EDITORIAL: Carl Erskine's ultimate teammate -- his wife, Betty

Jul. 26—Carl Erskine has had lots of great teammates throughout the years, helping him along the path to the crowning honor he received last weekend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

He played Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers alongside all-time greats such as Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese. A decade earlier, the legendary Jumpin' Johnny Wilson had been Erskine's teammate at Anderson High School.

And after Erskine's playing days ended, he teamed with Eunice Kennedy Shriver and other national celebrities to help the Special Olympics movement take off. Across the course of the decades that followed, Erskine continued to be a part of business teams and charitable organizations in Anderson working together to make the community a better place.

Yes, Carl Erskine, the self-described "skinny kid from Anderson," has rubbed shoulders and teamed with many movers and shakers across the years.

But the one teammate who has been there by his side, supporting and helping him through everything, doesn't get a lot of accolades or recognition. That's his wife Betty.

Carl and Betty married in 1947 just as his pro baseball career was taking off. The life of a professional athlete entails a lot of travel and time away from home. Betty provided love, support and stability.

"During Dad's playing days, we always followed him," remembered Gary Erskine, Carl and Betty's middle son."We moved to Vero Beach (Florida) during spring training and on to Brooklyn or Los Angeles during the season and back to Anderson in the offseason."

Carl and Betty had two kids in tow during that time, and a third, daughter Susan, came along in 1955 as Carl's playing career was reaching its apex. He retired from baseball four years later. Then, in 1960, a fourth child, Jimmy, was born.

Jimmy has Down syndrome, and the Erskines' life changed dramatically — for the better. Carl and Betty became deeply involved in advocating for people living with disabilities through the local Hopewell Center and the Indiana Special Olympics.

Betty was always "helping with support groups and educational meetings for parents," Gary recalled. "At times, these were in our home. She was always attending Special Olympic events on local and state level. She was always beside Dad as they worked through and organized next steps for Hopewell."

Now, Carl is in his 90s, and in need of Betty's companionship more than ever.

Carl Erskine wasn't able to make it to the Saturday ceremony in Cooperstown where he was honored with the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. But it might be more appropriate that he celebrated the honor at home in Anderson with Betty, his teammate for life.