Okay, that's not true. But ceremonies are being held all around the league, and Robinson's widow Rachel was honored before the Mets/Brewers game. The White Sox played a video tribute to him on the center-field scoreboard. The Red Sox had a similar video, and the Dodgers are planning to honor ten Jackie Robinson scholars this evening, with Robinson's daughter Sharon and a Robinson teammate, Don Newcombe, on hand.

Of course, not everyone is celebrating. The Black Athlete Sports Network doesn't think too highly of Major League Baseball's back-patting celebrations, or the fact that the 20 most influential people in baseball are white. Agree or disagree with their points about baseball and Bud Selig, it's still a good reminder that Jackie Robinson Day shouldn't be about congratulating ourselves on any progress that's been made, but rather a reminder that there's still work to be done.

Jackie Robinson honored throughout majors [SeattlePI.com]
MLB's Once A Year Charade [Black Athlete Sports Network]

If you're looking for him, he'll be starting 19th. I think he's in a yellow, green, and white car with a big "WM" Waste Management logo on the hood. A bit unfortunate that a driver doing something so historic is actually sponsored by garbage.

I, of course, hope he wins, which would likely create a scene in victory lane reminiscent of the scene in Blazing Saddles when Sheriff Bart strolls into town. I hope he takes the checkered flag, gets out of the car, hops up onto the podium and says... "Where the white women at?"

HERE COMES 'BILLY SUNDAY' [BlackAthlete.net]
Lester staggered by support [Crash.net]

Joey Cheek, the guy who donated all of his prize money from an earlier gold medal win refugees Darfur, finished second, collecting a silver medal and $15,000 more to donate.

Torino Olympic officials were apparently so surprised that a black man won an event that they gave him a teddy bear instead of a gold medal. I hope that's something that they soon rectify, and they better let him keep the teddy bear, too.

Of course, the medal was not awarded without a little bit of drama. Another American skater, Chad Hedrick, was mad at Davis because Davis skipped out on an earlier relay event, leaving Hendrick, who was hoping to challenge Eric Heiden's record of five golds in one Olympics, stuck with a slower skater, and ultimately doomed to lose in the quarterfinals. Someone asked Hedrick afterwards if he was happy for Shani Davis, and he said, "I'm happy for Joey." Dick.

Davis, Cheek go 1-2 in 1000m [NBCOlympics.com]
U.S. Gold Medalist Donates Award to Darfur Refugees [NPR.com]

Though we would enjoy reading a site that checked in on the white, non-European players in the NBA, or anybody French playing any sport anywhere, we feel like it's a bad idea. We do like that Anson Carter, pictured, has assimilated into the league by growing what is essentially a dread mullet. We'd grow one of those too, if we could.

Soul On Ice [AOL Sports] (via The Mighty MJD)

In other words 24 of the other 30 MLB teams don't have a Black starting pitcher or in yet other words with 150 or more roster starting pitchers currently working in MLB baseball 6 of 150+ are African American and that is why Monday's MLB game Marlins vs. Dodgers Willis vs. Jackson was so noteworthy and why there may be numerous Solar Eclipses before 2 Black MLB starting pitchers face each other Again Pray for the Future of Baseball.

BlackBox [Black Athlete]
Willis Wins No. 17 [The Benedict Blog]