In this April 11, 1947 file photo, Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers poses at Ebbets Field in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Robinson's historic contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers that broke Major League Baseballs color barrier 69 years ago, is on public view in New York. (AP Photo/John Rooney, File)
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On October 30, 1945, Jackie Robinson made history by signing a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The event marked the breaking of the color barrier in baseball, a sport that had long been segregated.
Although he was reportedly “thrilled” to be in the majors, it wasn’t an easy transition. Robinson had to deal with opposition from major league owners, their players, and even members of his own team.
Jackie Robinson (right), former baseball and football star with U.C.L.A., and an infielder with the Kansas City Monarchs last season, signs with the Montreal Royals of the International League to become the first African American to play in organized baseball at Montreal, Oct. 23, 1945. Left to right are: Romeo Gauvreau, vice president of the Royals; Hector Racine, president of the Royals; Branch Rickey Jr., head of the Brooklyn Dodger farm system of which Montreal is a member, and Robinson. (AP Photo)
Nonetheless, in 1947, Robinson was named the second most admirable American, coming in second to singer and actor Bing Crosby. He also won the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s first Rookie of the Year Award.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
