Close don't count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades.
Frank RobinsonRead
As a black, you find you have to be two or three times better than a white even to play. And when it comes to front-office jobs, management believes you'll never be as good.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the challenges faced by Black individuals in proving their worth in predominantly white spaces.
Frank Robinson's quote emphasizes the systemic discrimination Black individuals encounter, particularly in professional environments like sports and management. He suggests that to be recognized and judged equally, they must significantly outperform their white counterparts, which speaks to the broader issues of racial inequality and the persistent belief among some that they are inherently less capable for leadership roles.
Themes
RaceInequalityDiscriminationSuccessChallenge
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion about diversity in the workplace, you could reference this quote to highlight racial challenges.
More from Frank Robinson
All quotes →It's nice to come into a town and be referred to as the manager of the Cleveland Indians instead of as the first black manager.
Frank RobinsonRead
It was a breaking period for black people coming into baseball, and how many followed depended on Jackie's conduct. But that's not the case now. What and how I do doesn't mean nearly as much as what and how Jackie did.
Frank RobinsonRead
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