Paul Hodgson, a former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, has a lot to have a good time throughout each Household Day and Black Historical past Month. His story, formed by his baseball profession and discovery of his heritage, is a strong instance of perseverance, identification, and the significance of household.
Hodgson grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, within the Sixties, one of many few Black youngsters in an overwhelmingly white neighborhood. Although he knew he was adopted, he by no means questioned his background. Regardless of his darker complexion, Hodgson didn’t notice he was Black. He remembers being taunted by classmates utilizing racial slurs, however he believed it was simply due to his pores and skin tone. “My dad used to say I had a darkish complexion,” he mentioned, “I believed they have been simply silly.”
Rising up, Hodgson was confused about his racial identification. He admired Black athletes on TV and questioned if he shared their “genes,” considering, “It might be cool to develop up with these genes.”
In 1977, Hodgson signed with the Toronto Blue Jays at age 17. After a number of years within the minors, he was known as as much as the majors in 1980, turning into solely the second Canadian to play for the Jays. Throughout his time within the massive leagues, Hodgson obtained an sudden revelation from his adoptive father: “You’re getting married, and there’s an opportunity you might have a Black baby.” This was when Hodgson realized he was Black, an identification that had by no means been overtly mentioned in his household. “I didn’t know I used to be Black, I didn’t know I used to be something,” he mentioned.
Hodgson’s baseball profession, whereas promising, was minimize quick attributable to a rotator cuff harm in 1981. After surgical procedure, he couldn’t regain sufficient energy in his shoulder and was out of baseball by 1985.
Throughout this era, Hodgson started to confront the household secret. In 2017, a household reunion e mail revealed that his beginning mom, Elaine, was not his cousin as he had believed, however his organic mom. Within the late Fifties, Elaine had been relationship an American Air Power man and have become pregnant. Her household pressured her to present the kid up for adoption, and she or he positioned him with a household in Marysville, New Brunswick.
It wasn’t till later that Hodgson found his organic father’s identify—Jerry Arceneaux, from Lake Charles, Louisiana. With encouragement from his companion, Lisa, Hodgson related with Arceneaux’s household and ultimately met his father, who had retired from a distinguished army profession.
Assembly his beginning father in Georgia was transformative. “He’s six foot seven, a Black Belt in a number of kinds, and performed on the all-world basketball staff for the U.S. Air Power,” Hodgson marveled. He additionally met his two new sisters, forming lasting relationships together with his prolonged household. The reunion additionally sparked a dialog between his beginning dad and mom, who had not spoken since 1959.
Now, Hodgson maintains shut relationships with each his organic and adoptive households. He stays related together with his beginning father and siblings by means of social media, whereas remaining near his adoptive household in Fredericton.
After retiring from baseball, Hodgson labored as a sports activities announcer and reporter for CBC TV in Fredericton. He now lives in Toronto, working for the Ontario authorities. Reflecting on his journey, Hodgson is grateful for the household connections he has, although he needs that they had come sooner. “I’m so joyful that each one that occurred,” he mentioned. “It’s irritating that it didn’t occur earlier.”
Hodgson’s story is a strong reminder of discovering one’s identification and the significance of household. It’s a journey of embracing each the previous and current to grasp one’s place on the planet.
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