Seventy-five years ago today, on April 15, 1947, one extraordinary man took a giant step toward racial equality in America by stepping onto a baseball diamond. That man was baseball player Jackie Robinson, an African American athlete who became the first black player in major league baseball. This accomplishment was not just a testament to his athletic ability. It was a testament to his inner strength, emotional toughness, and commitment to social change.
Number 42, Jackie Robinson, in a colorized photo from his historic debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. (twitter.com)
In this collection of colorized photographs, we will take a look at Jackie Robinson’s National League baseball debut and how his personal integrity helped him push through the hate he received by being the first baseball player to break the color barrier.
Segregated Baseball
Youthful Brooklyn Dodger's rooters and fans, reach over from behind the dugout at Ebbets field today, trying to get an autograph from Jackie Robinson, the first Negro ever to reach the Major League in this colorized photo from April of 1947. (Getty Images
In the early 1800s, baseball was catching on in the United States. By 1845, when Alexander Cartwright first published his rules for baseball for New York’s Knickerbocker Club, folks were calling baseball “America’s favorite pastime”. During this time, African American athletes played the sport. When the first professional baseball teams were formed in the 1870s, however, the majority of the players were white. There were a few African American players -- most notably Moses Fleetwood Walker, the catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings, a minor league team -- working as a professional ballplayer. Team owners worried that attendance would suffer if there were black players on the team, so in 1887, the International League banned African American players. The sport remained segregated until 1947.
Who Was Jackie Robinson?
A standout athlete, Robinson lettered in four sports at UCLthlonsports.com)A. )a
A native of Cairo, Georgia, Jackie Robinson was born in 1919. A natural athlete, Robinson enrolled in UCLA where he lettered in football, track, basketball, and baseball. Upon his graduation from college, Robinson served a short time in the military and then became a semi-professional baseball player with the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs. His performance there caught the attention of Branch Rickey, the general manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey arranged for Robinson to play pro ball in Montreal in 1946, with a contract with the International League.
Branch Rickey and Integrated Baseball
This colorized pic shows Jackie Robinson signing his Dodgers contract just five days before his historic debut. (nytimes.com)
As a baseball manager, Branch Rickey felt strongly that it was time for major league baseball to be integrated. With more and more African Americans moving to cities in the north, there was the potential to attract this segment of the population to the ballparks, but Rickey knew that they would be more inclined to buy game tickets if there were black players on the field. He pushed to sign black players to the league but was ridiculed. Rickey was a shrewd man. He knew that if he were to sign the first African American player, he would need to be the right man for the job.
Jackie Robinson, the Right Man
As an athlete and as a man with integrity, Jackie Robinson demonstrated that there was a place for African Americans in professional baseball. (spectrumnews1.com)
Branch Rickey understood that the first black player signed to the major leagues would face harsh and often violent criticism. He would need to be able to ignore the negativity or respond to it in a particular way. If he was too aggressive or reacted to violence with violence, he would cement the fears of critics. If he was too passive and meek, he would be accused of being an Uncle Tom. Rickey studied Jackie Robinson. In him, Rickey saw many of the qualities that would make him an ideal candidate for the player who could break the color barrier in baseball. He was intelligent, well-educated, articulate, and an excellent athlete. He had a wife, who worked as a nurse, and a young son. Rickey noted that Robinson occasionally showed his temper, but he could keep his emotions in check.
Signing the Contract
Robinson paved the way for other black athletes that followed. (si.com)
Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers on April 10, 1947. Before signing, Branch Rickey warned him about the verbal assault he would endure, noting, “I need a player who has the guts not to fight back.” Robinson promised Rickey that he would refrain from responding to the insults, at least for the duration of his rookie year. Five days later, Jackie Robinson stepped onto the field.
Jackie Robinson’s Debut Game
As this colorized photo from 1947 shows, Jackie Robinson was the starting first baseman for the Dodgers. (baseballhall.org)
Jackie Robinson’s debut game, which took place on April 15, 1947, was held at Ebbets Field before a crowd of more than 26,600 fans. Throughout the game, Robinson faced a volley of insults from the fans, the opponents, and even from his own teammates, but Robinson had some powerful allies. Branch Rickey, Ford Frick, the National League President, and Happy Chandler, the Baseball Commissioner, all threatened to suspend players who acted out against Robinson. The Dodgers faced the Boston Braves in this game. Robinson played well, but not outstanding, in his major league debut. A first baseman, Robinson was in the starting lineup. He had no hits in this game but was walked in the seventh inning and scored to help his new team defeat the Braves. More important than his display of athleticism that day was his barrier-breaking achievement.
