Historical Society as well as President of the Society for American Baseball Research. The award is named for the late baseball author and researcher Tony Salin and annually honors one individual for his/her dedication to preserving baseball history.
Lester Rodney, 94, accepts his induction into the Shrine of the Eternals. In 1936, newly hired as the first sports editor of the Daily Worker, the house organ of the American Communist Party, Rodney immediately used his position with the paper to launch an attack on the continued hypocrisy of the color line in baseball, and he would play a pivotal role in the campaign to integrate baseball that culminated with Branch Rickey’s signing of Jackie Robinson.
Horace Wormely, Neighborhood Services Administrator for the City of Pasadena, California, introduces Delano Robinson, who accepted Jackie Robinson’s induction into the Shrine of the Eternals on behalf of the Robinson family.
Delano Robinson, the widow of Jackie’s brother, Mack Robinson, accepts the induction of Jackie Robinson into the Shrine of the Eternals on behalf of Mrs. Rachel Robinson and the Robinson family.
Tommy Hawkins, a one-time basketball star for the University of Notre Dame and Los Angeles Lakers and former Vice President of Communications for the Los Angeles Dodgers, introduces his close friend Rod Dedeaux.
Rod Dedeaux, 91, accepts his induction into the Shrine of the Eternals. One of the most beloved figures in the history of collegiate baseball, Dedeaux won 28 conference titles and an unprecedented 11 national championships in 45 seasons as head baseball coach at the University of Southern California.
Akira Matsubara (left), sportswriter covering the Induction Day for Tokyo Chunichi Sports; Terry Cannon (center), Executive Director of the Baseball Reliquary; and Delano Robinson.
Lazare Houetin, from the West African nation of Benin, attends his first Induction Day ceremony, with friend and Baseball Reliquary Board member Susan Braig.
Lester Rodney greets Delano Robinson.
Lester Rodney being embraced by Delano Robinson’s daughter, Kathy.
Baseball scout Phil Pote (left) with Pete Clentzos, 96, a three-year letterman in Pole Vault at the University of Southern California and Greece’s oldest living Olympian, having represented that nation in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Cathy Doran and Jim Brooks at work at the Baseball Reliquary’s membership and information table.
Lester Rodney signs a copy of his biography, Press Box Red: The Story of Lester Rodney, the Communist Who Helped Break the Color Line in American Sports, for Japanese sportswriter Akira Matsubara.
Baseball Reliquary members Jean and Dan Ardell.
Rod Dedeaux with “Dangerous” Dan Ardell, one of several University of Southern California alumni who played for Dedeaux and were on hand to celebrate his induction into the Shrine of the Eternals.
Jean Hastings Ardell signs a copy of her book Breaking into Baseball: Women and the National Pastime for Rod Dedeaux.
Rod Dedeaux, Dan Ardell, and Lester Rodney.
