In 1967 I seen the eyes of my black friend when he was told he could not enter the skating rink but we could. He told us ya'll go on in and I will wait outside. We all did not enter and went home. We were 12 to 13 years old. We talked about that all the way home. We told his Mom what had happened and she sat us all down and told us what she had endured when she was growing up. I remember she had said making friends as we were is what made her proud and that we all decided to come home together was the best thing we did.
To whomever wrote the comment saying you don't think that number 42 should have been retired: Were you paying attention at all? Do you know what the man endured so that this nation can move forward and become the nation we are today? Even now, we have much to overcome when it comes to racial divides. It takes men like Jackie Robinson, who can "be courageous enough not to fight back," who can prove all people should be able to play baseball and on level playing fields, to make America a better place. The ignorance and lack of empathy as to what the man endured so that others can succeed is appalling. Every time I go to a baseball game, and I see that number 42 up there, I feel proud - proud of Jackie Robinson, a true American who makes me proud to be an American. (And, in case you're interested, I am not Black.)
ShadowFilms XD This woman, then, has little or no understanding of the impact this man had on all sports, and the world. Brooklyn?? Brooklyn??? Seriously???? The number 42 should be retired in ALL American sports . . . Football . . . Basketball . . . Hockey . . . friggin' NASCAR and so on . . . No other event, no other man or player had a more profound impact on our history, than Jackie Robinson playing for the Dodgers. And this girl stupidly says she thinks the number should only be retired in Brooklyn??? Does this moron even know that the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958?!? Honestly . . . whoever this girl is, she needs to just shut up.
I always tell friends this one story about Jackie Robinson and I want to share that here now. When Jackie died in 1972 I was 10 years old and I knew very little about baseball history and the kids at school were teasing me because of my last name being Robinson they all came up and said "I am so sorry to hear about your Cousin Jackie dying." I came home from school confused and upset. My mother saw what happened and said I will tell you about Jackie Robinson. And so she did she gave me a baseball history lesson a family history lesson and an ethics lesson all in one night thanks to Jackie Robinson
Slaves? My grandfather/grandmother were Jackie's best friends and introduced Jackie to his future wife(my Grandmother's best friend).My grandfather was Grand Marshal Rose Parade in Jackie's place.Think 40's and 50's....
That's awesome. I always heard they were a great couple, and that Jackie always stayed faithful on the road. To me that sounds almost as miraculous as Don Larsen's perfect game.
America still has a long way to go but nobody can deny there’s been progress in the last 100 years , let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 100 years to get there , can you imagine telling Jackie Robinson there will be a black president one day 🤯
My grandfather played with Jackie in 55. Number 12 first baseman Frank Kellert. He was at bat when Jackie stole home. During spring training the media asked my grandfather weather Jackie was safe or he was out. My grandpa told them he was out. The next day he was traded to the Sox. Today, the only way to authenticate a 55 signed team ball is to check for Frank Kellert’s signature.
I grew up in a small town in Indiana. Not very many black folks live in southern Indiana even now. I remember going with my Dad to ask a guy about making a sign for a business Dad was starting. I remember the sign painter was a big black guy who I'd seen around. He and Dad were friends and I remember the guy smiling and saying to Dad ' your boy sure aren't afraid of black folks Cliff ! I asked Dad what he meant by that and Dad explained about prejudice and how some people didn't like other people who didn't look like them. He explained that racism is basically fear and ignorance. I always will remember that day. That conversation affected the way I approached all people from that day when I was 6 years old.
My Grandfather William J Heineman produced, directed the “Jackie Robinson Story” with the blessing of Jackie Robinson. My Grandfather worked at Universal in distribution- and he had such trouble getting people on board that he finally put his own $ into it. I think he wanted to have Sidney Poitier play him-- but it was low budget, and so he asked Jackie Robinson himself if he’d be willing to act…. Considering he never took an acting lesson it’s really amazing… wish I could’ve met him!
Larry Doby. Anyone remember him? He doesn't have a universally retired and revered jersey number. He doesn't have a special day. He's not the subject of movies, TV specials, volumes of books, and ongoing praise. Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League just three months after Jackie and went through the same prejudices, degredation, and despicable treatment that Jackie endured. And yet, he is not the focus of any honors. This is not meant to diminish in the slightest the contributions of Jackie Robinson but rather to elevate the role of Larry Doby. He earned it.
