Paul Hodgson, a former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, has a lot to have fun throughout each Household Day and Black Historical past Month. His story, formed by his baseball profession and discovery of his heritage, is a robust instance of perseverance, identification, and the significance of household.
Hodgson grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, within the Nineteen Sixties, one of many few Black kids 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 recollects 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 stated, “I assumed they have been simply silly.”
Rising up, Hodgson was confused about his racial identification. He admired Black athletes on TV and puzzled if he shared their “genes,” pondering, “It could be cool to develop up with these genes.”
In 1977, Hodgson signed with the Toronto Blue Jays at age 17. After a couple of years within the minors, he was referred to as as much as the majors in 1980, turning into solely the second Canadian to play for the Jays. Throughout his time within the large leagues, Hodgson obtained an sudden revelation from his adoptive father: “You’re getting married, and there’s an opportunity you would have a Black baby.” This was when Hodgson discovered he was Black, an identification that had by no means been brazenly mentioned in his household. “I didn’t know I used to be Black, I didn’t know I used to be something,” he stated.
Hodgson’s baseball profession, whereas promising, was reduce quick resulting from a rotator cuff damage in 1981. After surgical procedure, he couldn’t regain sufficient power 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 start mom, Elaine, was not his cousin as he had believed, however his organic mom. Within the late Nineteen Fifties, Elaine had been relationship an American Air Power man and have become pregnant. Her household pressured her to provide the kid up for adoption, and he or she 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 accomplice, Lisa, Hodgson linked with Arceneaux’s household and finally met his father, who had retired from a distinguished army profession.
Assembly his start father in Georgia was transformative. “He’s six foot seven, a Black Belt in a number of types, and performed on the all-world basketball group for the U.S. Air Power,” Hodgson marveled. He additionally met his two new sisters, forming lasting relationships along with his prolonged household. The reunion additionally sparked a dialog between his start mother and father, who had not spoken since 1959.
Now, Hodgson maintains shut relationships with each his organic and adoptive households. He stays linked along with his start father and siblings by way of social media, whereas remaining near his adoptive household in Fredericton.
After retiring from baseball, Hodgson labored as a sports activities announcer and reporter 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 they’d come sooner. “I’m so completely satisfied that every one that occurred,” he stated. “It’s irritating that it didn’t occur earlier.”
Hodgson’s story is a robust 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.
#BlackHistoryMonth #FamilyDay #BlueJays #HeritageJourney #Id #FamilyLegacy #Inspiration #BlackExcellence
