The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-10-25
This Sporting World
Brooklyn Breoks The Ice
By JOHN A. CLUNEY

With the signing of Jackie Rob- inson, UCLA Negro football star and Kansas City Monarch infielder by the Brooklyn Dodgers for their Montreal farm" club for the le46 season, there Is every reason to be- lieVe that the fine baseball hand and mind of Brother Branch Rickey, SENIOR has forced Q showdown that has been 6 long time coming. In the first place, the announce ment relative to Robinson's signing as the first Negro player in the his- tory of organized baseball was made by Branch Hickey, JUNIOR, head of the Brooklyn farm" system and, from every indication, before and after he came to New York--his fathers son---meaning that he has the old mans astuteness, suavity, altreness and willingness to cope with Q situation, no matter how dif- ficult.
 Last spring, when Brooklyn gave
 tryoutr to two Negro players ct the Dodger Bear Mountain camp,
 1t looked as If Hickey senior was
 either HTGH.PRESSURED off the
 Idea of signing either or both Col-
 ored boys, even for minor league
 team, or else Hickey was aS honest
 as the day Is long, for he said:
 lin my opinion, neither boy Is
 major league material"
 Yesterday, his SON was quoted
 as saying, relative to the signing
 of Robinson; i've believe he Is big
 league material; and, after all, the
 colored boys shared the foxholes
 with the white boys in our recent
 World War, and THEY SHOULD
 HAVE A FAIR CHANGE"
 Significant, too, was the fact that the senior U. s. senator from the southern state of Kentucky, Albert Benjamin Chandler, who also hap pens to be high commissioner of baseball. at S6o,o0o per for the next seven years, was UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT. Very frankly, this writer believes that he DUCKED THE ISSUE, when the chips were down, but he will have to say soii1e- thing Soon---very soon.
 Important, also, was the state. inent of Tom Baird, co.owner of the Kansas City Monarchs, Negro pro- fessional baseball tam for whom Robinson played so well that he was a Standout in Q league with some GREAT colored players, and with one of It's best teams. Said Baird; Jackie Robinson Is worth S60,000 in the baseball market. Our presi. dent. Dr. J. B. Martin of Chicago. will take the matter up with Com missioner Chandler as quickly as possible. (Ed. Note-That converse ton ought to be interesting) Some attempt at REM I3 U R s E MENT should be made for Robinson. This case will set a precedent on where WE stand. If the WHOLESALE ROBBERY of NEGRO PLAYERS from our league continues, we may as well quit baseball"
 This writer believes that Baird,
 pr. Martin and anyone else in-
 tereSted in Robinson. should make
 every effort to get the boy into organized baseball, by doing any
 thing and everything in their com-
 bined power, MONEY TO THE
 CONTRARY NOTWITHSTAND- ING.
 When the Negro in organized baseball matter was put up COLD TURKEY to the late Judge K. M. Lands, ne said: "there Is nothing IN THE RULES to deny . Negro player Q chance to play major league baseball" But that was as far aS he went. which was hardly far enough, considering his proven reputation for fair-dealing, honesty and lean- ing toward a player, rather than 6 cluo-owner almost every time, show ing once more that the Civil War Is over CD but the MEMORY LINd- FRS ON.