Exactly 77 years ago to the day, a professional athlete permanently unhinged a politicized sports world. His name: Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson.
Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete: tireless, physically strong, fearless and focused. He was a talent of the century and could therefore have chosen after college in which area he wanted to become a professional athlete. Whether in basketball, football, baseball, or track and field In theory, the doors were wide open for him everywhere. But only in theory. Because Jackie Robinson was a Person of Color (PoC) and — like all others who were not white — was excluded from a number of things in post-war America. Socially, politically, culturally and even sportively.
But Jackie Robinson firmly believed in his goals and, above all, he believed in himself. On 15.04.1947, after years in a lower-class “Negro League,” he became the first black professional athlete to break this iron barrier when he entered the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team with the number 42 on his back — and was then completely convincing. After his debut season, he promptly became Rookie of the Year, an MLB All-Star six times and won the World Series.
It is precisely thanks to this final moment in sports history that athletes can now stand together regardless of skin color, milieu, gender, sexual orientation or religion. A moment that number 42 stands for and which is celebrated annually on April 15 by a wide range of sports enthusiasts.
Ludwig Räuber, a talented soccer player who now works for TSG Hoffenheim and at FC Zuzenhausen plays, the story of Jackie Robinson got under your skin. So much so that he had it immortalized on his skin with ink.
For the now 29-year-old, integrating and working for outsiders, poorer or other people has always been a major issue. “I regard everyone as equal and valuable — there is no better or worse in my vocabulary. Especially not because of origin, beliefs, social standards or recognition of society. ”
This character trait is particularly important in soccer as a sport that brings a wide variety of people together. This is how Ludwig Räuber, who is called “Wiggerl” by most, met his best friends during a trial session in 2008.
When he talks about them, it quickly becomes clear what soccer is capable of. All it takes is a ball and the right attitude to make differences insignificant. Because the past stories of the three friends couldn't be more different. While Wiggerl grew up as a privileged white person, Hamza and Mohamad came to Germany alone as Somali war refugees without parents.
With the help of Wiggerl and his family, both have now become excellently integrated and are successful in life: “Mo and Hamza are both more than just friends to me — they are like brothers to me. Whether at family gatherings, at Christmas (although both are Muslims) or when visiting my relatives, both are still present today. ”
When Wiggerl heard the story of Jackie Robinson for the first time in 2014, he was immediately moved. An exceptional athlete who has stood up against insults, violence and discrimination with irrepressible will.
“With the tattoo of 42 on my upper arm, I want to stand for tolerance, integration and will. Every time I go to the square. Here in Germany too. I want to tell this story and thus contribute to clarification to a certain extent. With the hope that inequality and discrimination will no longer find room at some point. ”
In addition to his exemplary social attitude and his resulting commitment, Wiggerl also made a name for himself in the square.
His soccer career began at the age of five. And one thing was remarkable: no matter which youth team he played in, he was always the smallest and most slender. Yet, and perhaps precisely because of this, he drew attention to himself. Year after year, he is invited to trial sessions at FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 Munich. “It was frustrating. I always had a very good technique, good rapidity and attests game intelligence. Just physically — as the saying goes — it was never enough. Bitter for a youngster who can't choose when they grow. ”
But as with his great role model number 42, giving up robbers was not an option for Wiggerl Räuber. He finally moved to TSV 1860 Rosenheim and later made the leap into the regional league there at the age of 17.
In 2013, the next career step followed at FC Ingolstadt 04 — a professional career within reach. “My time at FCI was extremely exciting. The club had its most successful time and I too was able to become a regular player in the U23 and was always part of the Bundesliga team in friendly matches. “But one thing continued to haunt him: too weak, too small, too little physically.
The club had confidence in the qualities of the all-rounder, who was able to hold all positions both in midfield and in defense. That is why there was additional for him from the second “Schanzer season” weight training.
After three years, almost 100 regional league games and several broken exchange opportunities, Ludwig Räuber left the FCI and returned to Rosenheim.
When Wiggerl talks about this period, he draws the following conclusion: “As always in my life, the same applies here: I accept every situation and make the best of it.” And that meant for him in this case: studying and playing regional league soccer.
Out of nowhere, I suddenly got a call from a Bundesliga team. However, the people of Sinnsheim were not primarily interested in his soccer skills, but rather in his commercial skills.
At that time, the licensed player and merchandising department was looking for a person who called a new brand umoja should direct. This clothing label has set itself the task of producing clothing that is manufactured at fair salaries in Africa and from which the proceeds flow back into infrastructure, schools and drinking water.
A perfect job for him — for his strengths. For his ideals.
Yet the melancholy persists: “Of course my heart bleeds when I look out the window and see how the boys — whether U23 or professionals — can pursue their passion every day. And under perfect conditions. ”
As far as you can tell in the year of the pandemic, Ludwig Räuber is currently playing for local FC Zuzenhausen.
For the future, however, he does not want to rule out the possibility of venturing a personal restart again. After all, he is physically stronger than ever before in his career.
B42 and his training programs have also contributed to Wiggerl's now strong physical constitution, as he has been one of the regular users of the training app since its founding.
“In my second year in Ingolstadt, I realized that I was finally physically 'ready' for strength training. From then on, I trained regularly and quickly noticed changes on the pitch. With the app, I then trained even more intensively during the corona pandemic — and kept doing it until now. ”
Regardless of whether GAMECHANGER or exercises from the open area — the training app is an indispensable companion.
The number 42 still shapes Wiggerl today. It was his first tattoo and even though it has lost a bit of color compared to the newly engraved one, it still has the same meaning for him: “When I'm not wearing the jersey with the number 42, I'm wearing it on my skin. ”
In the meantime — twenty tattoos later — he is by far the most frequently asked about just those two numbers on his skin.
“This number is my life path. It shapes me every day on and off the pitch. My mission is to bring people together, integrate and tolerate. ”
Ludwig “Wiggerl” Robber is number 42 — We are too - be it you too!
Be fearless. Be focused. B42
Don't dream about success. Work for it.