As a Canadian very proud he was signed & able to play integrated baseball here first! He had to be such a brave man it had to be absolutely terrifying.
Awesome documentary. Anybody else notice how well spoken Jackie was even back when he first entered the major leagues--no accent at all. That says a lot in my opinion. I'll let everybody else read between the lines ..
You mad that we prefer to speak our English differently. Can we have anything to ourselves? You SOB’s took our culture, country, language and so much more. We are entitled to speak AAVE!!
slight jab at Malcolm X in this doc.. Jackie was incorrect about Malcolm. Malcolm X was definitely in the front lines and understood the black struggle just as much as Jackie
Only one way to describe Mr. Robinson. LEGEND !!! And his beautiful Wife Mrs. Rachel Robinson Is still alive and Just as beautiful today as she was some 70+yrs ago when they married.
The black native is and was a terrorized person... it still affects the children and grandchildren of them all. There is no doubt about the strength in the struggle.
Jackie Robinson an American hero I’m not sure who would argue that it’s not an opinion it’s just true and I can listen to buck O’Neil for hours thank you for making this great video
Of course Jackie is a big American hero and a major figure in making us a better people. Two other names don't get mentioned nearly enough: Branch Rickey and Happy Chandler, particularly Chandler. Chandler succeeded a blatant racist, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, as commissioner. Landis steadfastly maintained the color barrier. Chandler became commissioner and said that if a black man could fight and die for America in WW2, he could play in the major leagues. Rickey was the first owner to take the step.
The more I think about and hear about Jackie Robinson, the more I wish they had debuted multiple black players at once, so he wouldn't have had to fight the battle by himself. When you look at college football, there were a number of teams who when they decided to recruit black players, they signed multiple black players in the same recruiting class.
Not taking anything from Jackie im a blk person who just can't and wont never agree with the blk ppl who felt or feel that we as blk ppl should put up with wht terrorism just to be apart of their world....who are they to be equal to...we as blk ppl should have kept our own and we would be far ahead by now.....god bless the child that got his own....
America completely forgets Larry Doby who came into MLB three months later w/t Indians. Ask 100 people about JR...they all know of him. Ask 100 of Larry Doby, deer in the headlights! That is wrong!!! JR wasn't the only AA player who suffered. Listen to this video...racism galore and JR gets all the glory. HELLO Larry Doby!
Thanks. I know what you mean. So many are lost in the fog of time, forever. Without your comment, I probably would never have come across Doby. I'm going to make a point of looking him up. Thanks again. You've pushed another soul into existence.
And Hank Thompson also played for the Browns for a part of the 1947 season, making his major league debut 12 days after Doby. And he was followed by a few other black players in 1947. Anyone with a lick of sense and basic knowledge of those times understands the extreme difficulties faced by the handful of black players who came up right after Robinson, including Doby, Thompson, Brown, Bankhead, Paige, Campanella, Newcombe, Irvin, Minoso, Jethroe and so on. Any serious baseball fan should know that the 1950 World Series was played by two times that were still not integrated, and it was only because the Dodgers and Giants won so many pennants from 1949-1956 that it didn't happen even longer; that was the last one. Bill Veeck, in particular, was waiting for the opportunity to bring black players to the Indians. He had tried to buy the Phillies a few years earlier when they were a terrible team and in severe financial difficulties. But that move was blocked because it became known that he planned to make the Phillies a better team by bringing some of the better Negro League players to the Major Leagues and not just one at a time. Even so, the focal point of the pressure was on Jackie because he was the first. He's the first guy out of the foxhole, the first guy drawing enemy fire. Do the other guys coming behind him get fired on? Absolutely. But they are encouraged by the fact that one of their own is leading the way, showing it can be done. It would have been different if a weak ball club had been the first to sign black players by signing 3-6 black players to take over a number of key roles on the team right away. That was what Veeck wanted to do with the Phillies. But that couldn't happen with the Dodgers. They already had a very talented ball club, one that was good enough to tie for the National League pennant in 1946 (only to lose to St. Louis) in the playoffs. Their own fans would have reacted quite negatively if Rickey had suddenly pushed out a