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Yawkey Way Name Change Vote Postponed — Again

April 12, 2018

The Boston Public Improvement Commission was scheduled to decide Thursday, April 12 whether to change the name of Yawkey Way near Fenway Park back to its former name, but the commission decided to postpone the vote.

The new vote is scheduled for Thursday, April 26.

The commission could have voted during its meeting March 29, during which members heard passionate arguments for and against changing the name, but also postponed the vote then..

Boston Red Sox owner John Henry wants to change the name back to Jersey Street because he is concerned about the former Red Sox owner’s record on race relations.

Tom Yawkey, who owned the club from 1933 until his death in 1976, was a philanthropist who donated heavily to charities, including hospitals and especially the Jimmy Fund, which goes to help kids with cancer.

But the Red Sox were also the last team in Major League Baseball to have a black player. The Red Sox didn’t integrate until 1959, 12 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Some have accused Yawkey of being a racist — though some who knew him, including some former players, have defended him and his record on race relations.


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