Rachel Robinson, the widow of Brooklyn Dodgers legend and pioneer Jackie Robinson, was named the recipient of the 2017 of John Jordan Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Directors.
Rachel is the fourth winner of the Buck O’Neil Award that was established in 2007. It’s an honor bestowed on an individual whose efforts broadened the game’s appeal and whose character, integrity and dignity is comparable to the late O’Neil.
O’Neil was the first recipient of the award, and he’s been followed by Roland Hemond (2011) and Joe Garagiola (2014).
Robinson will be presented with the award in Cooperstown on Saturday, July 29, as part of Hall of Fame Weekend 2017. Jackie and Rachel Robinson are the only husband-wife in Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Rachel has been instrumental in establishing the Jackie Robinson Development Corporation and Jackie Robinson Foundation.
The corporation aims to build and manage housing for people of moderate and low incomes, while the foundation strives to address the achievement gap in higher education and carry forth Jackie’s commitment to equal opportunity.
Rachel was among those on hand for the unveiling of a Jackie Robinson statue, which is the first of its kind erected at Dodger Stadium. More recently, she attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jackie Robinson museum in New York.
