Carl Erskine holds his son’s Special Olympics medal as he speaks to fifth graders at Warsaw Community High School.

WARSAW — Racial tensions and baseball are two hot topics in American society currently, making former Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player Carl Erskine a fitting speaker for area fifth graders at Warsaw Community High School on Thursday, Oct. 27.

Erskine was born in Anderson and played baseball from 1948-1959. He wrote the book “What I learned From Jackie Robinson” based on his experiences as being a teammate with Robinson, a famous baseball player. He pitched two no-hitters and participated in the 1955 World Series.

The former baseball player talked about his experiences during a time when major league baseball was changing from being solely teams with white individuals or African Americans to becoming teams with integrated races.

Erskine mentioned his coach at the Brooklyn Dodger’s was a driving force in changing the way baseball teams integrated different races on teams.

He talked about witnessing the effects Robinson had in changing the way individuals of other races were viewed, and the opportunities African Americans gained in athletics following his career.

The former baseball player mentioned how his and Robinson’s coach emphasized that even though many people would not be in favor of integration, Robinson needed to have control and not lash out even when people were certain to  treat him badly.

Erskine related this to the kids, “That the biggest challenge as fifth graders is to be in control.”

He also talked about his fourth child Jimmy, who was born with Downs Syndrome. Jimmy has become a huge part of why Erskine has become an advocate for allowing individuals with special needs to have the opportunities that any other individual might have.

Erskine mentioned he has witnessed much discrimination for those with special needs and it is important to him to help change that. Erskine stated when he won the World Series, he had thought that would be the most important day in his athletic career. He said that changed when his son with special needs won a gold medal at the Special Olympics.

During a question and answer time after his speech, Erskine also talked about the various ways major league baseball has changed since he played in the 1940s and 1950s. Erskine mentioned they used to only be able to play only in the daylight due to lack of lighting. He also mentioned it has been a change to be able watch a game on TV rather than listening to it on the radio.

He was also asked whether or not he would be rooting for the Cubs in the World Series this year. He said he would be rooting for the Cubs this year since the Dodgers are already out for the season.

He left the fifth graders with one last piece of advice, “If someone bothers you, get better acquainted with them.”