Baseball s Great Experiment Jackie Robinson - 1424 Words

Growing up as an African American during a time of discrimination and segregation in the United States took a lot of bravery. Blacks who grew up during this era were constantly pushed around, patiently awaiting the day they could use the same bathroom as a White man. One of the first men to help break this barrier is Jackie Robinson. Unlike the great MLK, Robinson was able to fight for change with something other than his words; he broke down segregation in America with a bat and a glove. Jules Tygiel certainly spent a lot of time writing about the importance of Jackie Robinson and the influence he had on and off the baseball diamond in his novel, Baseball’s Great Experiment. Before reading this novel, I considered myself to be†¦show more content†¦Hotel accommodations persisted to be problematic through a majority of Robinson’s career, yet he continued to play the game and not let the discrimination phase him. Another incident of discrimination that Robins on dealt with was his so called â€Å"fan mail.† While some of his mail was touching and encouraged him to keep pressing on for the sake of the game of baseball, a lot of his mail was sent as threats and insults. Robinson disposed of a lot of this kind of mail, but some of the letters would end up in the newspaper! A large number of the letters were also directed at Branch Rickey and would threaten him and his family (198). The letters appeared not to phase Robinson much like the other threats and insults that were yelled at him wherever he went. He kept his head high and he continued to play the game of baseball with lots of energy and motivation each time he came to the ballpark. Jackie Robinson is not the only Black player to experience discrimination on and off the baseball field. Jules Tygiel briefly shares an incident that occurred in 1904 when Branch Rickey served as the baseball coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. His first baseman, Charlie Thomas who was referred to as one of the best hitters in the state, was also exposed to discrimination in baseball. He traveled with his team to South Bend, Indiana to play against Notre Dame, but he was notShow MoreRelated Jackie Robinson Essays1087 Words   |  5 Pages Jackie Robinson nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Jackie Robinson and integration are two phrases that cannot be segregated. Whether he liked it or not, he played the star role in the integration of society during the time that he played Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His heroic journey that landed him in the Majors shows, amp;#8220;how integration has come to baseball and how it can be achieved in every corner of the land; (Robinson 16). But this amazing triumph over the Jim CrowRead MoreJackie Robinson Is Not The Best African American Baseball Player Of His Time1545 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough Jackie Robinson was not the best African-American baseball player of his time, his attitude and ability to handle racist harassment led the way for the rest of his race to play Major League Baseball, amongst other sports. Being accepted into professional sports also helped African-Americans become more easily accepted into other aspects of life. Jackie s impact in the world for the black populati on is enormous. According to Jessie Jackson, A champion wins a World Series or an OlympicRead MoreSports And Its Impact On Society3522 Words   |  15 Pagesbe applied for Jackie Robinson’s effect during the civil rights movement, when he was the first African American man to sign with a Major League Baseball team. 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