handful of established stars and replaced them with black players who were untested in that league. The other difference between Robinson and the other black players in 1947 is that Robinson was a player who started 151 of 155 regular season games and every inning of the World Series, hitting a respectable .259 (the Dodgers hit .230) with 3 runs scored, three RBI's, two doubles and two stolen bases plus no errors (the team made 8). Doby started at first base in his first major league game four days after he was signed, but he didn't start another game the rest of the year, playing only 19 innings in the field for those final 3 months. He mostly pinch hit and he only batted .156. Thompson did a little better. In 2½ months, he started 18 of his 27 games at second base, hitting .256. Two days later, another black player, outfielder Willard Brown (a veteran Negro League player compared to Robinson, Doby and Thompson) joined Thompson in the lineup. But Brown only hit .179 in 21 games. Neither of them finished the year with the team, having been released in August to return to play with the Kansas CIty Monarchs. Brown's release was possibly justified for subpar performance, although he holds the distinction of being the first black player in the AL to hit a home run. I checked a number of websites to find a reason for Thompson's release. First is a statement of his in his biography on the Negro Leagues Museum's web site where he said that he believes that he and Brown should have first been sent to the minor leagues to have an adjustment period rather than go straight to the majors. The biography also notes that they weren't "Jackie Robinson" types which I take to mean that they weren't sophisticated like Jackie was. At age 12, Thompson had been sent to reform school in north Texas, officially for chronic truancy. They both brought reputations that weren't nearly as exemplary as those of Robinson or Doby (who also had gone to college).They had gone straight from Southern towns into black baseball and Brown in particular struggled with handling the racism. St.Louis was the southernmost city in the big leagues at the time and it's belief in the inferiority of blacks was still very evident. The other reason is that the players ddn't receive the support of the ownership and coaching staff that Robinson and Doby did from Rickey and Veeck. Bill DeWitt owned the Browns at the time and he demonstrated obvious racial prejudice even into the 1960's. He was merely looking for a quick infusion of talent into his hapless team. He had only instructed his scouts to look for talent, not character. Brown had a reputation of being headstrong and only playing hard when he felt like it. Thompson was known as a hot head and his alcoholism was already in full bloom. And neither of them were helped by the atmosphere on the club. They report that none of the other players would speak to them or warm up with them. Their manager, Muddy Ruel, was a local St. Louis man. He had no interest in black players on his team, even ones far more talented than most of their teammates. And in fact, the two players weren't technically released. They had been acquired from the Monarchs on a trial basis. Rather than pay the extra money that would have been required if they had stuck with the team, DeWitt returned them to the Monarchs with the statement that they didn't meet big league standards. (Note that Thompson had a higher batting average than the Browns did as a team that year by 15 points.) Yes, Doby was one of the first. And he struggled to gain acceptance from his teammates. But with the support of ownership and coaches like Tris Speaker (himself a Texan), Doby was converted to play the outfield and he slowly won over his teammates during Spring Training in 1948, which not only saw him make the team again but become their starting center fielder. But the way it unfolded, there was still only one first. During the 1947 season, Doby, Thompson and Brown (and pitcher Dan Bankhead, who the Dodgers called up in August 1947 as the first black major league pitcher and who appeared in the 1947 World Series as a pinch runner) were just supporting players in the dramatic events of 1947. Jackie Robinson clearly had the leading role. If you could ask players like Mays, Aaron, Banks, Frank Robinson, Joe Black, Ed Charles and the black pioneers (besides Jackie) I mentioned in this post, who made it possible for them to have successful careers, I would be surprised if any of them would mention any other name than Jackie Robinson. PS - when I occasionally drive across the nearby border into NJ and down NJ Route 20 (McLean Boulevard), it is a thrill for me when I drive past the sign that heralds the Larry Doby Athletic Field at East Side Park in Paterson, NJ, the city where Doby excelled as an athlete in HS after moving from South Carolina at age 14.
I guess a documentary that sees Colin Powell as a significant hero would laude that, haha. Weirdly dated. Cool history, though. Gotta love 42 regardless, the greatest to do it.
