Learn Lessons of Perseverance and Success From Robinson, Hometown Heroes and '42' -
BROOKLYN, NY - More than 200 students from Brooklyn youth groups commemorated Jackie Robinson Day today by meeting some hometown heroes and learning of their and Robinson's paths overcoming obstacles to achieve their goals. The students, from the Marlboro Housing Development, Millennium Development/Starrett City, and the Coney Island Communities, met and spoke with Mets Hall of Fame pitcher John Franco and former pro baseball player Terry McFarlin, both born and raised in South Brooklyn, and then learned of Robinson's personal story during a private screening of 42: The Jackie Robinson Story. The event was hosted by Municipal Credit Union (MCU) and the Brooklyn Cyclones at the Regal Cinemas in Sheepshead Bay.
Franco and McFarlin shared their own personal stories of growing up in Brooklyn, finding their passions, and achieving their goals both on and off the baseball field, as well as answered questions from many of the students. Both told the students that the road might be bumpy and sometimes appear bleak, but it was important to dig deep if you want something and demonstrate through actions that you believe in yourself. In addition, they said:
"Stay focused on the goals you set for yourself and never stop working to improve yourself in a effort to achieve those goals," advised John Franco.
"The more you put into something, the more you will get out of it. Always give 100% in whatever you do and more often than not, you will be successful," advised Terry McFarlin.
This youth event was created to allow area students to learn more about the history of Brooklyn, Jackie Robinson's own personal story, and how individuals and communities can come together to overcome adversity and achieve their goals. It was part of MCU's corporate commitment to giving back to the communities that it serves and educating the youth of these communities. “We felt that this was a great opportunity to show these students real life examples of individuals who, not far from where they live, defied the odds and achieved great things thanks to dedication and determination. Hopefully they will take the advice given today and the story of Jackie Robinson and use it as motivation to achieve great things in their lives,” said Mike Mattone, assistant vice president of corporate communications for MCU.
Jackie Robinson Day is recognized annually on April15th to commemorate and honor the day that Jackie Robinson made his major league debut. Robinson, the first black major league baseball player of the modern era, first played in the major leagues on April 15, 1947, debuting with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His debut ended approximately 80 years of baseball segregation known as the baseball color line. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 and is remembered for his services by the number 42 jersey, which he wore, and has been retired by Major League Baseball.
Municipal Credit Union (MCU) is the oldest credit union in New York State and one of the oldest and largest in the country. Established in 1916 and headquartered in New York City, today MCU has assets of over $1.8 billion and offers a full range of financial services to over 340,000 members. With branches in New York City, Westchester and Long Island, members also have access to the credit union’s large and growing ATM network. Eligibility to open accounts at MCU is available to New York City and Yonkers municipal employees; state and federal employees who work in the five boroughs; health care professionals who work in New York State; members of select industry groups; employees of private colleges in New York City and private and public colleges in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester; certain family members, and qualifying retirees. MCU is an equal opportunity lender and deposits are federally insured to at least $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. government agency. For more information about Municipal Credit Union, visit www.nymcu.org.
The Brooklyn Cyclones are a Short-Season Class A affiliate of the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at MCU Park, in the heart of Coney Island. Last year, the team led the New York-Penn League in attendance for the 12th consecutive season and the franchise has welcomed over 3,000,000 fans to the ballpark since their inception. The Cyclones have also advanced to the postseason nine times, winning a league championship in 2001 and a total of five McNamara Division titles.