Retired player shares history

Shuba hit a pinch-hit home run in the 1953 World Series.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
POLAND -- Vinny Notareschi, Alex Johnson and Justin Laskay were grateful to have a former big league baseball player visit their school, and all three were interested in the history behind George Shuba's association with former teammate Jackie Robinson.
"I'm honored to hear a great man talk," said Justin, an eighth-grader at the middle school portion of the Poland Middle School Complex on College and Elm streets.
"He had so many accomplishments in his life. I'm honored to be in his presence," added Vinny, a seventh-grader.
The three pupils were among hundreds of youngsters in grades five through eight who filled the school's gym for an hourlong assembly Wednesday to hear Shuba share highlights about his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Sporting a Dodgers cap and jersey, the 81-year-old Youngstown native offered several stories and anecdotes relating to his seven years in Major League Baseball.
Before giving his talk and answering pupils' questions, Shuba, called "Shotgun" by his peers for his ability to hit line drives for base hits, autographed numerous baseballs pupils brought.
Famous picture
On display was a photograph taken April 18, 1946, in which Shuba shakes Robinson's hand as Robinson crosses home plate after hitting a home run for the Montreal Royals, a Dodger farm club, at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J.
The photo captures what is thought to be the first time in the history of organized baseball that a white player shook the hand of a black player, explained Shuba's son, Mike Shuba.
The Royals, a Brooklyn minor league farm team, made history by having Robinson play and breaking baseball's color barrier.
Opening the assembly was a five-minute video showing clips of the 1953 World Series between the Dodgers and New York Yankees in which Shuba homered as a pinch-hitter to bring his team to within one run of the Yankees, who went on to win the championship.
Shuba's teammates included Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Johnny Podres and Robinson, all of whom are in baseball's Hall of Fame.
Shuba praised Robinson, who was named 1947's Rookie of the Year, for his accomplishments on the field as well as for how he handled himself under tremendous pressure, which included receiving death threats.
For Shuba, Robinson's skin color never mattered.
"I could care less if he was brown or Technicolor; we were there to beat the other team," Shuba said. "I respect Robinson for being a great player and man."
Robinson was applauded by teammates and others for his hitting, quick reflexes, base stealing and other abilities, which included stealing home plate seven times -- twice when Shuba was up to bat.
Nevertheless, Robinson still encountered racism and segregation on and off the field, Shuba noted. When the Dodgers played exhibition games in Cuba during spring training, Shuba told his audience, some players from the South said they would refuse to play with Robinson because he was black.
Shuba also recalled a time in 1954 when the team traveled to St. Louis by bus and, despite blacks and whites having to stay in separate hotels, Robinson decided to stay at the hotel with his white teammates.
The facility's staff accepted Robinson's being there, Shuba added.
Indians fan
When asked who he roots for now, Shuba said the Cleveland Indians, a response that drew applause. Shuba told the youngsters he respects Indians pitcher Bob Feller, whom he faced one time in 1954.
"I hit the ball to the mound and he easily threw me out," Shuba recalled.
After the Dodgers beat the Yankees to win the World Series in 1955, and after hanging up his uniform at the end of that season, Shuba returned to Youngstown to help rear his family.
He worked for nearly 30 years at the Youngstown post office before retiring in the 1980s.
Shuba, who lives in Austintown, offered advice to the pupils, which included listening to their parents, staying away from drugs, staying honest and avoiding drinking and driving.
"You can be anything you want as long as you're happy. Do your best," he said.
Mike Shuba said he and his father conduct various autograph shows, give presentations and make several appearances each year.
The younger Shuba said the photograph of his father shaking Robinson's hand is a metaphor for the importance of being able "to do the right thing" if put on the spot and for kids to learn integrity, perseverance and other values.