Black natives do inherit terror. It gets handed down to us all. The history books could NEVER teach me what my Mississippi Grandparents made sure to teach us all. #ImagineTheTerrors #GhostsOfMississippi
It's a hard pill to swallow seeing him try to soar to his highest God given rights and be oppressed by the "supremes" yet still accomplish so much. I feel a tinge of horror just watching this. But... at 45 years old, what I know, is the mighty power of the pen! People WILL write about you, good or bad. (The "massas" taught white supremacy so well that I feel its "ultimate solution" decades after... and I know my kids will feel it too) #ImagineThat
@@TheKatdawg65 Major leagues go back further and there were more blacks and the game itself came from Europe and was invented by blacks. Game was called Rounders.
In 1967 I seen the eyes of my black friend when he was told he could not enter the skating rink but we could. He told us ya'll go on in and I will wait outside. We all did not enter and went home. We were 12 to 13 years old. We talked about that all the way home. We told his Mom what had happened and she sat us all down and told us what she had endured when she was growing up. I remember she had said making friends as we were is what made her proud and that we all decided to come home together was the best thing we did.
elvidom2 wow you & your friends are great people. Thanks for sharing xoxo
I cried reading this. You were a true friend and a warrior. Thank you for sharing this story as it is the story of my life too.
Bravo!!!
God bless your heart. That's really all.
dude, im mexican and your story gave me a tear in my eye .been there.
To whomever wrote the comment saying you don't think that number 42 should have been retired: Were you paying attention at all? Do you know what the man endured so that this nation can move forward and become the nation we are today? Even now, we have much to overcome when it comes to racial divides. It takes men like Jackie Robinson, who can "be courageous enough not to fight back," who can prove all people should be able to play baseball and on level playing fields, to make America a better place. The ignorance and lack of empathy as to what the man endured so that others can succeed is appalling.
Every time I go to a baseball game, and I see that number 42 up there, I feel proud - proud of Jackie Robinson, a true American who makes me proud to be an American.
(And, in case you're interested, I am not Black.)
Read that comment again she doesn't believe that 42 should be retire on all of the mlb only in brooklyn read it again
ShadowFilms XD This woman, then, has little or no understanding of the impact this man had on all sports, and the world. Brooklyn?? Brooklyn??? Seriously???? The number 42 should be retired in ALL American sports . . . Football . . . Basketball . . . Hockey . . . friggin' NASCAR and so on . . . No other event, no other man or player had a more profound impact on our history, than Jackie Robinson playing for the Dodgers. And this girl stupidly says she thinks the number should only be retired in Brooklyn??? Does this moron even know that the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958?!? Honestly . . . whoever this girl is, she needs to just shut up.
+C Toy youre white you cant fathom racism on our end
+Robert Brent Actually, I'm Chinese, but how could you have known?
C Toy You have a beautiful mind. Keep it sharp so that you are a light in a dark place. 🍸
I applaud this documentary for focusing on Jackie the man and fighter, not just the baseball player.
Thank you Jackie. Thank you Mr. Rickey. You two represent the best of humanity.
I always tell friends this one story about Jackie Robinson and I want to share that here now. When Jackie died in 1972 I was 10 years old and I knew very little about baseball history and the kids at school were teasing me because of my last name being Robinson they all came up and said "I am so sorry to hear about your Cousin Jackie dying." I came home from school confused and upset. My mother saw what happened and said I will tell you about Jackie Robinson. And so she did she gave me a baseball history lesson a family history lesson and an ethics lesson all in one night thanks to Jackie Robinson
Ok
Without Jackie, there's no Mays, Clemente, Aaron, Jackson, Griffey, or Bonds.
is there any baseball players better than Jackie yes , Is there any baseball player more important than him ? who ? great conclusion Rest in Peace ❤
no one means more to baseball than Jackie and The Babe. two greatest to ever hold a bat.
@MANCHESTER UNITED what does this have to do with anything? Your'e representing yourself as a clown.
Leroy Satchel Paige?
@MANCHESTER UNITED So what, its like saying formula one is bigger than football? whats your point?
@M soccer?
Jackie Robinson was one of the best baseball players ever and a revolutionary hero's and he was ahead of his time and a handsome guy
Frank Sinatra said he would not work Vegas and other venues if his friend Sammi Davis jr. was denied entry and due respect.
