Posted on Apr 11, 2016
Ken Burns film reveals what you don't know about Jackie Robinson
1.14K
2
5
1
1
0
If you have an hour tonight and tomorrow night you might want to see Documentary Filmaker Ken Burns (The Civil War, The War, Jazz, Prohibition) latest offering on your local PBS Station-the story of Jackie Robinson, a great and courageous American, who showed people that Baseball could be bigger than just a sport. As a lifelong Dodger fan here in LA, no one can ever forget the impact that Jackie Robinson had on Baseball and eventually desegregating American Society, starting with the Military in 1950. But it started with one man . . . somebody had to be the first to cross the color line and that someone for me was Jackie Robinson on April 15th, 1947.
Black American served in segregated units in WWI and WWII. They came home from their courageous service to segregation in the South and discrimination pretty much everywhere, after serving this country in war time.
Less than two years after the end of WWII, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play professional baseball outside of the segregated "Negro Leagues," and in Major League Baseball, which had never allowed a black man to play in their midst.
A little bit about Jackie Robinson's military service during WWII:
"After receiving his commission, Robinson was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he joined the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion. While at Fort Hood, Robinson often used his weekend leave to visit the Rev. Karl Downs, President of Sam Huston College (now Huston-Tillotson University) in nearby Austin, Texas; Downs had been Robinson's pastor at Scott United Methodist Church while Robinson attended PJC.[32][55]
An event on July 6, 1944 derailed Robinson's military career.[56] While awaiting results of hospital tests on the ankle he had injured in junior college, Robinson boarded an Army bus with a fellow officer's wife; although the Army had commissioned its own unsegregated bus line, the bus driver ordered Robinson to move to the back of the bus.[57][58][59] Robinson refused. The driver backed down, but after reaching the end of the line, summoned the military police, who took Robinson into custody.[57][60] When Robinson later confronted the investigating duty officer about racist questioning by the officer and his assistant, the officer recommended Robinson be court-martialed.[57][61] After Robinson's commander in the 761st, Paul L. Bates, refused to authorize the legal action,[62] Robinson was summarily transferred to the 758th Battalion—where the commander quickly consented to charge Robinson with multiple offenses, including, among other charges, public drunkenness, even though Robinson did not drink.[57][63]
By the time of the court-martial in August 1944, the charges against Robinson had been reduced to two counts of insubordination during questioning.[57] Robinson was acquitted by an all-white panel of nine officers.[57] The experiences Robinson was subjected to during the court proceedings would be remembered when he later joined MLB and was subjected to racist attacks.[64] Although his former unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, became the first black tank unit to see combat in World War II, Robinson's court-martial proceedings prohibited him from being deployed overseas, thus he never saw combat action.[65]
After his acquittal, he was transferred to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he served as a coach for army athletics until receiving an honorable discharge in November 1944.[66] While there, Robinson met a former player for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, who encouraged Robinson to write the Monarchs and ask for a tryout.[67] Robinson took the former player's advice and wrote to Monarchs' co-owner Thomas Baird.[68]" Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson
One of my son's first books: http://www.amazon.com/The-Value-Courage-Robinson-ValueTales/dp/ [login to see]
Black American served in segregated units in WWI and WWII. They came home from their courageous service to segregation in the South and discrimination pretty much everywhere, after serving this country in war time.
Less than two years after the end of WWII, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play professional baseball outside of the segregated "Negro Leagues," and in Major League Baseball, which had never allowed a black man to play in their midst.
A little bit about Jackie Robinson's military service during WWII:
"After receiving his commission, Robinson was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he joined the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion. While at Fort Hood, Robinson often used his weekend leave to visit the Rev. Karl Downs, President of Sam Huston College (now Huston-Tillotson University) in nearby Austin, Texas; Downs had been Robinson's pastor at Scott United Methodist Church while Robinson attended PJC.[32][55]
An event on July 6, 1944 derailed Robinson's military career.[56] While awaiting results of hospital tests on the ankle he had injured in junior college, Robinson boarded an Army bus with a fellow officer's wife; although the Army had commissioned its own unsegregated bus line, the bus driver ordered Robinson to move to the back of the bus.[57][58][59] Robinson refused. The driver backed down, but after reaching the end of the line, summoned the military police, who took Robinson into custody.[57][60] When Robinson later confronted the investigating duty officer about racist questioning by the officer and his assistant, the officer recommended Robinson be court-martialed.[57][61] After Robinson's commander in the 761st, Paul L. Bates, refused to authorize the legal action,[62] Robinson was summarily transferred to the 758th Battalion—where the commander quickly consented to charge Robinson with multiple offenses, including, among other charges, public drunkenness, even though Robinson did not drink.[57][63]
By the time of the court-martial in August 1944, the charges against Robinson had been reduced to two counts of insubordination during questioning.[57] Robinson was acquitted by an all-white panel of nine officers.[57] The experiences Robinson was subjected to during the court proceedings would be remembered when he later joined MLB and was subjected to racist attacks.[64] Although his former unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, became the first black tank unit to see combat in World War II, Robinson's court-martial proceedings prohibited him from being deployed overseas, thus he never saw combat action.[65]
After his acquittal, he was transferred to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he served as a coach for army athletics until receiving an honorable discharge in November 1944.[66] While there, Robinson met a former player for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, who encouraged Robinson to write the Monarchs and ask for a tryout.[67] Robinson took the former player's advice and wrote to Monarchs' co-owner Thomas Baird.[68]" Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson
One of my son's first books: http://www.amazon.com/The-Value-Courage-Robinson-ValueTales/dp/ [login to see]
Ken Burns film reveals what you don't know about Jackie Robinson
Posted from nbcnews.com
Baseball
Naval Historical Foundation
Court Martial
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
0
0
0
"Robinson was also derided by opposing teams. Some, notably the St. Louis Cardinals, threatened to strike if Robinson played. After the threat, National League President Ford Frick and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler let it be known that any striking players would be suspended. Robinson nonetheless became the target of rough physical play by opponents (particularly the Cardinals). At one time, he received a seven-inch gash in his leg from Enos Slaughter. On April 22, 1947, during a game between the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies players and manager Ben Chapman called Robinson a "nigger" from their dugout and yelled that he should "go back to the cotton fields". Rickey later recalled that Chapman "did more than anybody to unite the Dodgers. When he poured out that string of unconscionable abuse, he solidified and united thirty men."
Tell me that Jackie Robinson was not a special man, composed of unusual courage and strength of character, for standing up to the abuse of the fans and other players, without lashing out physically at his tormentors, nor breaking under their abuse.
Tell me that Jackie Robinson was not a special man, composed of unusual courage and strength of character, for standing up to the abuse of the fans and other players, without lashing out physically at his tormentors, nor breaking under their abuse.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Capt Lance Gallardo
Thanks Mark, who would have thought that baseball would be the first color barrier to be crossed?
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google