the representation of american society in baseball the representation of american society in...
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The Representation of American
Society in Baseball
The Representation of American
Society in Baseball
Alex S. & Seth G.Horace Greeley HS KLM 2006
Alex S. & Seth G.Horace Greeley HS KLM 2006
How has baseball reflected American
society over the course of the first half of the 20th century?
How has baseball reflected American
society over the course of the first half of the 20th century?
Well--it's our game; that's Well--it's our game; that's the chief fact in the chief fact in
connection with it: connection with it: America's game; it has America's game; it has
the snap, go, fling of the the snap, go, fling of the American atmosphere; it American atmosphere; it belongs as much to our belongs as much to our
institutions, fits into institutions, fits into them as significantly as them as significantly as
our Constitution's laws; is our Constitution's laws; is just as important in the just as important in the sum total of our historic sum total of our historic
life.life.Walt WhitmanWalt WhitmanWalt WhitmanWalt Whitman
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US Histor
y
US Histor
y
Progressive EraProgressive EraProgressive EraProgressive EraWhen Teddy Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States, his goal was to change what had become of his beloved nation
Roosevelt entered office at a time in which the U.S. was already undergoing a slight transformation
The Progressive Era, as it became known, was a period of reform that lasted from the 1890s through the 1920s
Progressive Era MovementsProgressive Era MovementsProgressive Era MovementsProgressive Era Movements
This era helped influence movements such as:
Social Gospel advocates
Education reform
Trustbusters
Banking reform
Goo-Goo’s
Populists
Conservationism
Workers Rights
Social Justice
Temperance
Suffragettes
Muckrackers
Settlement Houses
Key Aspects of the Key Aspects of the Progressive EraProgressive Era
Key Aspects of the Key Aspects of the Progressive EraProgressive EraHepburn Act of 1906
Gave the ICC the power to set maximum railroad rates
Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902
Lasted 163 days
Workers given a 10% pay increase and awarded a nine-hour day
Organized labor celebrated the outcome as a victory for all unions
Square Deal
Program that curbed “bad” trusts and encouraged “good” trusts
Immigration in the 1900sImmigration in the 1900sImmigration in the 1900sImmigration in the 1900s
During the 1900s many Jews, Italians, Asians (first 1/2 of the decade), and Russians entered America
The Role of Women The Role of Women in the Progressive Erain the Progressive EraThe Role of Women The Role of Women
in the Progressive Erain the Progressive Era
Jane AddamsLeader in both the
women’s suffrage and the pacifist movement
Ida TarbellOne of the leading
muckrakers and the author of The History of the Standard
Oil Company
Baseball
Baseball
Players Protective Players Protective AssociationAssociation
Players Protective Players Protective AssociationAssociation
Players Protective Association is founded in 1900
Originated from the Brotherhood of Professional Baseball players (1885)
One of the first unions created by players who objected the reserve clause
Forced players to stay with one team at the owners disposal
Players had no say as to where they were traded/sold
Byron Bancroft JohnsonByron Bancroft Johnson Byron Bancroft JohnsonByron Bancroft Johnson
Created the American League in 1901, which offered higher salaries and better contract options
Players like Cy Young, John McGraw, and Nap Lajoie jumped from the National League
Cracked down on dirty play and banned liquor from ballparks
Baseball was becoming a more acceptable activity
Immigration and BaseballImmigration and BaseballBaseball was becoming a reflection of the changing ethnic composition of America.
Many European immigrants became club owners due to limited entrepreneurial opportunities in a less risky environment.
A number of Northern and Eastern European immigrants played on teams as a means for social mobility.
Olaf Henriksen DenmarkOlaf Henriksen DenmarkOlaf Henriksen DenmarkOlaf Henriksen Denmark
Alta WeissAlta WeissAlta WeissAlta Weiss
1907 First Woman to Play Professional Baseball
Take Me Out to the Ball Take Me Out to the Ball GameGame
Take Me Out to the Ball Take Me Out to the Ball GameGame"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.Buy me some peanuts and cracker
jack,I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.For it's one, two, three strikes, you're
out,At the old ball game."