Thank you, have been looking for this documentary for years....
My family is closely associated with Mr. Robinson, what a great American. My Grandpa appears in this film, he is a great American too.
+hollyh1969 were jackis grandparents ur fams slaves or something ?
Slaves? My grandfather/grandmother were Jackie's best friends and introduced Jackie to his future wife(my Grandmother's best friend).My grandfather was Grand Marshal Rose Parade in Jackie's place.Think 40's and 50's....
That's awesome. I always heard they were a great couple, and that Jackie always stayed faithful on the road. To me that sounds almost as miraculous as Don Larsen's perfect game.
@@hollyh-zw1yb lol @Robby Brent! You checked him very well!
@@robertbrent6835 what kind of a douch bag dick head thing to say. FUCK you
Branch Rickey is from my hometown so I've always been especially interested in his historic signing of Robinson.
Jackie Robinson is a LEGEND
Jackie Robinson is my favorite baseball player
Me too
That's why we have Jackie Robinson on hats and Jackie Robinson day in the MLB.and hard working man.i love admire jackie ❤
Long live Jackie Robinson's legend & God bless his beautiful soul!
Baseball was ahead of the rest of america. This happened in the 40s. Mlk died in 68. Crazy.
This will help my son do good in history
in life too.
Poor Jackie but he showed his true power and proved those haters wrong
the most important athlete in all of sports, ever
So close to making the video 42 minutes
Let's not forget Mr.Rickey, a man of unbridled vision. To see Jackie through. I'm reading his book as I speak.
America still has a long way to go but nobody can deny there’s been progress in the last 100 years , let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 100 years to get there , can you imagine telling Jackie Robinson there will be a black president one day 🤯
Great player great human being
Happy Birthday to the goat Jackie Robinson January 31,1919 a king was born!!!
Awesome film. Must needed watch.
My grandfather played with Jackie in 55. Number 12 first baseman Frank Kellert. He was at bat when Jackie stole home. During spring training the media asked my grandfather weather Jackie was safe or he was out. My grandpa told them he was out. The next day he was traded to the Sox. Today, the only way to authenticate a 55 signed team ball is to check for Frank Kellert’s signature.
Great way to make this about you
@@LunaOrgana and also a cool story. Which you don’t have
@@arthurmorgan7086 oooooo buuuuurn 🙄🙄🙄
@@LunaOrgana does it hurt you that you use your body to try an get recognition and nobody cares?
@@arthurmorgan7086 🙄🙄🙄 bruuuh get a life instead trying to speculate on mine
I think i can play any sport..i love every sport...Thats why can play any sport.
Today Commemorates Jackie Robinson's 100th Birthday
Roberto Clemente x Jackie Robinson was some good players
Actually Moses “Fleetwood” Walker was the first black MLB player
Yeah him and his brother i was a little disappointed when I found that out but it doesn’t take away from Jackie’s legacy
I grew up in a small town in Indiana. Not very many black folks live in southern Indiana even now. I remember going with my Dad to ask a guy about making a sign for a business Dad was starting. I remember the sign painter was a big black guy who I'd seen around. He and Dad were friends and I remember the guy smiling and saying to Dad ' your boy sure aren't afraid of black folks Cliff ! I asked Dad what he meant by that and Dad explained about prejudice and how some people didn't like other people who didn't look like them. He explained that racism is basically fear and ignorance. I always will remember that day. That conversation affected the way I approached all people from that day when I was 6 years old.
This documentary makes me proud to be a dodgers fan. 😎🤗
Family grew up in Brooklyn. Jackie was King.
A Yankee fan
It's extraordinary to see how many lives have been touched by Jackie's story! Jerry Stackhouse wore 42 in honor of Jackie.
My Grandfather William J Heineman produced, directed the “Jackie Robinson Story” with the blessing of Jackie Robinson. My Grandfather worked at Universal in distribution- and he had such trouble getting people on board that he finally put his own $ into it. I think he wanted to have Sidney Poitier play him-- but it was low budget, and so he asked Jackie Robinson himself if he’d be willing to act…. Considering he never took an acting lesson it’s really amazing… wish I could’ve met him!
great video. thanks for posting it.
btw...when did this documentary air/when was it made ?
