Baseball Integration

We sort of touched this in my Darkest Moments in Baseball history thread. I think the subject of Baseball Ingegration deserves a thread all of its own.

I'd like all relevant information on the modern breaking of the Color Ban. Let's draw the line at post-1940. That should give us a generous leadup to the actual point of departure in 1947. And we can also delve into the aftermath, of how American blacks are being displaced by international Hispanics, if you like. All of these issues should give us quite juicy topics to discuss.

 

I think Jackie Robinson was one of the first black players in Major League Baseball history.

 

Why was this the Darkest Moments in Baseball History? It's not like baseball was unique in being segregated.

It's more like Darkest Moments in American History.

 

In fact, it could be argued that baseball helped speed up the integration process.

 

Other sports don't have the place in history that baseball does. Nobody talks about the 1919 Duluth Eskimos or the 1927 Canton Bulldogs. And the NBA integrated about 4 years after its inception. So there was no extended period of segregation in that league.

And, finally, only baseball is truly statistics driven. So you can make an argument that Babe Ruth never would have sniffed 714 had he faced the best black players.

Not sure what hallowed NFL records from pre-1950 still stand that can be discussed with regard to race.

 

Baseball in the 40s saw a simultaneous assault on the color line and the reserve clause. Owners and managers were jockeying and posturing on the inclusion of Negro Leaguers, while the Mexican League was bidding on baseball players/servicemen returning from the War. Chico Carrasquel, Sal Maglie, Danny Gardella and others accepted the better pay available in Mexico. And although MLB took a very strong stance on the Reserve Clause, the bottom line was that Gardella beat them, although like Flood's case: it was a career ending victory. With the inclusion of Negro Leaguers in MLB, management was not officially allowed to be against it. But each team's history clearly defines their acceptance of the negro players.

 

If you're not already a member of SABR, ilmago, you should join:

www.sabr.org

 

I will look in to it thank you. Maybe in the meantime you'd like to discuss Baseball Intergration? By your username it seems that you're an old school baseball fan. I would love to know your thoughts, or stories that you can share with us.