It is hard to believe at one point in time that African Americans were not allowed to participate in all the same activities as whites were. Something as simple as drinking out of a drinking fountain wasn’t quite as simple for someone of color and African Americans playing baseball, America’s sport, was not even thought of. Well, not until Jackie Robinson came along that is. Jackie Robinson was the first African-American successful in breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. To do so, Robinson presented with a few of the characteristics that Malcolm Gladwell introduced us to in his book “Outliers.” Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, Jack “Jackie” Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31st, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia to his …show more content…
Knowing that Robinson had went to college on an athletic scholarship and earned Varsity letters in four sports and All-American honors in football while at the University of California, Rickey had his eyes set on him. Currently an infielder for the Kansas City Monarchs, Rickey knew that Robinson was the kind of guy he needed. Rickey needed more than a great ballplayer, he needed a man who could take the racial abuse and insults that were about to come. Rickey convinced Robinson that they needed to win to show everyone that Robinson was a good ball player and gentleman, without having any incidents that would affect him negatively in the public’s eyes. Robinson said “Mr. Rickey, I think I can play baseball in Montreal. I think I can play ball in Brooklyn. If you want to take this gamble, I promise you there will be no incident.” (Kashatus, William. “Jackie Robinson: Baseball’s Noble Experiment. American History Magazine.) From this moment forward, Rickey and Robinson were going to shake things up in the world of baseball. They were going to integrate Major League Baseball. They were going to show the world that Robinson’s color had nothing to do with his baseball ability or the kind of man he …show more content…
Negro League owners were afraid that Robinson’s signing would lead to declining fan interest of their clubs so the Kansas City Monarchs threatened to sue the Dodgers because Robinson was already under contract with them. After signing the contract, the criticism became hostile. It was so bad that even Rickey’s family tried to make him give up on trying to break the color barrier, but of course he refused and so did Robinson. Robinson endured racist remarks from fans and opposing players and he received humiliating treatment in the South. By the end of his first season, his hair was gray and he suffered with chronic stomach trouble where he was unable to eat or sleep. But both him and Rickey knew this had to happen in order to break that color barrier. Rickey said that “the greatest untapped reservoir of raw matieral in the history of the game is the black race. The Negroes will make us winners for years to come for that I will happily bear being called a ‘bleeding heart’ and a ‘do-gooder’ and all that humanitarian rot.” (Kashatus, William. “Jackie Robinson: Baseball’s Noble Experiment.” American History
This shows that Ricky considered Robinson as a man who was looked upon at the same level of a white man but agreed that he was extraordinary different. Ricky secretly scouted many Negro League players to be considered as trailblazers in the real world. He wanted a negro league to challenge the National league and to disguise his real intentions. Robinson was a unique choice
Rickey even tested Robinson's reactions to insults and remarks he knew Jackie would hear. The troubles started right from the beginning of his career with the Dodgers. His own teammates even started a petition because they did not want an African American on their team. That was quickly stopped by the teams manager but that was nothing compared to the racist actions by fans and even other teams. He even received threats to harm him and also his family.
Branch Rickey, the baseball team executive of Brooklyn Dodgers, who always supported Jackie Robinson but at the same time endured certain hardships during the process of helping Jackie overcome the color discrimination and prejudices from White. Back in the 1940s, it was the period when racism, subjugation and inequality toward blacks were so strong that they were nearly being enforced like a law. The White class and the Black class were kept apart ranging from the washroom written "White only" to the courts where site area is divided based on skin color. Jackie, as a black baseball player, is not welcomed certainly. Once he took the field, the audience shoot at him that he didn't belong here; a cop asked him to get off the field because it against the unwritten law-"no nigger can mix with white boys"; the Dodgers is not welcomed as long as the nigger is in there.