Letterbox format. I’d guess 90s. Definitely wouldn’t be able to say the N word in the 2000s
Jackie Robinson has become the first African American to play Major League Baseball.
Ben Chapman was fired in 1948 and never worked in baseball again. Good!
Larry Doby. Anyone remember him? He doesn't have a universally retired and revered jersey number. He doesn't have a special day. He's not the subject of movies, TV specials, volumes of books, and ongoing praise. Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League just three months after Jackie and went through the same prejudices, degredation, and despicable treatment that Jackie endured. And yet, he is not the focus of any honors.
This is not meant to diminish in the slightest the contributions of Jackie Robinson but rather to elevate the role of Larry Doby. He earned it.
As a Canadian very proud he was signed & able to play integrated baseball here first! He had to be such a brave man it had to be absolutely terrifying.
The beginning few seconds will give you an aneurysm-
42
Teared up throughout this entire video man. (4th July)
U meant Juneteenth wen blacks were free
I was wondering where you got this documentary?
Awesome documentary. Anybody else notice how well spoken Jackie was even back when he first entered the major leagues--no accent at all. That says a lot in my opinion. I'll let everybody else read between the lines ..
Reading between the lines, I'd say you're a racist.🤷🏻♀️
You mad that we prefer to speak our English differently. Can we have anything to ourselves? You SOB’s took our culture, country, language and so much more. We are entitled to speak AAVE!!
@@tan9515 and they hide behind a profile picture thinking it’s cool to be racist when they’re just showing how ignorant they are
slight jab at Malcolm X in this doc.. Jackie was incorrect about Malcolm. Malcolm X was definitely in the front lines and understood the black struggle just as much as Jackie
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
Only one way to describe Mr. Robinson.
LEGEND !!!
And his beautiful Wife Mrs. Rachel Robinson Is still alive and Just as beautiful today as she was some 70+yrs ago when they married.
Top 3 that we’re fighting for civil rights Jackie Robinson Bill Russell and Martin Luther King Jr
2 of the 3
R.I.P Jackie Robinson 1919-1972😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
The black native is and was a terrorized person... it still affects the children and grandchildren of them all. There is no doubt about the strength in the struggle.
Jackie Robinson an American hero I’m not sure who would argue that it’s not an opinion it’s just true and I can listen to buck O’Neil for hours thank you for making this great video
Jackie Robinson was a good baseball player.
Of course Jackie is a big American hero and a major figure in making us a better people. Two other names don't get mentioned nearly enough: Branch Rickey and Happy Chandler, particularly Chandler. Chandler succeeded a blatant racist, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, as commissioner. Landis steadfastly maintained the color barrier. Chandler became commissioner and said that if a black man could fight and die for America in WW2, he could play in the major leagues. Rickey was the first owner to take the step.
The more I think about and hear about Jackie Robinson, the more I wish they had debuted multiple black players at once, so he wouldn't have had to fight the battle by himself. When you look at college football, there were a number of teams who when they decided to recruit black players, they signed multiple black players in the same recruiting class.
THANKS MERCY !!!!
look up Moses Fleetwood Walker toledo longstockings first black player
Until Jackie Robinson.
Blessed Jackie Robinson, pray for us.
So 😥 what Jackie went through in his life. But he rose above everything else
Hey
interesting!
Yo whats up rob
Played in Canadian 'white league' before he could play in America!
Not taking anything from Jackie im a blk person who just can't and wont never agree with the blk ppl who felt or feel that we as blk ppl should put up with wht terrorism just to be apart of their world....who are they to be equal to...we as blk ppl should have kept our own and we would be far ahead by now.....god bless the child that got his own....
Us whites agree. Please pack up n go somewhere
I would've loved to see a Malcolm X vs Jackie Robinson debate
Jackie Robinson would win that debate on his merit and his accomplishment.jackie was a educated man and would have whipped Malcolm x butt.
Valut tech brought me here ;)
Jackie Robinson was smart he knew a lot more then just playing baseball
hey just saying a good person praise the lord I love you jackie well i am a close relative to clyde and i love the game so i am very proud
America completely forgets Larry Doby who came into MLB three months later w/t Indians. Ask 100 people about JR...they all know of him. Ask 100 of Larry Doby, deer in the headlights! That is wrong!!! JR wasn't the only AA player who suffered. Listen to this video...racism galore and JR gets all the glory. HELLO Larry Doby!
