Essay on Jackie Robinson

On what grounds did those who opposed

the integration of baseball oppose it?

Thomas W. Zeiler, Jackie Robinson and Race in

America: A Brief History With Documents.

New Mexico State University

HIST 202G M02

Prof. Jamie Bronstein

By

Carlos Eduardo Orta

 Essay on Jackie Robinson

The population that opposed the assimilation of blacks and whites in baseball

based their logic on traditional southern racism, laws favoring discrimination, and

economic matters. The color line of baseball stood on these topics and would deny the

integration of negroes and whites playing together in the ballfield. After the

emancipation of black men and women, their assimilation to a normal way of life took

decades. Political and social institutions across the country were segregated following

the “Separate but Equal” doctrine, established in the Plessy V. Ferguson case in 1896.

Baseball, being one of the most iconic American pastime of the post-civil war era, was

not able to avoid the consequences of segregation. The arrival of Jackie Robinson to

the Major Leagues impacted people’s ideas on racial segregation. The country was

attentive to Robinson’s participation in professional baseball because he carried an

enormous weight on his back. He was representing the African Americans and other

minorities whose rights were not respected. Before (and even after) the integration of

Robinson to the Major Leagues, there was opposition to the segregation of blacks with

whites in the field.

Racist laws were one of the causes of the opposition to integration in baseball.

The Jim Crow era was highly biased toward whites. African Americans were unable to

enjoy the benefits that the United States had to offer. Social interactions were rare and

coexistence between black and whites was difficult. Even if the Major Leagues did not

have a rule banning Negroes from playing baseball, (which Branch Rickey took

advantage of to hire Robinson) the Jim Crow laws were still in effect in several parts of

the United States, including El Paso, Texas (Document 29, Reject Bowl Invite over
Race Issue, Page 105, 1948). When the Montreal Royals (Jackie’s team) traveled to

play against an Indianapolis team at DeLand, Florida, Robinson was prohibited by a

local police officer from playing or even sit in the dugout with his teammates (Document

9, Facing Jim Crow, Page 65, 1948). The officer told Jackie: “We ain’t having Nigras

and white boys playing on the same field in this town. It’s agin the law and ah’m heah to

tell ya. Ya can’t come down heah and change our way of livin’. They’s a law says Nigras

and whites cain’t be togetha.” Once he sat in the dugout the officer continued: “Git him

off’en thet there bench, he cain’t set there. Thet’s agin the law, too. They cain’t sit

togetha on no baseball benches, either” (Document 9, Facing Jim Crow, Page 65,

1948). Coming from a police officer, the statement seemed official and forced Jackie

and his teammates to follow. Jim Crow laws were to be followed by black and whites.

Because these regulations were in a legal context, people were required to obey them,

including segregating baseball negro players in the South. The opposition toward

segregation had a legal based background, which also reflects the government

influence on local matters as the issue of the color line of baseball.

Another factor included in the reasons for the opposition of baseball was

economics. Baseball was and is still recognized for being not only a big sport nation and

worldwide, but also a remarkable business. Baseball officials who opposed integration

argued that desegregating the Major Leagues would severely impact the finances of the

Negro Leagues. ““It is estimated that they (Negro League players) do a $2,000,000 a

year business and the New York Yankee management point[s] out that last year, Negro

teams paid $100,000 in rentals and concessions for their four parks in New York,

Kansas City, Newark, and Norfolk.” (Document 4, Recommended Report for the
Mayor's Committee on Baseball, Page 53, 1945). Evidently, this argument justified

the racial split of Baseball players, remarking the financial meanings of the separation. It

was also argued that the arrival of Negroes to the Major Leagues could have caused

white to quit from their teams, particularly those from the South. As spoken by Branch

Rickey, it was thought that these Southern players would “steer away” from teams with

black players on the roster (Document 6, Baseball Gives Contract to First Negro Player,

Page 61, 1945). Thoughts and possibilities like this would retract baseball executives

and businessmen to accept blacks into their professional and financial source teams.

A third argument that opposers of the racial assimilation of baseball took was

based on the traditional southern racism. American ideas of racial segregation came

from both local individuals and top governmental officials. Baseball was not different

than the rest of society. Segregation was supported by both white players and fans

alike. No negro had ever been permitted to play or try out for organized baseball before

(Document 2, Baseball Treats Negroes as Hitler Does Jews, Page 48, 1938). The

people who were against the racial integration had had traditional racist ways of living

which conflicted with the ideals of Rickey. “Many of the white players are Southern men

who would object to Negroes, and the national organization of baseball is such that men

must be farmed out to minor leagues playing in Southern cities where a Negro would be

unwelcome on the field in white company.” (Document 2, Baseball Treats Negroes as

Hitler Does Jews, Page 48, 1938). According to this quote from the Pittsburgh Press,

the Southern states were not prepared for this social jump. “They would have to impose

Negro recruits and reserve players on Southern communities… and the south just

wouldn’t agree” (Document 2, Baseball Treats Negroes as Hitler Does Jews, Page 49,
1938). 35% of the Major-League players were from the south (Document 4,

Recommended Report for the Mayor’s Committee on Baseball, Page 53, 1945), which

obviously complice not only with the player’s racist traditions, but also with the public

and fans from those states. It was thought that the clubs would have difficulties

maintaining friendly public relations and that blacks would not invite trouble, but would

not avoid it if it came (Document 6 Baseball Gives Contract to First Negro Player, Page

61, 1945). In an interview with Rachel Robinson, she predicted that riots would break in

the stands and fields if integration was to be put on track (Document 45, Interview with

Rachel Robinson, page 139, 1998), and in fact, the increase of black fans attending

Major League games when Robinson joined the Dodgers was noticeable (Document 22,

Jackie Robinson Continues to “Pack Em In” at Gate, Page 95, 1947). Although there is

no evidence of major turmoil in Zeller’s book, it is implied that a portion of southern

whites did not agree to sit beside African Americans at ballparks. The ones who

opposed the assimilation also argued that the Negro Leagues were entitled to full

recognition as a well professional “full-fledged baseball organization” (Document 7, Club

Heads Give Views, Page 62, 1945) which was enough for Negroes to be satisfied with

the sports profession. Despite this statements not admitting racism in its clearest form, it

positively has a racial intention to keep races separated. The country was in a racial

controversy facing the traditional and more organized racism from the South when it

came to the baseball color line.

In conclusion, the Major Leagues, fans and the American public had various

reasons to oppose the racial integration of baseball. Economic aspects concerned

baseball executives, investors, and players. Jim Crow laws limited the interaction
between whites and blacks even in baseball, which encouraged people to oppose

desegregation from a legal outlook. Finally, and in a more noticeable way, the tradition

of racism and the response of the public toward African Americans was also included on

the grounds in which the racial integration of baseball was opposed in the United

States. In the end, one can ask if the early 20th century baseball truly followed the

American ideals of liberty and equality, or if it only represented the white majority and

dominance over the African Americans by denying the mixture of races in the sport.