Robinson notices how much he has been a symbol to African Americans, and how he was in “the hurricane eye of a significant breakthrough” (Robinson). Jackie Robinson was not only an important player in Major League Baseball, but an important figure in American
The early 1900s were a time in American History where blacks were not given equal rights based on the color of their skin. On January 31, 1919, Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born. Robinson was the youngest of five children, living with his mother, Mallie Robinson, in a ramshackle house in Pasadena, California (Robinson, 1994). As his father deserted Robinson when he was just six months old, he worked many jobs throughout his childhood to support his family. Robinson was a portal because throughout his life, he was under constant criticism and scrutiny, but he still managed to break major league baseball’s unofficial color barrier and open the door for African American’s success in various professions across the country through toughness and
After high school Mr. Robinson went to college at UCLA where he continued to play sports such as basketball, baseball, and track. After he left college he played football professionally but had to stop early due to him being drafted to the army. Before the Brooklynn Dodgers he played for the Kansas City Monarchs. Mr. Rickey wanted Mr. Robinson to play for the dodgers so that they could win a pennant. He made sure that Mr. Robinson knew it wasn’t going to be easy and that people might not like hat he was playing in the league.
Name: Carl Nanchao Li Instructor’s Name: Rick Course: American Studies Date: March 27th , 2015 Report It is a common knowledge that the African Americans are discriminated in the America, however, there are always many fighters who did not afraid of destiny, they dare to fight with destiny, they do not think they are inferior people, even they thought they can better than whites, Jackie Robinson was the member of them. Jackie Robinson was a excellent baseball player, he was the first African American who play baseball in the major league, as a black player, he suffered innumerably discriminate and curse, but he did not flinch, and he succeed, he became the best baseball player in the major league, he better than all of white players, after he retired, he was selected in the national Baseball Hall of Fame and became the first black player in the national Baseball Hall of Fame.
Robinson had a tremendous amount of talent, which didn’t go unnoticed. Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager liked Jackie’s demeanor and style of play. At the time Rickey was looking for someone to integrate baseball, with those kind of qualities, Robinson was the perfect person for the job. He knew that integrating the sport would not be easy but Robinson was up for the challenge and would be able to handle it with no violence. Integration in general had picked up during this time, WWII, people did not believe it was right that African Americans were allowed to die and fight beside that of a White American Soldier but yet weren’t allowed to play a sport with them.
While playing here he was noticed by the president and manager of the Dodger, Branch Rickey. Together they planned to impact the Major League forever. Ricky had been wanting to bring colored people into the league but needed the right person. After evaluating and testing Robinson he signed him to Dodgers. Together they were able to change the minds of many people that were against integrating the game of baseball.
African Americans and whites were separated into different leagues in baseball. Robinson played on the Negro League. Branch Rickey, who was the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, chose Robinson to play for their team because they wanted to put an end to segregation. Many of team players for the Dodgers signed a petition hoping it would be accepted and Robinson would
The reason for having the Negro Leagues was because it very unlikely to have a colored person be on the same field as a white person. However, one man who stands alone Jackie Robinson’s defeat to break the color barrier in baseball with the help of Branch
October 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson shook hands with Branch Rickey, officially changing baseball and society, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson grew up in a poor household in Pasadena, California. He attended UCLA, making himself a four sport star athlete . Major league baseball had been segregated at the time, with the only black men playing in separate Negro Leagues. Branch Rickey, the owner of the Dodgers, wanted to break the color barrier.
Furthermore, one of the most influential and well-known major league baseball players is Jackie Robinson. As the player that broke down the color barrier within major league baseball, Jackie Robinson faced immense scrutiny throughout the beginning of his major league career. Branch Rickey was determined to bring a black player onto the Brooklyn Dodgers and show the country that race should not be the deciding factor for who can and cannot play baseball, the important part was the skill the athlete possessed (Robinson, Jackie. Jackie Robinson: I never had it made 1972). One of the clearest ways to observe the impact his race had on his baseball career is from the way his teammates and the audience treated him on a daily basis.
Civil rights was an important American social movement throughout the late 40s to the 60s. There was once a time where African Americans and whites used separate bathrooms, separate drinking fountains and sat on separate spots on the bus. They also played on separate baseball teams. During this time period Baseball was “America’s Pastime, “and a major social get together for white and black Americans (Kenny 2013). In 1947 both of these American social aspects collided turbulently, when the Brooklyn Dodgers gave Jackie Robinson a chance to play professional baseball.
Jackie Robinson challenged white America’s societal perception of African American at the time. “Robinson won Rookie of the Year in 1947. In later seasons, more African-Americans joined other teams in the Major Leagues, as Robinson continued to excel. His success gained him fans from all over the country.” (Mcbirney 14).