Thanks. I know what you mean. So many are lost in the fog of time, forever. Without your comment, I probably would never have come across Doby. I'm going to make a point of looking him up. Thanks again. You've pushed another soul into existence.
I saw Larry Doby play his ML game at municipal stadium in Clevelend
AMEN!!! Was there any racial stuff thrown at him?
Unfortunately for Larry, Cleveland never has been the center of the universe. New York was and is.
And Hank Thompson also played for the Browns for a part of the 1947 season, making his major league debut 12 days after Doby. And he was followed by a few other black players in 1947. Anyone with a lick of sense and basic knowledge of those times understands the extreme difficulties faced by the handful of black players who came up right after Robinson, including Doby, Thompson, Brown, Bankhead, Paige, Campanella, Newcombe, Irvin, Minoso, Jethroe and so on. Any serious baseball fan should know that the 1950 World Series was played by two times that were still not integrated, and it was only because the Dodgers and Giants won so many pennants from 1949-1956 that it didn't happen even longer; that was the last one.
Bill Veeck, in particular, was waiting for the opportunity to bring black players to the Indians. He had tried to buy the Phillies a few years earlier when they were a terrible team and in severe financial difficulties. But that move was blocked because it became known that he planned to make the Phillies a better team by bringing some of the better Negro League players to the Major Leagues and not just one at a time.
Even so, the focal point of the pressure was on Jackie because he was the first. He's the first guy out of the foxhole, the first guy drawing enemy fire. Do the other guys coming behind him get fired on? Absolutely. But they are encouraged by the fact that one of their own is leading the way, showing it can be done.
It would have been different if a weak ball club had been the first to sign black players by signing 3-6 black players to take over a number of key roles on the team right away. That was what Veeck wanted to do with the Phillies. But that couldn't happen with the Dodgers. They already had a very talented ball club, one that was good enough to tie for the National League pennant in 1946 (only to lose to St. Louis) in the playoffs. Their own fans would have reacted quite negatively if Rickey had suddenly pushed out a handful of established stars and replaced them with black players who were untested in that league.
The other difference between Robinson and the other black players in 1947 is that Robinson was a player who started 151 of 155 regular season games and every inning of the World Series, hitting a respectable .259 (the Dodgers hit .230) with 3 runs scored, three RBI's, two doubles and two stolen bases plus no errors (the team made 8). Doby started at first base in his first major league game four days after he was signed, but he didn't start another game the rest of the year, playing only 19 innings in the field for those final 3 months. He mostly pinch hit and he only batted .156.
Thompson did a little better. In 2½ months, he started 18 of his 27 games at second base, hitting .256. Two days later, another black player, outfielder Willard Brown (a veteran Negro League player compared to Robinson, Doby and Thompson) joined Thompson in the lineup. But Brown only hit .179 in 21 games. Neither of them finished the year with the team, having been released in August to return to play with the Kansas CIty Monarchs. Brown's release was possibly justified for subpar performance, although he holds the distinction of being the first black player in the AL to hit a home run.
I checked a number of websites to find a reason for Thompson's release. First is a statement of his in his biography on the Negro Leagues Museum's web site where he said that he believes that he and Brown should have first been sent to the minor leagues to have an adjustment period rather than go straight to the majors. The biography also notes that they weren't "Jackie Robinson" types which I take to mean that they weren't sophisticated like Jackie was. At age 12, Thompson had been sent to reform school in north Texas, officially for chronic truancy. They both brought reputations that weren't nearly as exemplary as those of Robinson or Doby (who also had gone to college).They had gone straight from Southern towns into black baseball and Brown in particular struggled with handling the racism. St.Louis was the southernmost city in the big leagues at the time and it's belief in the inferiority of blacks was still very evident.