Jack Norworth1907
1910s1910s1910s1910s
US History
US History
A New World PowerA New World PowerA New World PowerA New World PowerThe 1910s were a period of great change for the United States
Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt’s progressive mindset, the US was finally known as a ‘world power’
Many of the same issues found in the 1900s were still present, including:
Escalation of immigration and poverty
Labor and monopoly battles
Work safety and child labor problems
Unfortunately, this seemingly positive decade ended with the US involved in the first world war
Woodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonIn 1914, Wilson created the federal trade commission
The purpose of the FTC was to stop unfair trade practices
In addition, President Wilson passed the Clayton Antitrust Act in 1914
According to Samuel Gompers, leader of the American Federation of Labor, this act was the Magna Carta of labor
This act made certain business practices illegal and made individual company officers liable if their company violated the law
It also ended union liability antitrust laws
Labor UnionsLabor UnionsLabor UnionsLabor UnionsDuring the 1910s, labor unions continued to grow as the middle classes became increasingly unhappy
Unsafe working conditions were highlighted by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
In this disaster 146 female workers were killed, spurring the growth of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union
Children were hired to work in factories, mills, and mines in unsafe conditions for many hours
By the middle of the decade every state had passed a minimum age law
Industrial Workers of the Industrial Workers of the WorldWorld
Industrial Workers of the Industrial Workers of the WorldWorldThe IWW was the most militant working
class organization at the time
This union was formed from a mixture of unions fighting for better conditions in the west’s mining industry
They felt that all workers should be united within a single union as well as the wage system abolished
The organization helped improve conditions for migratory farm workers by using direct action at the point of production and striking “on the job”
By 1912, the organization had around 50,000 members and was involved in over 150 strikes
WobbliesWobbliesWobbliesWobblies“The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as
hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the
employing class, have all the good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class,
take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the
Earth.”
Lawrence Textile StrikeLawrence Textile StrikeLawrence Textile StrikeLawrence Textile StrikeThis strike was led by the IWW after the mill owner decided to lower wages
This strike was ground-breaking in two ways:
The strike was primarily led by women
It was the first strike in America that brought working people together from over 25 different nations
The slogan “Bread and Roses” was first originated in this strike
In the end, the workers won pay increases, time-and-a-quarter pay for overtimes, and no discrimination against strikers
The strikers are also credited with inventing the moving picket line
BaseballBaseball
The First, First PitchThe First, First PitchThe First, First PitchThe First, First Pitch
William Howard Taft establishes the tradition of throwing out the first pitch on
April 14, 1910
Player-Owner Player-Owner RelationshipsRelationshipsPlayer-Owner Player-Owner RelationshipsRelationshipsPlayers were becoming increasingly frustrated
with poor conditions on and off the field
1912-Players Fraternity created
Attempted to negotiate better conditions, but quickly fell apart
1912-First players strike
Detroit Tigers players struck over Ty Cobb’s suspension after fighting with a fan
Tigers President, Frank J. Navin, hired scabs off the street to replace his striking players
This and numerous other problems helped to increase the sense of injustice within baseball, eventually leading to the Black Sox Scandal
The Black SoxThe Black SoxThe Black SoxThe Black SoxCharles Comiskey, Owner of the Chicago White Sox, paid extremely low wages and treated his players poorly
Due to their poor treatment, players leaped at any opportunity to earn more money
A group of players including: Joe Jackson and Eddie Cicotte, accepted money to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds
Charles ComiskeyCharles ComiskeyCharles ComiskeyCharles Comiskey
The ScandalThe ScandalThe ScandalThe ScandalMultiple rumors and accusations led to the investigation of eight players, and their eventual trials
During the investigation, both Cicotte and Jackson confessed, although shortly after their confessions went missing
Now, with no evidence, all eight players were acquitted
Because of the evident problems, Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was brought in as the sport’s first commissioner
Unfortunately for the players, Landis was not as forgiving and banned all eight players for life
Federal Judge Kenesaw Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain LandisMountain Landis
Federal Judge Kenesaw Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain LandisMountain Landis
“Regardless of the verdict of the
juries, no player who throws a ball game, no player
who undertakes or promises to throw
a ball game, no player who sits in confidence with a bunch of crooked players and does not promptly tell his club about it,
will ever play professional baseball.”
World War One and World War One and BaseballBaseball
World War One and World War One and BaseballBaseballBan Johnson ordered his teams to learn
close-order drills
John K. Tener, President of the National League, stated “This is a war of democracy against bureaucracy. And I tell you that baseball is the very watchword of democracy.”
