Baseball Saved Us Analysis

Jackie Robinson was a game changer for all sports. He broke barriers in baseball allowing African Americans to play baseball. Jackie was hated at first but he didn't say anything and let his playing do the talking.Jackie didn't only change baseball he helped his community and the Civil Rights movement. Jackie is the most honored baseball player today he has his own day called Jackie Robinson Day in April and every player wears his number.

The scent of hot dogs, the crack of the ball off the bat, and umpires hollering “strike” are just a few memories one will have after attending a baseball game. America’s game is filled with many sensory details, which is why it is so appealing to many spectators, as well as players. The massive fences in the outfield seem daunting up close; the players seem to whip the ball effortlessly, but with extraordinary speed. Spectator’s noses will be filled with baseball smells such as sunflowers seeds, which everyone seems to be chewing, or the perfume of fresh cut outfield grass. The home fans will be cheering with optimism despite the score.

I learned about baseball as I sat between my great-grandfather and grandfather during holidays and summer picnics. If we were in the park, my uncles and cousins picked an area for the ball field. If we were at the farm, an empty pasture would suffice.

A lot of things must happen for someone to make it all the way to the MLB. Not only does one have to be really good at the sports nut the physique of the player must be in tip top shape to be playing pretty much 75% of the year. They play 162 games in one year or 2,430 altogether. (Dennis)

Jackie Robinson was someone who changed and impacted baseball history. On April 15th 1947, he became the first African American player in the major leagues, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He faced racial abuse and harassment throughout his career but put it aside and showed everyone how talented he really was. Robinson was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, a World Series champion in 1955, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. He became the vocal champion for African American athletes and civil rights. On October 24th, 1972, Jackie Robinson, had passed away due to heart problems and complications with diabetes. His death affected many people because of the great impact he left on the sport of baseball.

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,

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.

It was the beginning of Spring 2015 and I was in 4th grade. Baseball season was right around the corner and I was shopping for gear. My baseball team, the Alameda All-Stars, was put together by me and my twin brother, Austin, when we asked our friends if they wanted to play with us.

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.

The quote, “ Everyday is a new opportunity. You can either build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That is the way life is, with a new game everyday, and that is the way baseball is.” - Bob Feller. That quote has irony on how to be successful, likewise that baseball has helped me become successful. Baseball has taught me many things about life such as how to have a good work ethic, how to accept failure and success, and has helped teach me to keep going when times get tough. Those are a few ways that baseball has helped me be successful.

No one knows exactly how or where baseball originated. Some say that a man named Abner Doubleday invented it in Cooperstown, New York. Others say that it started as a game before the American Civil War as a game called “rounders” that was played in sandlots. No matter how it started and the changes that baseball has gone through. I believe that baseball has affected not only people but America ,but also in a way, it symbolizes it.

In “Baseball Magic”, Gmelch explores how baseball players perform rituals in order to receive good luck during their tournament. Gmelch compares the rituals of American baseball players to those of the Trobriand Islanders. The baseball players use magic, specifically rituals, taboos and fetishes to control their fear of failure. These rituals are primarily focused on players who pitch or hit since their positions in the game allow one to score points for their team (1). If a baseball player does gain points for his team, he will do the same ritual he did for the previous game because he believes it will lead to another successful outcome for his team. The baseball player may chew on the same piece of gum each game or wear religious medallions around his neck (2). Gmelch demonstrates how rituals do not change the outcomes for the baseball players nor does it facilitate the process of catching fish for Trobriand Islanders. However, rituals give believers, like the baseball players, a sense of control and confidence to succeed.

Jackie Robinson not only made impacts on the field that were monumental, but he made impacts off the field that were equally as important. Jackie helped presidents get elected, get kids off the streets and into the most prestigious schools there is, and most importantly he broke the black color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson is one of the most influential people to ever live, he did things that people would dream about, he stood up for what he believed.

For a young baseball player one of the highest goals to achieve is hitting a homerun -for me that was all I wanted. I already achieved most of what I wanted in baseball, and one of my proudest was a no-hitter, but it was no home run. When I first realized how bad I wanted this feat was one night after a practice where all we did was just hit. The majority of my teammates hit at least one homerun that practice, but me I hit the fence but never was able to send one over. The car ride home after the practice was horrible, I was a mess. I told my mom, “ I’m horrible at this game, I get so close everytime and I just can’t hit a ball over the fence.”

Most people will agree that pitching is the key to success for a baseball team because pitchers control the tempo of the game "Pitching as the old cliché goes, is somewhere between 75 and 90% of baseball." If the pitcher is not in sync, the rest of the team will be off beat. Generally, the team with a better prepared pitching staff succeeds. For a pitcher to be prepared, that pitcher must know the proper techniques to perform perfectly.