The other reason is that the players ddn't receive the support of the ownership and coaching staff that Robinson and Doby did from Rickey and Veeck. Bill DeWitt owned the Browns at the time and he demonstrated obvious racial prejudice even into the 1960's. He was merely looking for a quick infusion of talent into his hapless team. He had only instructed his scouts to look for talent, not character. Brown had a reputation of being headstrong and only playing hard when he felt like it. Thompson was known as a hot head and his alcoholism was already in full bloom. And neither of them were helped by the atmosphere on the club. They report that none of the other players would speak to them or warm up with them. Their manager, Muddy Ruel, was a local St. Louis man. He had no interest in black players on his team, even ones far more talented than most of their teammates. And in fact, the two players weren't technically released. They had been acquired from the Monarchs on a trial basis. Rather than pay the extra money that would have been required if they had stuck with the team, DeWitt returned them to the Monarchs with the statement that they didn't meet big league standards. (Note that Thompson had a higher batting average than the Browns did as a team that year by 15 points.)
Yes, Doby was one of the first. And he struggled to gain acceptance from his teammates. But with the support of ownership and coaches like Tris Speaker (himself a Texan), Doby was converted to play the outfield and he slowly won over his teammates during Spring Training in 1948, which not only saw him make the team again but become their starting center fielder. But the way it unfolded, there was still only one first. During the 1947 season, Doby, Thompson and Brown (and pitcher Dan Bankhead, who the Dodgers called up in August 1947 as the first black major league pitcher and who appeared in the 1947 World Series as a pinch runner) were just supporting players in the dramatic events of 1947. Jackie Robinson clearly had the leading role. If you could ask players like Mays, Aaron, Banks, Frank Robinson, Joe Black, Ed Charles and the black pioneers (besides Jackie) I mentioned in this post, who made it possible for them to have successful careers, I would be surprised if any of them would mention any other name than Jackie Robinson.
PS - when I occasionally drive across the nearby border into NJ and down NJ Route 20 (McLean Boulevard), it is a thrill for me when I drive past the sign that heralds the Larry Doby Athletic Field at East Side Park in Paterson, NJ, the city where Doby excelled as an athlete in HS after moving from South Carolina at age 14.
Love it
Love him but didn't realize he spoke at HUAC against Robeson, that's uh... not great. Still love him, but that's disappointing to learn.
I guess a documentary that sees Colin Powell as a significant hero would laude that, haha. Weirdly dated. Cool history, though. Gotta love 42 regardless, the greatest to do it.
Ironically the first black baseball manager was named Robinson - catch that?
Yo V wassup
That officer had to walk around the rest of his life knowing a nigga knocked his teeth out. I would love to know his story lmaooo
Tears
Legend
RIP Jackie Robinson
R.I.P
And these same cowards believe everything is now even. These individuals actually believe that.
A true class act.
when oyu look @ the settings and it says the most quality you can get is 240p, you leave
IMMEDIATELY!
Sound like a young sissy boy. Do u know how to change a tire or oil on a car. Bet you don't
15:40 thank me later
That’s so rude I’m telling my mom
Jr should not have retired
He had to, nobody's body lasts forever. He had diabetes and was facing a trade.
Black natives do inherit terror. It gets handed down to us all. The history books could NEVER teach me what my Mississippi Grandparents made sure to teach us all. #ImagineTheTerrors #GhostsOfMississippi
esse merece meu respeito
boby wuz Cup
Go Jackie
.bcase we
It's a hard pill to swallow seeing him try to soar to his highest God given rights and be oppressed by the "supremes" yet still accomplish so much. I feel a tinge of horror just watching this. But... at 45 years old, what I know, is the mighty power of the pen! People WILL write about you, good or bad. (The "massas" taught white supremacy so well that I feel its "ultimate solution" decades after... and I know my kids will feel it too) #ImagineThat
Wow
Jackie Robinson wasn't even the first black player to play in the Major Leagues. This narrative is so silly...lololol
kharis87 then who was
There was one Black dude in the 1880s, Moses Fleetwood Walker, in 1884, then everything was segregated until Jackie.
@@TheKatdawg65 Major leagues go back further and there were more blacks and the game itself came from Europe and was invented by blacks. Game was called Rounders.
boby
75 years later racism is still here in full effect.
Yeah from both sides unfortunately
@@Sean-jc6cu only one side has the power to be r@ cist
Clemente was the bestĺ. Ballplayers ever . Seen