last look
Game Night for the Champ
By Lindsay Jarvis l Photography by Genevieve Naylor/Corbis via Getty Images
Jackie Robinson with his wife Rachel and their children at their Stamford, Conneticut home, where Scrabble makes the centerpiece for family time. We all know Jackie lead the way as the first Black player in the Major Leagues in the 20th century, but he also dealt with racial discrimination off the baseball field. Around 1953, Rachel wanted to leave St. Albans in search of a larger home with more privacy, better public schools and the fresh air of Connecticut. Looking for houses in West Chester county and the suburbs, Rachel was met with resistance. After hearing of Rachel’s difficulties, a reporter contacted her and a story was released, prompting the town of Stamford to help. A small group met at the home of Andrea Simon (wife of Richard Simon from Simon & Schuster Publishing), and Rachel and Andrea became quick friends determined to find a dream home for Rachel.