With baseball now one of the leaders in the entertainment industry, owners felt no reason to stop playing
This decision sparked a great deal of criticism across the nation along with a drastic decline in attendance
Players or Soldiers?Players or Soldiers?Players or Soldiers?Players or Soldiers?Owners argued that baseball be considered an essential industry so that players could not be drafted
Secretary of War Newton D. Baker disagreed with this statement, leading to the drafting of 227 MLB players
Three professional players were killed in combat, one of whom was Eddie Grant, former captain of the Giants
Eddie GrantEddie GrantEddie GrantEddie Grant
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ry
US Histo
ry
Isolationism, The New Isolationism, The New American IdealAmerican Ideal
Isolationism, The New Isolationism, The New American IdealAmerican Ideal
Disillusioned by the failure of the war to achieve high ideals promised by President Woodrow Wilson, Americans chose isolationism
Isolationism led to the reliance of homegrown ideals
This renewed sense of nationalism created the need for a hometown hero
Charles Lindbergh
Babe Ruth
The Roaring The Roaring TwentiesTwenties
The Roaring The Roaring TwentiesTwentiesThe 1920s were given the
nickname the Roaring Twenties, due to the immense array of new consumer goods
Although it took time to convert from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy, the decade saw the US become the richest country in the world
America’s newfound wealth led to an increased interest in the many aspects of the entertainment industry, such as: sports, movies, and music
Al JolsonAl JolsonAl JolsonAl JolsonLangston HughesLangston HughesLangston HughesLangston Hughes
The Unfortunate The Unfortunate FewFew
The Unfortunate The Unfortunate FewFewIn spite of America’s numerous advancements,
African Americans, once again, did not benefit, along with the many other “2nd Class Citizens”
70 million people lived below the poverty level of $2000 a year per family
After the US’ entrance in WWI, in which African Americans were put into segregated units run by whites, the belief that blacks were “sub-human” remained in the back of everyone’s mind
Three months later, in the city of Chicago, 38 people were killed, 537 were injured, and ~1000 were left homeless after the Chicago Race Riot of 1919
This constant disrespect for Blacks resulted in a new sense of black pride, which led not only to the famed Harlem Renaissance, but to the creation of a handful of “black-only” baseball leagues, known as the “Negro Leagues”
Baseball
Baseball
The End of the Dead-The End of the Dead-Ball EraBall Era
The End of the Dead-The End of the Dead-Ball EraBall EraIn 1920, Major League Baseball instituted a
new set of rules which reduced the pitcher’s arsenal and improved the hitter’s chance at making solid contact
The extent to which offense dominated the 1920s is even difficult to comprehend today
From 1921-1930, each league neither league batted under .280
This new, exciting style of play coupled with America's economic boom led to an increase in baseball’s attendance and popularity
Nobody exhibited this shift towards offensive production more than Babe Ruth
The Great The Great BambinoBambinoThe Great The Great BambinoBambinoHis towering
home runs and mammoth swings helped counter the negative effects of the Black Sox scandal and WWI
He exemplified the average American due to his rise from lowly origins and his enthusiasm for the game
Great Ballplayers of the Great Ballplayers of the 1920s1920s
Great Ballplayers of the Great Ballplayers of the 1920s1920s“What the fans saw, during the 1920s, were
many of the most colorful and distinctive players in the history of the game. Babe Ruth was the era’s great personality, of course, but there were many others who remain nearly as
vivid in our memories.”
- Joseph Wallace
Dizzy DeanDizzy DeanDizzy DeanDizzy Dean Dazzy VanceDazzy VanceDazzy VanceDazzy Vance Lefty GomezLefty GomezLefty GomezLefty Gomez
The RadioThe RadioThe RadioThe RadioWith the creation of the radio, a new industry was developed that broadcasted play-by-play descriptions of baseball games
On August 5, 1921 Westinghouse station’s Harold Arlin broadcasted the first game from Forbes Field
The Negro The Negro LeaguesLeagues
The Negro The Negro LeaguesLeaguesIn 1920, Rube Foster, a former ballplayer,
founded the Negro National League
A second league, the Eastern Colored League, was established in 1923
The ECL folded in 1928 and led to the creation of the American Negro league in 1929
The NNL did well until Foster passed away in 1930
Unfortunately, this came at a time in which not only baseball was suffering, but America was as well
Without a strong leader the NNL entered into the Great Depression and fell apart
Who is the Greatest Hitter Who is the Greatest Hitter of All-Time?of All-Time?
