24 NOVEMBER 4 - 10, 2020 SPORTS WEEKLY Honoring Jackie’s ‘Shotgun’ shake

Joe Mock So we wanted to go with a Special to USA TODAY world-class sculptor to reinvig- orate Youngtown’s sense of dig- George Shuba was a gifted nity that is coinciding with its athlete while growing up in comeback.” Youngstown, Ohio, in the 1930s A very unlikely encounter at and ’40s. While on the athletic a Manhattan restaurant be- teams at Chaney High School, tween Planey and an executive he competed with and against at (who Black players. happened to be a Youngstown His batting prowess not only native) paved the way in obtain- brought him a contract with the ing MLB approval’s and the Dodgers, it earned him Robinson family’s permission to the nickname “Shotgun.” use Jackie’s likeness. In 1946, Shotgun Shuba had A committee of business and advanced to the Dodgers’ top social leaders in Youngstown minor league affiliate, the Mon- was formed to oversee the logis- treal Royals, who won the Inter- tics and start a fundraising 1 national League by 18 ⁄2 games campaign. Despite pauses in that season. Opening day was in the efforts due to the pandemic, New Jersey against the Jersey the organizers are optimistic City Giants. that the goal of $400,000 will be It was unusual for such a reached. game to attract so much atten- Co-chairing the committee tion that the stands at Roosevelt are Greg Gulas, former sports Stadium were overflowing and information director at Youngs- correspondents from The New town State University and edi- York Times and Associated tor of Shuba’s memoir; former Press were present. Everyone Sculptor Marc Mellon is creating a statue of the moment in 1946 when George Shuba shook the major leaguer Herb Washing- was there to witness history. hand of just after Robinson’s first hit in white baseball. The bronze statue is ton, who owns a chain of Mc- In the top of the third inning, scheduled to be dedicated on the 75th anniversary of the handshake. BABETTE BLOCH Donald’s restaurants; and re- the Royals had two runners on cently retired Ernie Brown, for base when a rookie player 43 years an editor at The Vindi- smashed a . The two basement. Except for one pic- wanted to do the very best I how to create a statue of two cator, the daily newspaper for baserunners didn’t wait at ture.” could for my dad and for Jackie.” men shaking hands. the area. home plate to congratulate the That framed picture hung on Planey says a series of un- “It’s not easy,” Zona told Pla- “Jackie Robinson was always hitter. Shuba, the on-deck bat- the living room wall until Shot- likely events had led him to the ney. a hero to me for what he had to ter, sprang to his feet to shake gun Shuba died in 2014. That decision to push for the statue. Zona suggested that only a go through to make (Dodgers the beaming hitter’s hand. photo showed him shaking Rob- While visiting Washington, world-class sculptor like Marc co-owner) ’s ex- Jackie Robinson had crossed inson’s hand on April 18, 1946. D.C., he’d encountered a coach Mellon could accomplish the periment succeed. If it hadn’t, it both home plate and the color Mike said his father obtained of his niece’s baseball team who task, so Planey and his wife would’ve set us back a great barrier with his first hit in the one-and-only print of the happened to hail from Youngs- ventured to Connecticut to meet deal,” says Brown, 68, an Afri- “white” baseball, and Shuba now-famous photo a day or so town. “He told me that he’d Mellon and visit his studio. can American who grew up in was the only one on the field to after the game in Jersey City. He grown up near Shotgun Shuba, That’s where he spotted an ex- Youngstown. congratulate him for it. encountered the photographer and I thought, ‘Who is that?’ ” ample of Mellon’s work: a bust He hopes that the completed Shuba went on to have a solid – whose name is now lost to his- So Planey started reading ev- of Pope John Paul II, who was statue will allow young people career with the Brooklyn Dodg- tory – and paid him 25 cents. erything he could find on Shuba revered in Planey’s household “to learn about the significance ers as an outfielder and reliable “Why a quarter? It was the cost and discovered that it was Shot- as he was growing up. “I really of this event, and to understand pinch-hitter, known for his of two Schlitz beers,” Mike gun himself who shook Robin- thought I was looking in the face that at that time, the Black race great eye at the plate. When his chuckles. son’s hand the day of his debut of Pope John Paul II because of was considered inferior and playing days were over, he re- Several years ago, Mike Shu- in white baseball. “This was an the care and time he put into should be kept separate.” turned to Youngstown to raise a ba’s phone rang. On the other incredible moment in sports creating the molds. ... I thought The statue is scheduled to be family. end was Eric Planey, a Youngs- history, in American history,” he to myself, ‘Marc is absolutely dedicated in Youngstown on His son Mike, now 58 and town native who was now a says. “I couldn’t believe there our man.’ ” April 18, 2021 – exactly 75 years still living in Youngstown, said banker in New York City. Planey wasn’t a plaque or anything Having a well-known sculp- to the day of the handshake. it was his father’s goal “for us to said he wanted to honor that honoring him in downtown tor was crucial to aid in the nec- “This moment was the dawn have a normal upbringing. famous handshake with a stat- Youngstown.” essary fundraising, plus it was of the modern civil rights move- There was no indication that he ue, but he needed Mike’s bless- He enlisted the help of his critical due to the complexity of ment,” Mellon says. “There’s a was a major league baseball ings. friend Julius Oliver, a council- the project. Planey adds that re-think going on that makes player. There were no shiny “I was so surprised that I man in Youngstown. They then due to the loss of its steel indus- this statue project so very, very bats. No plaques. He took all of said, ‘Can you please repeat asked Lou Zona, executive di- try, “Youngstown went from an timely right now.” his baseball memorabilia and yourself?’ ” Mike recalls. “I had rector of the Butler Institute of incredible sense of greatness to Mock covers sports facilities put it into a Maytag box in the no idea that was coming. But I American Art, for guidance on losing its sense of pride in itself. for USA TODAY publications.