The Erskine Impact
Carl Erksine, a pivotal figure for Special Olympics Indiana
Through the course of his life — from Anderson native to Major League Baseball pitcher to parent of a son with Down syndrome — Carl Erskine has made an immeasurable impact on Special Olympics Indiana! Now, as the country searches for true heroes, a new documentary will capture Carl’s inspirational, beautifully Indiana story for posterity.
In honor of Carl’s life and legacy, Special Olympics Indiana is proud to partner with award-winning filmmaker Ted Green in creating the film, The Best We’ve Got: The Carl Erskine Story.
Additionally, the Erskine Personal Impact Curriculum will bring the important themes of Carl’s life — friendship, inclusion, leadership and social change — to middle- and high-school classrooms across the state.
Who is Carl Erskine?
Anderson-native Carl Erskine enjoyed a successful Major League Baseball career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1948 and 1959. He pitched in five World Series, winning one in 1955 against the New York Yankees. He pitched two no-hitters, set a World Series single-game strikeout record, and played during an era of major transformation for the sport: the introduction of jet travel and television, the move to the West Coast, and racial desegregation.
As a teammate and friend of Jackie Robinson, Carl witnessed how the silent perseverance of one man changed society. These lessons learned became part of Carl’s legacy when his son, Jimmy, was born with Down syndrome in 1960 and became a Special Olympics athlete in 1970. As a witness to, and participant in, these most remarkable social changes, Carl has used his life to promote acceptance and inclusion, to enhance understanding, and to invite people to actively support good causes.
Thanks to our Partners
