Jackie Robinson's Fight Against The Racial Border Line In Baseball

Improved Essays
Imagine playing a game where only blond haired people could play. If someone lived before Jackie Robinson, then that person would have had this situation. Baseball was a game where only white skinned people could play it. If it weren’t for Robinson fighting against the racial border line, taking abuse for his race, then the game of baseball wouldn’t be as diverse.
When Robinson played baseball he played with a mission. First the Robinson family was close and he naturally would have played for them. “They faced harassment from neighbors… The Robinson boys… had to learn to be tough” (Jackie Robinson 2). This exert shows how his family would be close and would want to make them proud. The biggest part of his mission, however, was to fight against the racial border line in baseball. “Jackie Robinson made history when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947” (Jackie Robinson 1).
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First, just being a professional baseball player is not an easy job. According to David Conrads, he led the team in home runs and led the league in stolen bases (4). This shows the tremendous athletic ability to compete at a rigorous stage within the game. Next, he faced challenges on the field because he was black. “White fans… trapped Robinson in the clubhouse… pitchers intentionally hit him with pitches” (Integration of Major League Baseball 2). This evidence shows how hard games were, and this was every game people would abuse him. He was also faced with an equal amount of ridicule off the field just for being black. “Black players were regularly discriminated against, and they were turned away from many hotels and restauratns” (Integration of Major League Baseball 2). This example illustrates the hardship and challenges during this time. This also shows how the team chemistry was off. Because Robinson was able to overcome these challenges, the game has changed

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