We find an even grander honoring ceremony operating in Major League Baseball. One game each year is set aside to honor Jackie Robinson, the first African American to participate in major league baseball and often acknowledged as a brave door-opener for integration in many other sectors of American life. All major baseball players on this day wear Jackie Robinson’s number (42). Speeches are often delivered before or during the game, reminding us what Jackie Robinson meant for American society (blending the Generativity Three roles of honoring and storytelling).
Moments of honoring that are unexpected may have an even greater impact than those anticipated. We are reminded of This is Your Life, a radio (and later TV) program during which the host (Ralph Edwards) surprised a specific person with an entire program devoted to their life history and accomplishments; important people in their life came on stage to share stories about the honored person’s life. Queen for a Day was another surprise honoring program from the earlier days of radio and television. These were often very emotional and inspiring programs. They taught us about not just this individual’s life, but also how one might live an honorable and generative life.
Through these unanticipated events, we bestow honor upon someone we greatly admire and respect, often expecting nothing in return. A lovely example is to be found in Jerry Herman’s hit Broadway play Hello Dolly (an adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s Matchmaker). The often-conniving heroine, Dolly Levy, is treated to a grand honor celebration when appearing at a restaurant where she had formerly been a frequent patron with her now dead husband. It is understandable why Herman and Wilder have been honored for their contributions to Broadway, since both successfully produced wonderful plays and musicals that poignantly illuminate the American character. But why the exuberant honoring of Dolly Levi? Was she a really big tipper or did she flirt with all of the waiters? Was this just a publicity stunt to draw other people to the restaurant (“my goodness, if Dolly Levi gets all of this attention, then maybe I should come here more often. She is certainly getting great service with singing and dancing added at no cost!!!”).
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