St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-11-02
OCTOBER 70, WAS 18TH ANNIVERSARY
OF CRACKING OF BASEBALL COLOR BAR

Chicago CAMP - Last Tues
day (Oct. 23) marked the 18th
anniversary since Jackie Robin
son cracked baseball's color line
by signing a contract with the
then Brooklyn Dodgers Of the Ma
tional League.
Robinson, then playing for the
Kansas City Monarch of the Negro
American League, was selected by
Branch Hickey, Sr., owner Of the
Dodgers, to break the long stand
ing baseball race taboo, but not
entirely for that.
A practical businessman and
keen judge Of talent, Hickey want
ed someone to help boost his
teams stock, athletically and fin
ancially. The Dodgers home-based
in Ebbetts Field, Brooklyn, NY,
had not won a pennant since 1871,
and in fact, was experiencing a
slum at the gate.
Robinson was the answer, A YER
satile athlete who lettered in base
ball, football and basketball at
UCLA, Jack Roosevelt Robinson
had the ability plus the fire and
determination required Of Dodger
stars in their constant baseball
fueds with their Polo Ground ad-
versaries, the New York Giants,
and for the tight competition in
the National League.
Having been convinced of Rob-
inson's ability on the baseball
diamond The had been secuted
thoroughly by the Dodgers), Rick
ey's next thought conferred on his
ability to stand up under fire. This
latter quality would certainly be
required of the first Negro to en-
ter organized baseball. Some base
ball stalwarts had for years OPP
posed the introduction of Negroes
into organized baseball. 1T won't
work." they kept saying. Other
owners definitely were against
taking the risk.
But once Hickey was convinced
of Robinson's character and abii-
ty, he didn't hesitate in making
the move to get Robinson, who at
the time was playing a Negro
American League game in Comis-
key Park.
Are you kidding" Robinson
asked when approached by Suke-
forth in the White Sox dugout.
Jackie recalled that he had had a
fruitless tryout with the Boston
Red Sox of the American League.
But neither Sukeforth nor Hickey
was kidding, and Robinson was
taken to New York to confer with
the naughty Brooklyn Rodgers
boss.
The rest is history. Despite a
great deal of skepticism, critic
ism and objection to the move, in
and out Of baseball, Hickey signed
Robinson to- a baseball contract
and assigned him to Montreal, the
Dodgers International League
farm team.
Robinson survived a hectic
spring training of racial harass-
ment and went on to become a SEN
sation at Montreal
Hickey rewarded him with a pro-
motion to the parent Brooklyn
Dodgers.
But Jache's racial problems con-
tinued even after his ascension to
stardom. Not only did the racial
barbs and insults from the grand
stand continue, but he was faced
with internal troubles as well.
Some of his own Brooklyn team
mates objected to his being on the
team, and the st. Louis Cardinals
repeatedly threatened to strike
against him. Ford Prick, then pres
ident Of the MI, halted the al
legged strike by threatening to sus-
pend all players involved seven If
It wrecked the National League for
five years" However, Prick, who
now Is baseball commissioner,
couldn't stop the daily harassment
to which Robinson was subjected,
all because of his race.
Jackie countered by playing SEN
sational baseball. He quickly de-
veloped the reputation Of being the
most daring base runner In base
ball, and sports writers soon coined
the phrase Quicker than you can
say Jackie Robinson" to describe
his speed and cunning. Jackie was
credited with putting the exciting
art of base stealing back into base
ball, which, had become a game
dominated primarily by sluggers.
But Robinson's feat on the field
did not stop with base stealing.
A dangerous hitter, he gave oppos-
ing pitchers many sleepless nights.
with his consistent hitting, there