Racism And Discrimination In Sports Analysis

Sports are looked at as a form of entertainment and something to watch to witness intense competition. Although so many positives come from sports, it takes one person’s story to shine light on bigger human issues. One major issue in sports, which is still present today, is racism and discrimination. Discrimination and racism are present in all societies worldwide. They exist in schools, at work, even in the comfort of one’s home. What most people do not realize is racism and discrimination have a deeply rooted connection to sports. One of the major sports events shaped around racism was the integration of the first African American, Jackie Robinson, into professional baseball. Until 1947, major league baseball was a white man’s game and blacks had to play in separated “negro leagues.” …show more content…
Jackie Robinson was born in 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, soon afterwards, his sharecropper father left the family. His mother, Mallie McGriff Robinson, then moved the family to Pasadena, California to find different work. The 1920s were tough on African Americans, especially with the resurgence of the KKK and segregation at an all time high. Blacks played in segregated Negro Leagues, which developed after 1900. “Racial segregation was so much a part of the American pastime that African Americans could not even allow themselves to dream about playing in the major leagues” (Marshall 121). However, a segregated league was not what Robinson had in mind. Without a college degree, and no real trade skills, he decided to