April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson makes MLB Debut

DHS US History II

April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson makes MLB debut Background: Major League Baseball had been segregated since the late 1800s, even though many teams played in cities that were generally regarded as progressive like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. Some of the most talented players in the history of the game like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson were relegated to the Negro League, which was extremely popular among the African American community but was generally ignored by the majority of white baseball fans. In 1945 Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers changed the status quo by signing Jackie Robinson, a Negro League star, to a minor league deal. Robinson was a gifted athlete, lettering in four sports at UCLA: football, basketball, baseball, and track. After a year with the Montreal Royals (where he led the minor leagues in batting average), the shortstop was slated to make his debut at Ebbets Field against the Boston Braves on Opening Day, April 15, 1947. The Rookie Season: Robinson made his debut for the Dodgers, going 0-3 that day. Many Dodger fans and even some players were conflicted about supporting an African American player trying to integrate one of America’s most beloved institutions. Dodgers announcer Red Barber famously considered quitting his dream job over calling a game with an African American player, as stated in an interview shortly before his death. Everywhere Robinson went, there were threats made by opposing players and fans, and when the team traveled south he was forced to face state-sanctioned segregation on buses, in hotels, and even at the ballpark. A 1951 letter sent to the Cincinnati Reds said “ROBINSON WE ARE GOING TO KILL YOU IF YOU ATTEMPT TO ENTER A BALLGAME AT CROSLEY FIELD.” Nevertheless, Robinson played through these hardships, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1947 and National League MVP in 1949. He helped the Dodgers to a World Series Title in 1955. Aftermath/ Legacy: Although Robinson’s debut was a landmark event in American racial history, getting baseball fully integrated was a lengthy conquest. The Red Sox were the last team to integrate, in 1959. Even so it’s clear that Robinson made a major impact, particularly in empowering African American youth, who regarded him as a hero. To see a black man playing on the same stage as white stars dented the idea of white supremacy that had infiltrated the minds of many young African Americans, who would be a part of the generation that would lead the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. Major League Baseball was one of a number of institutions that would integrate in the late 1940s, such as the Armed Services in 1948. Integration in public schools wouldn’t begin until 1954, but Robinson’s debut was certainly a significant early step in the direction of equal rights.