Breaking the Barrier
Branch Rickey secretly scouted many Negro League players. He was attracted to Jackie during his first year with the Monarchs when Jackie was already 26 years old. After checking his background, Mr. Rickey decided that Jackie had the right combination of talent, intelligence, and experience with whites.
On August 28, 1945, Jackie met with Mr. Rickey. During their meeting, Rickey told him that he wanted to sign him for the Major Leagues and that he must be prepared to face the greatest harassment any player had ever endured. Robinson asked, “Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?” Rickey replied, “I need a player who has the guts not to fight back.” Jackie agreed that for the first two years, he would not fight back to the racism he would encounter. It became official; Jackie became the first African American to sign a Major League Baseball contract.
After a year with the Dodger’s farm team, Jackie was promoted to the Dodgers. Some of his new teammates resented playing with a black man, but management told them that they could leave if they wanted. No one did. On April 15, 1947, he played in his first Major League game. The Dodgers attracted huge crowds, especially from black fans. The first weekend home game at Ebbets Field produced the largest attendance at a Saturday’s game in Dodger’s history.
Although they came out in large numbers, Jackie received racial insults, name calling, hate mail, harassment, and threats. One of his worst experiences came early in the season against the Philadelphia Phillies playing at Ebbets Field in a three game series. Racial slurs and insults were yelled from the Phillies dugout. It took everything Jackie had to keep quiet and take the abuse. He was very close to breaking the image of the patient black man and retaliate. But, by the third game, his own teammates began defending him and yelling back at the Phillies. Jackie remembered Mr. Rickey’s prediction that if he won the respect of the team and got them solidly behind him, then the plan of integration would be a success.
On August 28, 1945, Jackie met with Mr. Rickey. During their meeting, Rickey told him that he wanted to sign him for the Major Leagues and that he must be prepared to face the greatest harassment any player had ever endured. Robinson asked, “Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?” Rickey replied, “I need a player who has the guts not to fight back.” Jackie agreed that for the first two years, he would not fight back to the racism he would encounter. It became official; Jackie became the first African American to sign a Major League Baseball contract.
After a year with the Dodger’s farm team, Jackie was promoted to the Dodgers. Some of his new teammates resented playing with a black man, but management told them that they could leave if they wanted. No one did. On April 15, 1947, he played in his first Major League game. The Dodgers attracted huge crowds, especially from black fans. The first weekend home game at Ebbets Field produced the largest attendance at a Saturday’s game in Dodger’s history.
Although they came out in large numbers, Jackie received racial insults, name calling, hate mail, harassment, and threats. One of his worst experiences came early in the season against the Philadelphia Phillies playing at Ebbets Field in a three game series. Racial slurs and insults were yelled from the Phillies dugout. It took everything Jackie had to keep quiet and take the abuse. He was very close to breaking the image of the patient black man and retaliate. But, by the third game, his own teammates began defending him and yelling back at the Phillies. Jackie remembered Mr. Rickey’s prediction that if he won the respect of the team and got them solidly behind him, then the plan of integration would be a success.