“A life is not important, except in the impact it has on others lives,” Robinson once said. By that standard, few people have made the same impact as Jackie Robinson. Robinson was always a great athlete but like all other blacks during the time period, he received little recognition for his ability. Robinson

Branch Rickey, Brooklyn Dodgers president, called Jackie in for a meeting. Rickey told him that he was willing to give him chance to play for Montreal, Brooklyn’s top farm team. “I know you’re a good ball player,” Rickey stated. “What I don’t know is whether you have the guts.” Rickey had recruited Robinson for that sole reason. Rickey knew he had the guts, but he didn’t know if Robinson was tough enough to take the abuse that would eventually come. Rickey explained that Robinson would be thrown at by pitchers, called names that would infuriate any man, and be physically attacked. Jackie would have to control his temper and remain loyal to the ultimate goal. “Suppose I was at shortstop. Another player comes down from first, stealing, flying in with spikes high, and cuts me on the leg. As I feel the blood running down my leg, the white player laughs in my face and says ‘how do like that nigger boy?’ Could I turn the other cheek?” Robinson agreed to the terms of the contract and knew that even in tough situations, such as the aforementioned, he would have to let it go. He knew that by doing so their goal would be within reach.

While many players were unwilling to give Robinson a chance, so were fans. Robinson was the target of many racial epithets and received numbers of hate letters and death threats. There were others who were sympathetic to his cause. Robinson received obvious support from the entire black community but from whites as well. Red Barber, the Dodgers play by play announcer and a back-country southerner, once said that he admired Robinson so much “that I hope, I really do, he bats 1.000.” It was for fans like these and the thousands of blacks that attended his games in the overcrowded black sections of major league fields that Jackie Robinson played for. Those people are the reason Robinson didn’t erupt in anger when an opposing player screamed “I hate niggers” or when a white umpired called a strike three on a ball high and outside. Robinson wasn’t playing baseball just so he could lead th

Some topics in this essay:
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