St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-05-31


forth on the pages Of the sedate
New York Herald Tribune, devoted
his full column to human interest
stuff about Jackie Robinson a week
or so ago. What Laney had TO say
has been said before, and will prob
ably be said many times again, but
a point or two Of his scholarly
essay bears repeating. Pointing out
that acceptance Of Robinson has
come about sooner than Jackie or
anyone else had expected, Laney
goes on TO say:
1.-THE evidence is not all in yet
but the indication is already clear
that a Negro, If he is good enough,
can play in the international
League without causing the stars
to fall. And II that is true there
can be no good reason why he
should not also play in the major
leagues"
Robinson eOnfded to Laney
that he il concerned about play
ing in Baltimore. Not that he
expects any personal trouble,
for Jackie has played there many
times and has a tremendous fol-
lowing, but he Ii hoping against
hope that there will not be any
trouble in the stands. Under
ordinary circumstances, a hand
full Of OResided FOOters on the
wrong side Of the bleaehers can
stir up a hornets nest. In this
case, Il will be a little more than
the partisan interest Of con-
firmed baseball addicts. There
will be the added hazard Of men
and women pulling for a kid who,
like themselves, comes from n
race that has been denied much.
II win be an occasion for re-
jOicinR, and there will be some
who will not understand the
overlooking Joy and enthusiasm
Of the occasion.
Baseball fans, in any part Of
the country, are a good-natured lot
Of sinRle-minded animals who
threaten to murder umpires, and
who yell for the scalps Of the oppos-
ing players, but they want the
whole massacre done legal and
sporting-like. There have been in
stances where two close friends,
roofing for opposing teams, have
come to blows over a fine point
without a personal angle entering
into the business. What worries
Jackie land it is something to be
considered), is the exaggerated
loyalty shown him by the Negro
fans. Wherever he has played the
Negro fans have made it a point
to applaud his every move as
though it were the out-of-this
world performance Of Superman.
Talking to Laney about it,
Robinson gave an instance. "a.
in Newark there was n big
crowd, and thousands Of them
were Negroes. I was made
nervous because they were too
partisan to me, l thought. They
cheered too loudly when I did
just ordinary things. ! think
that Is bad and I wish they
wouldn't do II. II might make
trouble in the stRnds."
Jackie il pleading for a chance
to be Just a plain baseball athlete,
and not a freak TO the white fans,
nor a superior being TO the Ne
ErOes. He believes, and this col
umn certainly agrees, that II II Is
sporting 10 ask the white play
ers and fans to give him a chance
to make good on his ability, IL
Is just as sporting to make the
same request Of the people Of
his own race. II Ii ridiculous TO
applaud n man and acclaim him
until he does something to merit
Il, and then that acclaim should
not 20 beyond reasonable bounds.
Some Of the very fans who now
give Robinson the filters by their
bOisterOus applause will be the
first to brand him a phOny should
he fail to make the grade.
Robinson is in there trying all
Of the time. He doesn't share the
feeling Of the Negro fans who
think that it's all over but the
shouting. He knows that he is still
on trial and that he has to do a lot
Of ball playing II he wants to stay
in fast company and step up to the
top. l said before, and l repeat
it, that the greatest hazard the
kid has is the whole race he is
carrying on his back. He'll have 10
forget II II he wants to show his
real stuff, and | think he is trying
like blaZes, but it will be an i'm
possibility unless the Negro fans
cooperate.
An assignment to second base
is doing its share to keep sensitive
Jackie on edge. 1t is brand new
territory to him and he is trying
to get the hang Of his new job. He
says, II am not at home around
here, yet. | made a couple of errors
and in one play just looked silly,
I've got TO learn and do it quickly
and I've got to keep on hitting al
the same time. don't know IL we
have seen the best pitching in the
league yet, but If we have | thinl
will hit enough"
Robinson can hit, run and stea
enough bases to get over the humI
provided it isn't made any higher
for him by the injudicious en-
thusiasm of the Negro fans. They
all love him, he knows that, anC
he appreciates their support, bu
they can help him most by goinG
to see him play and by just giving
him what he deserved, no more anC
no less.
II Robinson has the stuff to e
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