Jackie

No one can doubt the immense courage shown by Jackie Robinson when he took his position at Ebbets Field on Tuesday afternoon, April 15, 1947. The first play of the game was a ground ball to third base, and Robinson, playing first, took the throw to make the first putout.

It wasn't just the one moment that was important, of course, but the ongoing significance of his presence on the field. Robinson was the first Black American to play what was then defined as major-league baseball at a time when baseball was dominant in American culture-truly the National Pastime-but an institution which had been segregated by race.

After Robinson completed his 10-year Hall of Fame playing career, the six-time All-Star with a lifetime on-base percentage of .409 took his rightful place in Cooperstown.

Perhaps it is true that celebrating Jackie Robinson's courageous role in integration can sometimes reduce him to a symbol, over-simplify his complex grappling with the racial issues of his day, and turn him into a convenient and self-congratulatory icon celebrated by Major League Baseball today. But, in fact, he was-and remains-a meaningful and inspirational symbol. The articles in this book look beyond the oft-told tale of April 15, 1947, and examine many facets of Robinson's life and career.

Almost all of the articles in Jackie were written specifically for this book. Some 54 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) contributed their work as authors and editors to bring together a book that offers a variety of perspectives on "42."

No one can doubt the immense courage shown by Jackie Robinson when he took his position at Ebbets Field on Tuesday afternoon, April 15, 1947. The first play of the game was a ground ball to third base, and Robinson, playing first, took the throw to make the first putout.

It wasn't just the one moment that was important, of course, but the ongoing significance of his presence on the field. Robinson was the first Black American to play what was then defined as major-league baseball at a time when baseball was dominant in American culture-truly the National Pastime-but an institution which had been segregated by race.

After Robinson completed his 10-year Hall of Fame playing career, the six-time All-Star with a lifetime on-base percentage of .409 took his rightful place in Cooperstown.

Perhaps it is true that celebrating Jackie Robinson's courageous role in integration can sometimes reduce him to a symbol, over-simplify his complex grappling with the racial issues of his day, and turn him into a convenient and self-congratulatory icon celebrated by Major League Baseball today. But, in fact, he was-and remains-a meaningful and inspirational symbol. The articles in this book look beyond the oft-told tale of April 15, 1947, and examine many facets of Robinson's life and career.

Almost all of the articles in Jackie were written specifically for this book. Some 54 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) contributed their work as authors and editors to bring together a book that offers a variety of perspectives on "42."

1. Jackie Robinson, Rick Swaine

2. My Hero, Jackie Robinson, Larry Lester

3. Rachel Robinson, Ralph Carhart

4. Before Jackie Robinson: Baseball's Civil Rights Movement, Peter Dreier

5. Jackie Robinson - The Best Athlete on the West Coast, Vince Guerrieri

6. Pacific Coast Conference Football Title Game, Bryan Steverson

7. "A Disciplinarian Coach": Jackie Robinson's little-known stint coaching college basketball, Eric Enders

8. There But for the Grace of God, Bryan Steverson

9. Lieutenant Jackie Robinson, Morale Officer, United States Army, J. M. Casper

10. Jackie Robinson in 1945: From Boston "Tryout" to a Negro Leagues Star, Bob LeMoine

11. Happy Helping? Inside Commissioner Chandler's Role in Jackie Robinson's Great Quest, Joe Cox

12. Jackie Robinson, Jersey City, and His First Game in Organized Baseball, John Burbridge

13. A Great Leap Forward: the View from Montreal of Jackie Robinson and the Montreal Royals, Jack Anderson

14. Jackie Robinson - History made in 1946 at the Junior World Series, Marc J. Steiner

15. The Jackie Robinson Barnstorming Tour of 1946, Alan Cohen

16. Jackie Robinson's 1947 Breakthrough Began in Havana, Cesar Brioso

17. I Met Jackie Robinson's First Major-League Manager, Wayne Soini

18. The "Strike" Against Jackie Robinson: Truth or Myth?, Warren Corbett

19. Jackie Robinson and the Kansas City Call, William A. Young

20. Ford Frick and Jackie Robinson: The Enabler, Dave Bohmer

Selected Games

21. March 17, 1946, Jackie Robinson Plays His First Exhibition Game for the Montreal Royals, Bob Webster

22. April 18, 1946, Robinson Leads Royals Romp in 1946 Regular-Season Debut, Rick Bush

23. October 2, 1946, Jackie Robinson Leads Montreal to Thrilling 10-inning Victory over Louisville, Gary Belleville

24. October 3, 1946, Robinson's Heroics Put Montreal on Verge of First Junior World Series Title, Gary Belleville

25. April 10, 1947, Jackie Robinson, Royal at Ebbets Field, Steven C. Weiner

(and 25 other games)

54. Sayonara Jackie Robinson: How an American Hero Finished His Career in Japan, Robert K. Fitts

55. Jackie Robinson Calls It Quits, Robert Nash

56. Jackie Robinson, All-Star, Mark S. Sternman

57. Jackie Robinson and the World Series, Steven C. Weiner

58. Jackie Robinson's Steals of Home, Bill Nowlin

59. Analyzing Jackie Robinson as a Second Baseman, Michael Huber

60. Jackie Robinson and Owners, Andy McCue

61. Managing History: Jackie Robinson and Managers, Joe Cox

62. Jackie Robinson's Faith Sustained Him During Unrelenting Turmoil, Chris Lamb

63. Jackie Robinson and the Decline of the Negro Leagues, Nathan Bierma

64. Jackie Robinson and Civil Rights: From 1947 until his Death, Leslie Heaphy

65. The Black Knight: A Political Portrait of Jackie Robinson, Steven K. Wisensale

66. Jackie Robinson, Republican, Jeff English

67. Journey to Justice - The converging paths of Jack Roosevelt Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bryan Steverson

68. Jackie's Last Stand: Jackie Robinson's Last Public Appearance and His Appeal for the Integration of Major League Baseball Management, Richard J. Puerzer

69. "The Necessities" - Al Campanis's Moment of Truth, Warren Corbett

70. Of Memory and Mystery Guests: Jackie Robinson, Soupy Sales, and What's My Line?, David Krell

71. Jackie Robinson and Journal Square, David Krell

72. Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on Stage and Screen, Ralph Carhart

73. Reaching the Next Generation: Jackie Robinson's Story in Children's and Young Adult Literature , Mary E. Corey

74. The Jackie Robinson Foundation: A Legacy of Excellence and Impact, Mark Harnischfeger

75. Contributors