History of Baseball in America - Assignment Example

Other Baseball in AmericaIn 1940s, structured baseball sports remained culturally isolated for many years. Quite a substantial number of people in major league along with the black press campaigned against the racism being observed in the sport; Branch Ricky being one of them. He was concerned with the need for a structured sports culture in baseball for around 60 years and formed baseball’s farm system in the 1920s. Nevertheless, he remained worried because of the collective practice conducted by many of the then baseball sports groups of excluding African Americans.

In the year 1942, he joined Brooklyn Dodgers and initiated a plan to transport a black player inside the team that would not only accelerate team’s performance but also deliver a socially aware message to the American society for its benefit. However, he was also skeptic that the inclusion of the black player, will need to be more than a brilliant athlete with strong mental strength to restrain from being provoked by the unfriendliness and foul languages that might otherwise raise disagreements imposing negative effects on the team’s sustainability.

After exploring many players from Negro leagues, Branch Ricky decided to involve Jackie Robinson in the year 1945. Jackie was an African American baseball player, who was then playing with Kansas City Monarchs, an important group in the Negro Leagues (The Library of Congress, n.d.). In that time many economic and other multifaceted problems forced and entertained the racial segregation in baseball. For instance, a number of major league teams used to give their stadiums on rent to the Negro Teams only when their own team was on a long journey; thus, hindering cross-communication between the two groups.

Consequently, if integration would have been conducted in the sport, the Negro teams would have lost their best players and the Negro League would face difficulties to carry on as a result many of Negro players losing their source of revenue. Moreover, with such practices, the stadium owners would lose their rental profits (The Library of Congress, n.d.). Notably, the existence of these political and economic obstacles increased complexities in the integration process. To avoid these hazards, Branch Ricky proposed Jackie to be a part of a major league in March, 1945.

In August, 1945, they met at Brooklyn Dodger’s office where Jackie was informed that Ricky would be starting a new team named Brown Dodgers. Subsequently, Jackie agreed to sign the bond with Brooklyn’s Triple-A minor league farm club, the Montreal Royals. On October, 1945, Jackie formally signed the agreement. Very shortly other black players were also being signed under the indenture by Branch Ricky (Glasser, 2003). Ricky then broadcasted the news that Robinson had been signed for Montreal Royals.

In reaction, the Negro team Monarchs blamed that Jackie had broken the Negro League Contract leading to numerous anticipatory objections against the integration (Sullivan, 2002). In reaction Branch Ricky demanded an assurance that no forma bond had been signed in between Jackie and Monarchs. Following Jackie’s clarification through a letter and he started to play with Montreal but not with the Dodger’s; thus, extending the duration of the integration to become valid. After completing 1946 as a successful year with Montreal on April, 1947, Jackie was finally promoted to Dodger’s.

It was then that Jackie officially broke the color-line in baseball sports culture (Sullivan, 2001).ReferencesGlasser, I. (2003). Branch Ricky and Jackie Robinson Precursors of the Civil rights Movement. Retrieved from http://www.worldandi.com/newhome/public/2003/march/mtpub.asp Sullivan, D.A. (2001). Middle Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1900-1948. United States: U of Nebraska Press.Sullivan, D.A. (2002). Late Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1945-1972. United States: U of Nebraska Press.

The library of Congress, (n.d.) Breaking the Color Line: 1940 – 1946. Retrieved from http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/jr1940.html