The Handshake

from Tell Tale Heart by Chuck Brodsky

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about

I wrote this while looking at a photo of Jackie Robinson and George (Shotgun) Shuba shaking hands as Jackie crossed the plate after hitting a home run in his first game playing with white ballplayers on the Montreal Royals, farm club of the Brooklyn Dodgers

lyrics

Both the ump and the catcher
Had their hands on their hips
It was only a handshake
It was a coming to grips
The sun was casting long shadows
As he touched every base
When he rounded the third one
The sun lit up his face

It was only a handshake
Well, maybe not quite
It was captured on camera
In black & white
The two of them smiling
As he touches the plate
As he crosses the line
When he knows that he’s safe

It was only a handshake
On Opening Day
No one knew what would happen
If the fellow could play
It was only a handshake
But it was the first
Yes of course there were others
Who stood up and cursed

It was only a handshake
On a minor league field
And it wasn’t ’til later
It became a big deal
It was just something that happened
It was nothing he’d planned
The guy hit a homer
So he stuck out his hand

It was only a handshake
A bond between men
Teammate to teammate
That’s all it was then
He stood there to greet him
Could’ve waited on deck
It was only a handshake
A sign of respect

credits

from Tell Tale Heart, released March 31, 2015
Chuck Brodsky - vocal, guitar
Chris Rosser - bass
Brandon Bush - drums, organ, wurlitzer
Doug Pettibone - electric guitar

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Chuck Brodsky Asheville, North Carolina

See bio at www.chuckbrodsky.com/bio. If you'd like to support me further, you can do so through my paypal address - chuck@chuckbrodsky.com. Thanks.

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