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ROBINSON / REESE MONUMENT UNVEILED IN KEYSPAN PARK

Photograph by Kathryn Kirk

In photo: Dorothy Reese, wife of the late Pee Wee Reese; Rachel Robinson, wife of the late Jackie Robinson; Mayor Bloomberg; Council Member Mike Nelson; Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz; Council Member Domenic Recchia; and state Assembly Member Adele Cohen.

On Tuesday, November 1, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled the Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese Monument at KeySpan Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.  The privately-financed monument commemorates the courageous and noble friendship forged between the two athletes. 

“When Pee Wee Reese threw his arm around Jackie Robinson’s shoulder in this legendary gesture of support and friendship, they showed America and the world that racial discrimination is unacceptable,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.  “Pee Wee and Jackie showed the courage to stand up for equality in the face of adversity, which we call the Brooklyn attitude.  It is a moment in sports, and history that deserves to be preserved forever here in Brooklyn, proud home to everyone from everywhere.”

The monument’s two 8-foot-tall bronze figures stand on a six-sided pedestal inscribed with the words: “This monument honors Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese: teammates, friends, and men of courage and conviction.  Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Reese supported him, and together they made history.  In May 1947, on Cincinnati’s Crosley Field, Robinson endured racist taunts, jeers, and death threats that would have broken the spirit of a lesser man.  Reese, captain of the Brooklyn Dodgers, walked over to his teammate Robinson and stood by his side, silencing the taunts of the crowd.  This simple gesture challenged prejudice and created a powerful and enduring friendship.”