Kroc Donates Kennedy Letter

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — San Diego Padres owner Joan Kroc donated to the Hall of Fame today a letter written in 1959 by John F. Kennedy to Jackie Robinson pledging support in fighting racial injustice.

Kroc, who purchased the letter in order to give it to the Hall of Fame, made the presentation to Hall of Fame President Edward Stack.

“When I heard about the letter, I knew it was something the Hall of Fame should have,” Kroc said.

Robinson was the first player to break the racial barriers in major league baseball and is a member of the Hall of Fame.

“This document deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” Stack said.

“There is still a lot of work to do, but we’ve come a long way,” Kroc said of baseball’s progress in minority hiring.

Kennedy was a member of the U.S. Senate when he wrote the letter and was elected President a year later.