Who is the Greatest Hitter Who is the Greatest Hitter of All-Time?of All-Time?
Batting AverageBatting AverageBatting AverageBatting Average.350.350.350.350 .342.342.342.342Home Home RunsRunsHome Home RunsRuns
~800~800~800~800 714714714714You DecideYou DecideYou DecideYou DecideJosh Gibson Babe Ruth
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US Histo
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The Great The Great DepressionDepressionThe Great The Great
DepressionDepressionDue to underconsumption and obvious social inequalities, the United States found itself found itself spiraling downwards as it entered a state of depression in 1929
Although the stock market crash didn’t instantly plunge all Americans into debt, it left 1/3 of all the country’s population in serious need of help by 1932
America’s other 2/3 suffered from reductions in job security, money income, and hours of work
A large part of why the depression was so damaging was because of the US’ laissez-faire president Herbert Hoover
Fortunately, in the election of 1932, the US chose a man fit for the presidency, Franklin D. Roosevelt
FDR and the New FDR and the New DealDeal
FDR and the New FDR and the New DealDealAfter entering office, FDR almost
immediately took action in an attempt to fix what his predecessor chose not to
Roosevelt’s New Deal had three components: direct relief, economic recovery, and financial reform
Although a couple of FDR’s agencies were unsuccessful, a great number helped to recover a struggling nation
CCC, PWA, WPA, FSA, SEC, FDIC, TVA
In 1938, he also created the FSLA, establishing minimum wage
Baseball
Baseball
The Depression and The Depression and BaseballBaseball
The Depression and The Depression and BaseballBaseballThe depression hit baseball almost as
hard as it hit the nation
Young men came to spring training not looking for stardom but simply looking for a job
Attendance dropped drastically as fans could no longer afford the cost to get into a game
Others, unwilling to give up baseball, made the ballpark hot dog their meal of the day
Many people felt that baseball should be suspended, but a slightly prominent figure in American society believed that it should continue...
Franklin Delano Franklin Delano RooseveltRoosevelt
Franklin Delano Franklin Delano RooseveltRooseveltFDR realized the importance of social
outlets in the midst of the depression and emphasized baseball’s continuation
In the President’s mind, politics and baseball were intertwined, and both were useful in supporting society’s morale and confidence
Baseball, like the New Deal, battled public apathy, resignation, defeat, and despair
During his speeches, Roosevelt compared baseball to his New Deal to instill understanding and boost the public’s confidence
Franklin Delano Franklin Delano RooseveltRoosevelt
Franklin Delano Franklin Delano RooseveltRooseveltFDR labeled owners and players as
examples of American spirit and dedication
Historian Marc Okkoken said, “He [FDR] presented a vigorous image and energetically supported baseball throughout his presidential years.”
In 1932, Roosevelt stated “Baseball as a sport has done as much as anything to keep up the spirits of people when they were losing their jobs and were in the midst of the depression.”
Fireside ChatsFireside ChatsFireside ChatsFireside ChatsThroughout FDR’s famed fireside chats, he often used Baseball metaphors in hope that they would simplify his complex ideas
On May 7, 1933, in his second fireside chat, Roosevelt spoke of “making a hit” and “winning for the team”
“I know that the people of this country will understand this and will also understand the spirit in which we are
undertaking this policy. I do not deny that we may make mistakes of procedure as we carry out the policy. I have
no expectationof making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is
the highest possible batting average, not only for myself but for the team. Theodore Roosevelt once said to me: If I can be right 75 percent of the time, I shall come up to the
fullest measure of my hopes.”
The Annual First The Annual First PitchPitch
The Annual First The Annual First PitchPitch
FDR threw out the first pitch of the season every April at Griffith stadium in Washington DC
FDR threw out more first pitches than any other president in history despite his physical ailments from
polio
American Sports American Sports HeroesHeroes
American Sports American Sports HeroesHeroesBaseball was not only popular but it was critical
during the depression. Baseball was the cure that many people needed by providing heroes and
symbols that Americans cherished.
Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggio Lou GehrigLou GehrigLou GehrigLou Gehrig Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHank GreenbergHank Greenberg
Baseball's New Baseball's New DealDeal
Baseball's New Baseball's New DealDealBaseball, like the New Deal, created new
attractions in hopes of stimulating attendance and popularity
1933~All-Star Game at Comiskey Park, Chicago
1935~The first night game is played in Cincinnati
CooperstownCooperstownCooperstownCooperstown
The Baseball Hall of Fame is opened on June 12, 1939
The first players inducted were Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson in 1936
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““NeutrNeutral”al”
““NeutrNeutral”al”After triumphing the greatest depression in US
history only a couple of years prior, the last thing the American people wanted was a war
This belief was represented by the country’s four Neutrality Acts over the course of the 1930s, the most recent in 1939
This act amended the earlier legislation by supplying the UK and France on a “cash and carry” basis
However, US vessels were forbidden to enter combat zones and citizens continued to be barred from sailing on belligerent ships
Realizing that they could no longer stand idly by, the US signed the Lend-Lease Act on March 11, 1941
Regrettably, the US could only remain neutral for so long
A Date Which Will Live in A Date Which Will Live in InfamyInfamy
A Date Which Will Live in A Date Which Will Live in InfamyInfamyOn December 7, 1941, the US was attacked by the
Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and immediately declared war on her attacker
Four days later, the remaining Axis powers, Germany and Italy, declared war on the US
A Day
Of
Infamy!
African-Americans and African-Americans and World War IIWorld War II
African-Americans and African-Americans and World War IIWorld War IIIn the summer of 1941, A. Philip Randolph, president
of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, began to insist that companies receiving defense contracts should integrate their forces
Randolph planned a march on Washington that he promised would bring almost 100,000
This concept led FDR to cancel the march, but in return he established the Fair Employment Practices Committee
In 1942, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was created
In Detroit in 1943, a series of racial altercations led to two days of violence in which 34 people died, 25 of them black
Over time, military leader made racial adjustments when they realized that they were wasting manpower
By the end of the war, there were more than 700,000 black servicemen
Women and World Women and World War IIWar II
Women and World Women and World War IIWar IIThe number of women in the
work force increased by about 60% and they also accounted for a third of paid workers in 1945
Through domestic analogies, male employers believed that women would find jobs such as cutting airplane wings (making a dress pattern) and mixing chemicals (making a cake) easy
A large number of women worked for the government and became known as “government girls”
A substantial amount of women were employed by the military, as both WAACs (Army) and Waves (Navy)
Wrongful Wrongful InternmentInternmentWrongful Wrongful
InternmentInternmentFollowing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 127,000 Japanese Americans (mainly located out west) were treated terribly and even accused of aiding Japan
Although there was no evidence, according to Earl Warren, the apparent passivity of both the Issei and the Nisei was another example of the danger they posed
In February 1942, FDR created the War Relocation Authority and placed more than 100,000 Japanese Americans in “Relocation Centers”
Two years later, the Supreme Court backed the government in the case Korematsu vs. US, stating that the relocation was constitutional
Baseball
Baseball
World War II´s Affect on World War II´s Affect on BaseballBaseball
World War II´s Affect on World War II´s Affect on BaseballBaseballDuring a game at the Polo Grounds, in
May of 1941, play stopped so that both fans and players could hear the president declare an unlimited emergency
That summer, fans alarmed by the front pages found a more reassuring kind of excitement in one of the best seasons in baseball history
This season was highlighted by:
Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak
Ted Williams .406 batting average
Both records still stand today
Baseball in JapanBaseball in JapanBaseball in JapanBaseball in Japan
The Japanese government denounced the game of baseball as a bad American influence
Terms such as: strike, out, and safe were outlawed
Japanese soldiers, in an attempt to anger GI’s into revealing their position, cursed Babe Ruth
Even young Japanese Americans played inside their internment camps
The Commissioner to the The Commissioner to the PresidentPresident
The Commissioner to the The Commissioner to the PresidentPresident
