Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-08-01
Big League Club Owners, Managers Take
Serious Attitude Over Possibility OF
Recruiting Negro Stars Into Lineup

most vital step in getting Negro players i'm bg-time base
ball would be to get total endorsement from Judge X M
Landis, high commissioner of baseball | expressed the
same conviction to Deacon r. L. Craddock told in my
Sunday. July II, column.
Other important steps. | said, would be (D crysall
zaon of favorable public sentiment for entrance into
the majors of cooreG stars and 2 staging frequently of
nterracal contests that would enable both white and
coored fans to make ready comparisons to relative
ability and also to observe how the athletes get along in
intimate situations the diamond
But | stated with emphasis that | thought that at
tainment of Lands total endorsement would be the great
est achievement of all.
DR. Reid concurred in these viewpoints just as
agreed that the biggest problem were Negroes admitted
would present itself in spring training always in the deep
south, where prejudice against racial nterminging is
predominant. During the league season. such problem
would exist is nothing for white and colored to
register at fine hotels in the larger cities which the
rious major league clubs call home.
Since the average yearly gross of Negro professional
ball players they stand at the moment is but sl5OO
Whereabouts, big howl probably would be from
sources if Negroes admitted into the majors
for the that the starting of the coored
nevertheless which would represent 800 per cent increase
in gross income for the sepia hireling.
The bowling element would be displaying an acquired
hatred of seeing Negroes drawing down such important
dough And stars like Josh Gibson who if he white
would trade for not less than S200O00 would be to
get whole lot more-maybe $4,000 year or better
am afraid this feature (this question of salares)
is going prove the biggest deerrents the effort
10 usher Negro players into the maors-even with the
big advantage now being held by virtue of Judge Lands
assertions of July IL in which he denied the charge of
Manager Leo DurOcher of Brooklyn that not
SIbe, because of the commissioner for him Ippy Le0)
to sign up coOred athlete.
Among other things I said referring TO an article
by contemporary SCRIBE Mabe Kountze of Boston, that
didn't think it expedient during the present
time for Negro forces to launch high-pressure cam
pagn to the color ban in the majors said that it
might appear npatrioc and undemocratic, might be
garded hindrance to army officials in their effort to
would have better chance of if it were launched
at time when it would be possible to capitalize the
added support in the fight of wel-thnkng, democratic
minded whites.
DIR. William H. Dean told me he disagreed with me
that pOint-asserting that NOW is as good time as
any-and DR. Reid took less, the position.
So did Marion E. Jackson, Birmingham WORLD coIumnls
and SINS contemporary.
Maybe | was just as garingly wrong in that view as
have seemed conspcuousy right the proper steps to
be developed in breaking down the color barrier in the
majors
Maybe 1 said-because even though the closest step
toward that has been made in breaking down the
color ban was completed July II when Judge Lands made
his statement TO the nations press those who
hold the position of Messrs Dean Reid Jackson must
be fair enough to admit that the big gain of July II
through evident pressure Negro forces The whole
thng bObbed up Unexpectedly.
Because it did happen that way am still tempted to
think that my passive resistance during wartime" idea
sound 1t difficult to believe that an active campaign
to "smoke OUT Manager Leo Durocher or Judge Lands
would have produced the results or such sasfac
tory results.
II is rather singular that at the moment, what
sideraOn being given the question of usherng Negroes
into major league ball, is largely by club owners and
managers who have not been influenced by Negro
pagners forces working i'm the interest of Negroes
Are officials of the Negro American and National
League encouraged by the Lands decision planning
making spirited efforts to get coored players the majors
The answer is mo" Instead they are rejoicing
the increased white attendance at Negro games that has
been effected by Landis decision. Passivey, they are
leaving it to the major league club and
themselves to decide whether not they will coored
stars.
They know the baseball enigma better than even
virle thinking like Drs Dean and Reid For the SIM
pie that it's their bread and meat They're
ped up in it every day They know what is for the
goose ~asf&
don't claim such frst-hand knowledge and cocksure
ness. But believe have the right ange-and am i'm
pressed that they're following the strategy
originally said ! considered smartest, -