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Home , 1955 World Series, Branch Rickey, Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL), Ebbets Field, Ford Frick, Pee Wee Reese

Before the Dodgers

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919 to Mallie and Jerry Robinson. After Jackie’s father left, Mallie and her five 1 children moved to Pasadena, 2 in 1920. Mallie, a reli- gious woman, used her faith to cope with the racism her family endured. She played an im- portant role in shaping Jackie’s attitude toward discrimination. Generous funding for this project Jackie attended Pasadena Ju- was also provided by Peter O’Malley nior College and then enrolled at UCLA. Influenced by his 1 brother Mack’s athletic success JACKIE ROBINSON EXHIBIT / in track, Jackie pursued sports Graphic Identity / Title and lettered in track, football, basketball, and during his college career. Jackie earned average grades and left UCLA with an honorable dismissal before graduating in 1941.

As World War II got underway, Jackie was patriotic but re- luctant to enlist because of personal and physical concerns. He was drafted in 1942 and stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas. During his military career, Jackie experienced the effects of racial segregation. In 1944, he refused to move to the back of “He was a sit-inner before a bus on route to Camp Hood sit-ins, a freedom rider Brochure designed by: after a driver ordered him to before freedom rides.” St. Francis College Freshman Honors Seminar: Sports and Protest do so, despite that Army buses -Martin Luther King, Jr. were supposed to be integrated. Daniel Fisher, Nermina Markisic, Vukasin Petrovic, Rosie Schoemann, Maria Shapiro, Zanna Shapiro, Pavle Sredojevic, Nicole Taliercio When the bus reached its desti- nation, Jackie was detained and then arrested by military po- Citations 1. Baseball card, 1953; Dodgers collection, 1884-2002, ARC.297; Brooklyn Historical Society. lice. Jackie faced numerous false accusations and endured a 2. Jackie Robinson and during the 1955 , 1955, United Press International, V1987.1.4; Brooklyn Historical Society. court martial. He was found not guilty. For Jackie, the incident 3. Advertisement, Jackie Robinson and , circa 1953, V1987.19.5; Brooklyn Historical Society. highlighted the importance of fighting racism. In 1944, he 4. Cover of Daily News, 1955; Brooklyn Dodgers collection, 1884-2002, ARC.297; Brooklyn Historical Society. was honorably discharged. In 1945 he married Rachel Isum, 5. Brooklyn Dodgers fans line up to buy tickets at , 1956, International News Photos Inc., V1987.1.1; Brooklyn Historical Society. his college sweetheart. 6. Postcard of Ebbets Field, circa 1910, V1973.4.1395; Postcard collection, V1973.4; Brooklyn Historical Society. 7. National Archives, V1990.35.1; Brooklyn Historical Society. “Although the black pioneer had to endure assassination Baseball in Brooklyn Jackie Breaks the Color Barrier threats, tags by opposing players that were more like gloved In the 1930s, the Dodgers were In April 15, 1947, Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball when punches, racial epithets screamed out from the stands and the considered lovable losers due to their he stepped onto Ebbets Field to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. opposition dugouts in several cities, Brooklyn lack of success. Cartoonist Willard Mullin He faced significant discrimination and prejudice on the field. Fans lined up solidly behind the exciting and talented man Dodgers developed a cartoon character, the would yell racial insults at Jackie and try to provoke him. Jackie fans would call Robby. His face, his walk, his stance, his voice, “Brooklyn Bum” to symbolize the team. and his family were often harassed and faced many acts of violence his style became synonymous with the Dodgers.” Many fans mocked the Brooklyn accent during away games. - Journalist and author Harvey Frommer by referring to the team as “Dem Bums.” Despite the racial abuse, 7 After the Dodgers won the 1955 World he was able to demonstrate Series, the front cover of the Daily News great skill on the field, displayed, “Who’s a Bum!” 4 which impressed Dodger Race and Baseball teammates and fans alike. To the residents of Brooklyn, the Seeking employment after the war, Jackie tried out for the Kansas He served as an inspiration 5 Dodgers were not just a team: they City Monarchs, a baseball team in the Negro . for were part of the family. A group In early 1945 he started playing for Monarchs, and began his everywhere and paved the of fans calling themselves the career in Jim Crow baseball. Segregation informally barred black way for subsequent civil Dodgers Sym-Phony were regulars players from major and baseball. In response, black rights advances. at Dodgers games, playing their off players formed first Negro League team, the Cuban Giants, in key music in the stands of Ebbets Jackie’s path to pioneer- 1885. Boasting talented players and exciting games, the Negro Field and parading around the ing integration in baseball Leagues expanded and drew large crowds, particularly among field before games. The Dodgers began in November 1945, Jackie Robinson and , 1945, African Americans who typically represented the borough rather when Dodger owner and at the Dodger office, 215 Montague Street 3 received second-class treatment than the whole city. The players Branch Rickey, signed Jackie Robinson to the organiza- at major league ballparks. They lived locally and participated in daily tion. He intended to integrate in a coming also provided opportunities community life, just as the fans did. season. Tensions erupted within the league in response to Jackie’s for black athletes to win fame contract. Fifteen major league owners voted against Jackie joining and recognition in the face of Ebbets Field, located in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, a major league team. His future teammate , a beloved racial segregation. The end of was home to the Dodgers for nearly half a century before being Dodger, even started a petition to remove Jackie from the team. the Negro Leagues came after torn down. With 31,902 seats, the field regularly drew large crowds Teams including the and threat- Jackie Robinson became the and often came close to filling to capacity. In 1955 fans were able ened to boycott playing against Jackie and the Dodgers. But Major first 20th century black baseball to buy box seats for $2.50-3.00, reserved seats for $2.00, general League Baseball president announced that any player player to be allowed on an all- admission for $1.25 who refused to take the field against the Dodgers would receive a white Major League Baseball and bleacher seats 6 lifetime ban from the game. team. The Negro American for 50 cents. The field League lingered until 1962, but was so significant Jackie agreed to a contract with Branch Rickey that he would declined in popularity as more that national leaders, endure the taunts and insults sure to come his way without black players joined major league including President responding and not engage in any verbal confrontations with the organizations. Dwight D. Eisenhower, fans for three years. His patient and calm demeanor won over even spent time there. reluctant fans. Once the ban on responding to provocation was “If the words on the Statue of Liberty meant anything at all, Unfortunately, in 1958, lifted, Jackie began to stand up for himself. Stunned by his new they applied to Brooklyn in the old days…You had blacks, Jews, after forty-four years, approach to racism, many players, owners, reporters, and fans Italians, Irish, Polish and others working hard to make a living, a Brooklynite recalled, changed their opinion of Jackie, suggesting he was an angry rabble and they all cared passionately about their ball club.” rouser. Nonetheless, Jackie’s success as a player continued and he -, Dodgers radio announcer, 1939-1953 “the Dodgers were gone, and Ebbets field was no more… It was sign that nothing was forever.” remained an outspoken critic of racial discrimination.