The reasons for the cultural drift of black athletes from baseball to other sports in current times are probably too numerous to name. But like many significant changes in society, television probably plays a major role. It’s not too much of a stretch to believe that as the NFL and NBA have proved to be more attractive as televised entertainment, and as baseball has been hampered by slow play in our fast times — not to mention steroid scandals — a trickle-down effect takes place and fewer young blacks are taking up the sport.

So maybe Jackie Robinson would be pained by shrinking numbers of African-Americans in the sport in which he established his legend, but he would probably also be gratified to see the salaries and the endorsements being secured in other sports. After all, if Joe Louis were alive today, would he be upset with the dearth of blacks in boxing? Or would he be glad that many potential heavyweights are now having sizeable careers and drawing hefty paychecks as football and basketball players?

To categorize Jackie Robinson simply as a baseball player is to do him a slight injustice. He was a living, breathing American, with a wealth of interests and experiences that transcend such a narrow definition.

If he were alive today, he’d probably be happy about hip-hop. He might not like it, or play it on his iPod at the gym, or blast it on his car stereo, and he certainly wouldn’t condone some of the language or some of the more offensive content. But he would be pleased that young African-American artists of 2007 are far more inclined to express bold and defiant sentiments in song than they were in 1947. He’d laugh out loud at Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock. He’d stand and applaud Oscar winners Halle Berry and Denzel Washington. He’d be thrilled that Barack Obama was running to become the first African-American president, but he’d also vote for whomever he damn well pleased.

He’d be proud and humbled to know that he had a role in helping blacks advance not only along the basepaths, but on all paths.

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He’d also look at this Imus uproar and realize just how much still needs to be done.

Only a blithering idiot would look at the progress of African-Americans from the time Jackie Robinson took the field in 1947 to now and conclude that all is well. As long as there are humans, there will be prejudice. As long as fear and ignorance exist, so will racism.

When Imus uttered his notorious remark, cementing perhaps permanently his reputation as a sentinel of stupidity only days before the world is set to honor the groundbreaking achievement of a gentleman, it illustrates that while Jackie Robinson’s grace and honor prevail, so in some quarters do the repugnant epithets that once spewed from those tobacco-stained opposing dugouts of the 1940s.

If Jackie Robinson were alive today, he’d probably lean back and smile. Then he’d get back to work.