The 1940's
In the late 1940’s, post-World War II, baseball was more popular than ever. Men of all ethnic backgrounds were welcomed into Major League Baseball, except Black Americans. There was no statute officially banning blacks from baseball, only an unwritten rule which no club owner was prepared to break, until Branch Rickey.
The Commissioner of baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis was against integrating Major League baseball. When he died in 1944, Branch Rickey took advantage of the opportunity to put baseball and the nation on a different path. The Brooklyn Dodgers were known as the original “America’s Team” and were second only to the New York Yankees as the richest sports franchise in the world. The Dodgers were in the National League and were considered the weaker league. Branch Rickey saw that acquiring black players was a way of producing a winning team. He was also aware that following the war, many cities, including New York were attracting thousands of poor blacks from the south. He knew that the Negro Leagues had done financially well during the war and the crowds that they attracted could benefit his team and the Major Leagues.
The Commissioner of baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis was against integrating Major League baseball. When he died in 1944, Branch Rickey took advantage of the opportunity to put baseball and the nation on a different path. The Brooklyn Dodgers were known as the original “America’s Team” and were second only to the New York Yankees as the richest sports franchise in the world. The Dodgers were in the National League and were considered the weaker league. Branch Rickey saw that acquiring black players was a way of producing a winning team. He was also aware that following the war, many cities, including New York were attracting thousands of poor blacks from the south. He knew that the Negro Leagues had done financially well during the war and the crowds that they attracted could benefit his team and the Major Leagues.