Phils to give Robinson's breakthrough its due

Duckett said he was signed by the New York Giants' organization in 1951 and was about to go to spring training, but rheumatic fever ended his playing career. He then worked for the post office for nearly 30 years. But, he said, other players, though healthy, were still excluded from the majors even after '47.

"They would sign only a few each year, and by the time they started taking a lot of ball players, like they should, a lot of the guys [he played with] were in their 30s, and teams were looking for younger players," Duckett said.

By 1952 - five years after Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers - only six of the 16 major-league teams had a black player.

Dias said the Phillies don't have any celebration plans for April 22, the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's becoming the club's first black player in 1957. Kennedy, a shortstop and third baseman who played in just five games with the Phillies, died of heart failure in 1998 at age 71.