The President to the The President to the CommissionerCommissioner
The President to the The President to the CommissionerCommissioner
Players in the WarPlayers in the WarPlayers in the WarPlayers in the WarIn all, some 340 MLB players went into uniform in WWII
American GI’s played baseball everywhere they fought, teaching it to anyone they had come in contact with
Ted WilliamsTed WilliamsTed WilliamsTed WilliamsBob FellerBob FellerBob FellerBob FellerWarren SpahnWarren SpahnWarren SpahnWarren SpahnJackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJackie Robinson
Players in the WarPlayers in the WarPlayers in the WarPlayers in the WarAlthough some players saw combat, most stars
found themselves playing baseball for the Army and Navy to raise funds for the war and to boost the
morale of fellow soldiers
Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggio Pee Wee Pee Wee ReeseReese
Pee Wee Pee Wee ReeseReese
All American Girls All American Girls Pro Baseball LeaguePro Baseball LeagueAll American Girls All American Girls
Pro Baseball LeaguePro Baseball LeaguePhilip Wrigley, chewing-gum king and owner of the Chicago Cubs, hoped to keep up interest in baseball during the war
There were already 40,000 women playing semi-pro softball across the country and Wrigley wanted to convert the best of them to hardball
Hundreds turned up in Chicago for tryouts in may of 1932 and four teams were formed:
Rockford Peaches, Racine Belles, Kenosha Comets, and South Bend Blue Sox
All American GirlsAll American GirlsAll American GirlsAll American Girls
The Beauty of The Beauty of BaseballBaseball
The Beauty of The Beauty of BaseballBaseballNot only did players have to be good, but they
also had to be irreproachably feminine
Wrigley felt that Femininity was the keynote of his league.
“No pants-wearing, tough talking, female softballer will play on any of our four teams.”
Wrigley signed up the Helena Robinson cosmetics firm to run a charm school to help the players learn grace and elegance
Girls were required to wear skirts, high heels, and makeup off the field, otherwise they were fined
Reflecting the post-war trend towards at home diversions and the return to a more restrictive conception of femininity, the league folded in 1954
The Gradual Integration of The Gradual Integration of BaseballBaseball
The Gradual Integration of The Gradual Integration of BaseballBaseball
Even though Commissioner Landis repeatedly stated that there was no rule against the integration of baseball, there had yet to be a black player in the Major Leagues as the first half of the 20th century came to a close
The hypocrisy of fighting racism abroad while ignoring it at home grew more self evident
African American picketers appeared at Yankee Stadium with signs stating “If we are able to stop bullets, why not balls?”
Landis refused to budge and club owners continued to prohibit integrating the playing field
The Beginning of a New The Beginning of a New EraEra
The Beginning of a New The Beginning of a New EraEraIn the Fall of 1944,
Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis passed away
His replacement was, Kentucky politician, Albert Benjamin “Happy” Chandler
Benjamin, unlike Landis, was pro-integration and felt “If a black boy can make it in Okinawa and Guadal Canal, hell, he can make it in baseball!”
The Man Who Forever The Man Who Forever Changed the GameChanged the Game
The Man Who Forever The Man Who Forever Changed the GameChanged the Game
At UCLA, Jackie Robinson excelled in track, basketball, football, and his least favorite of them all, baseball
In 1944, he accepted a $400 a month contract to play with the Kansas City Monarchs
On October 23, 1945, Branch Rickey, President, GM, and Co-Owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson
On April 15, 1947, 26,623 fans (14,000 of them black) attended Ebbets Field on opening day to see Robinson play for the first time
No RespectNo RespectNo RespectNo Respect
Although Robinson was loved by the Black population and Dodgers Fans, he endured an immense amount of abuse from the rest of the baseball’s audience
At first, his own teammates, many of them southerners, didn’t want to play with him and signed a petition that said they’d rather be traded
Some examples of the abuse endured:
Threats towards him and his family
Pitches thrown at his head
Base runners tried to cut him with their cleats
Seven Years Ahead of Seven Years Ahead of itís Timeitís Time
Seven Years Ahead of Seven Years Ahead of itís Timeitís TimeFor all the hardships that Robinson and
other black players tolerated, and despite the slow pace of integration that followed, the MLB was well ahead of the US
A year after Robinson’s first game, the complete integration of American Armed Forces finally occurred
It would be seven years before the US Supreme Court rejected the notion that separate could truly be equal
It was not until 1965 that Congress enacted meaningful legislation to protect the basic right of black citizens to vote
The EndThe End