Barney Dreyfuss: African-American Baseball In The 20th Century

This paper will talk about Racial Discrimination in baseball. More specifically how blacks in the early 1900s where discriminated against because of there color, the teams that the African Americans formed, one of the best African American baseball players of all time Andrew "Rube" Foster, why racial discrimination is wrong, why some believe that racial discrimination is right, and finally what the Holy Bible has to say about it.

Imagine you are sitting at a baseball game eating cracker jacks or at a football game yelling because your team scored or you could be yelling at the refs because they made a bad call. There are many people that love sports but there was also a lot of people that loved sports when they became popular in the 1920’s. Sports have came a long why since then. They have became more competitive, the skill levels have improved a lot, and they are also easier to watch and keep up with because of how far technology has came.

Fritz Pollard was one of the greatest football players of his time, but has been significantly overshadowed by players who have came after him. One of the main reasons he may be forgotten is because of the term “Modern Day NFL”. He was the first African American in the NFL, but not the so-called “Modern Day NFL. He has a countless number of awards and prizes due to his fantastic play on the football field, but he will be bettered remembered for being the first African American football player. Fritz was an African American who played during a time when America was highly segregated. Fritz truly helped pave the way for many of today’s stars in the league. Fritz Pollard made a stand for racial equality in the 1920’s and 1930’s because he enhanced

he first Negro league team was formed in Kansas City in 1920 (Rogosin, 4). Some of the most commonly known baseball players at this time were Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige. In the 1880’s blacks were not allowed to play on major league teams this is why they created their own league. They eventually got the rights to play in the majors when Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first black American to play in the majors. Baseball was in their culture and this was something the White supremacy could not take from them. (Rogosin, 4) During this time in America, African- Americans were segregated from whites, black people had to sit at the back of the bus, had to go to separate schools, and couldn't go into certain

During the 1900s, people of color were not able to play in the MLB with white people due to segregation. With the making of their own league, known as the Negro Leagues, people of color were able to play the game they love as well as now turning the face of baseball with allowing anybody of a different race into the MLB. With a couple of players going into the MLB, during this time despite the conflict, which had made an impact as they progressed of allowing people of color into the Major Leagues and into sports today. Segregation during this time prevented people of color to play with other races as the diversity of conflict to be able to play their sport as well as the people of color, mainly African-Americans, came to a compromise where

Baseball was one of the most interesting and exciting sports during the time period known as the Golden Age. It has become very cultured by the fact that it became popular around the same time that segregation was happening. Baseball was just now starting to have a major growth period and it was starting to become a major business for some of the players. This was a time that had most people at their feet and were kind of at a desolate state. Baseball impacted the 1920’s in a big manner by the fact that it becoming a business and by it bringing families closer together.

Over 60 years ago, America began the greatest shift in its society: the Civil Rights Movement. Before this movement began, Jim Crow laws were still in effect segregating blacks in certain schools, bathrooms, and even public buses (History.com). Over time, many in the black communities grew frustrated with the Jim Crow laws, because of their effectiveness in limiting an African American’s pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With the new emphasis on equality a new athlete was ready to make American history, and it would come on the baseball field. Jackie Robinson, Hall of Fame MLB player, become the first African-American to every play on a Major League Baseball team. His time as a player and off the field was truly remarkable,

Did you know Hank Aaron played baseball with sticks and tin cans in his youth? This outline is about Hank Aaron and his accomplishments. Hank Aaron is known as the greatest player ever. He is also well known for his fight and courage to break segregation. You will learn how he broke the homerun record, the batting record, and most importantly, how he ended segregation.

In 1947, Manager Branch Rickey, of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Jack Roosevelt Robinson to play baseball on the Dodgers’ minor league team. From there, Jackie Robinson played his way to becoming the starting first-baseman of the Brooklyn Dodgers and helped lead the team to a division title. Robinson was the first negro ball-player to play on a Major League Ball Club, while this was an enormous accomplishment for all negro ball-players, it took its toll on Jackie.

In the workshop, “What baseball taught me about diversity,” Antonio D. Evans explained the way diversity connects to every aspect of playing baseball. His experiences throughout his baseball career taught him how to be culturally diverse and how society can become culturally diverse. He mentions that he played on teams with people who didn’t think like him, act like him or look like him, but he accepted them as a human being. Evans’ also states that baseball is a good teacher of life and you can be bad seventy percent of the time and still be one of the best.

Activist, athlete, and Leader are three words people often think of in connection with Jackie Robinson. Many people know Jackie Robinson as a famous baseball player, but he was so much more. Jackie Robinson changed the world as the first black professional baseball player in times of segregation and racism in the world. He showed that African Americans could do anything just as good as a white person. He left a legacy as the Civil Rights Baseball Star.

The Roaring 20’s brought many great changes to America. New technology, economic boom, and cultural change strived. George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr., an American baseball player, was one of eight children born to a saloon keeper. He was taught at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, where his love and passion for the game, began. Little did anyone know, soon, America would be home to the legend of baseball.

Baseball was a gateway of escape for immigrants. While they were spending 60 hours a week working they could always count on baseball, even if they didn 't have a real ball and bat. The immigrants saw their own people succeeding and working hard, and it gave them hope that one day they could also succeed in something they loved, they saved up the money they made to go and watch the Pirates play and become a part of the growth American Baseball. Most commonly the immigrants were the most valuable players and a beacon for the rest of the team. In order for America to agree to take in immigrants, they are expected to follow our rules. The three basics being, accepting English as their national language, be hard working and motivated, and finally

Throughout history, there have been many changes that are caused by the domino effect, when one thing happens because of the other. The civil rights movement was a movement that needed many dominos in order to succeed. One of those dominos was sports, events that united players from all places was sure to spark a change in the 1900’s. The spark that ignited change for baseball is known as Rube Foster, a pioneer in African American baseball.

Jackie Robinson is known to be one of the most influential people in baseball and in society. He eternally changed the aspect of American history. It was unusual to have a colored person be treated equally as a white person during the time of the 1900s. He was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 and later moved to Pasadena, California to pursue a better life. He came from a poor family of sharecroppers in the South and was the youngest of five. Robinson’s older brother Matthew Robinson was the person who inspired Jackie to pursue his talents and love for sports. Matthew won a silver medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games just behind Jesse Owens. Jackie did it all, he excelled in all types of sports it came natural to him. He attended Pasadena Junior College then later continued his education at UCLA where he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: basketball, football, track, and baseball.