Jackie Robinson Signed by the Dodgers
This is Black History Month, and there is no better way to celebrate this month than with highlighting the great Jackie Robinson. It’s easy to do, and there’s not much more than can be written, but I will try. And I will look at his accomplishments, but in a different way.
We can’t go back in time and remember how it was back in 1945 when then Brooklyn Dodgers spent the enormous sum of $25,000 to search for the right player to break the color line, less than a year after Baseball Commissioner Racist, Kenesaw Mountain Landis died. But we can look at the newspaper articles of the day to come to some understanding of what Jackie was up against.
This is a transcript of an article written by Sid Feder and published in the Eugene Register-Guard. Amazing. Can you imagine living in a time when there was even a question whether a non-white should be allowed to play America’s game? Kids, this is only 65 years ago. Only 3 generations ago. The headline alone is appalling.
BRANCH RICKEY OF BROOKLYN DODGERS SIGNS NEGRO JACKIE ROBINSON
FORMER BRUIN GRIDDER SIGNED
MONTREAL, Oct 24 (1945) (AP)
Speaking for the Brooklyn ball club, Branch Rickey, Jr., said Wednesday the Dodgers may have the alligator tail in signing the first Negro play ever admitted to organized baseball.
Hiring Jackie Robinson, ex-UCLA ace and U.S. army lieutenant to do his 1946 infielding for the Dodger’s International league farm – the Montreal Royals – the son of the Brooklyn president predicted it “even may cost the Brooklyn organization a number of ball players.”
“But even if some players quit,” the Dodger farm system director added as he reviewed the possible reactions of players and fans at the surprise signing here Tuesday night, “They’ll be back after a year or two in a cotton mill.”
Earlier young Rickey went over with Robinson all that the Negro shortstop’s entry into organized baseball might imply. He explained that there might be difficulties for the quiet six-foot, 190-pounder from both players and fans alike in some quarters. He reviewed prejudices that exist in certain sections.
“I realize what I’m going into,” Robinson said sincerely. “I realize how much it means to me, my race and to baseball. I’m very happy over this chance and I can only say I’ll do my very best to come through in every manner.”
Jackie Robinson, one-time UCLA halfback ace and recent shortstop of the Kansas City Negro Monarchs, put his signature on a contract calling not only for a regular player’s salary, but also for a bonus for signing.
Product of a three-year search and $25,000 hunt for Negro diamond talent by Dodger President Branch Rickey, Robinson signed up in a history making huddle with Hector Racine and Lieut.Col. Romeo Gauvreau, Royals’ president and vice-president, respectively, and Branch Rickey, Jr., who heads the Brooklyn farm system.
“Mr. Racine and my father,” said young Rickey in making the surprise announcement, “will undoubtedly be severely criticized in some sections of the United States where racial prejudice is rampant. They are not inviting trouble, but they won’t avoid it if it comes. Jackie Robinson is a fine type of young man, intelligent and college bred, and I think he can take it too.”
Baseball men were cautious in their comment on the signing of Jackie Robinson.
Jorace Sonethan, president of the Giants, said his club would scout Negro teams next season.
“We will look over the young Negro players,” he said, “but we have hundreds of returning servicemen and only if they fail to make the grade will we have room for new players.”
President William Benswanger of the Pittsburgh Pirates said that the whole thing was “the business of the Brooklyn and Montreal teams – whether it’s a white man or a Negro.”
Commissioner A.B. Chandler was not available for comment.
He was under a lot of pressure to make it work, not only for him, but for others to follow. We all know that and it’s the reason why baseball honored him by retiring his number for all of baseball.
The first honor of its kind.
