from Jackie Robinson: Justice at Last By Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
It was 1945, and World War II had ended. Americans of all races had died for their country. Yet black men were still not allowed in the major leagues. Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, thought that was wrong. Rickey decided his team would be the first to integrate.
Many fans and players were prejudiced-they didn’t want the races to play together. Rickey knew the first black player would be cursed and booed. Pitchers would throw at him; runners would spike him. Even his own teammates might try to pick a fight.
But somehow this man had to rise above that. No matter what happened, he must never lose his temper. No matter what was said to him, he must never answer back. If he had even one fight, people might say integration wouldn’t work.
When Rickey met Jackie Robinson, he thought he’d found the right man. Robinson was 28 years old, a superb athlete. In his first season in the Negro leagues, he hit .387. But just as importantly, he had great intelligence and sensitivity. Robinson was college-educated, and knew what joining the majors would mean for blacks.
In the past, Robinson had always stood up for his rights. But now Rickey told him he would have to stop. The Dodgers needed “a man that will take abuse.”
At first Robinson thought Rickey wanted someone who was afraid to defend himself. But as they talked, he realized that in this case a truly brave man would have to avoid fighting. He thought for a while, then promised Rickey he would not fight back.
Robinson signed with the Dodgers and went to play in the minors in 1946, Rickey was right-fans insulted him, and so did players. But he performed brilliantly and avoided fights. Then, 1947, he came to the majors.
Many Dodgers were angry. Some signed a petition demanding to be traded. But Robinson and Rickey were determined to make their experiment work.
On April15th- Opening Day- 26,623 fans came out to Ebbets Field. The Dodgers beat the Boston Braves, 5-3. Robinson went hitless, but hometown fans didn’t seem to care- they cheered his every move.
Robinson’s first season was difficult. Fans threatened to kill him; players tried to hurt him. The St. Louis Cardinals said they would strike if he took the field. And because of laws separating the races in certain states, he often couldn’t eat or sleep in the same places as his teammates.
Yet through it all, he kept his promise to Rickey.
No matter who insulted him, he never retaliated.
Robinson’s dignity paid off. Thousands of fans jammed stadiums to see him play. The Dodgers set attendance records in a number of cities.
Slowly his teammates accepted him, realizing that he was the spark that made them a winning team. That season, he was named baseball’s first Rookie of the Year.
Jackie Robinson went on to a glorious career. But he did more than play the game well- his bravery taught Americans a lesson. Branch Rickey opened a door, and Jackie Robinson stepped through it, making sure it could never be closed again.
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Taken from Prentice Hall Literature, Copper Level- Standardized Test Blackline Masters
