While Robinson was the linchpin in Branch Rickey's strategy, in October 1945 Rickey intended to announce the signing of several Negro League stars, including Robinson. Political pressure, however, forced Rickey's hand, thrusting Robinson alone i
Jackie Robinson is a legendary figure and his name is now synonymous with the desegregation and redefinition of professional sports. Yet, our collective knowledge of the historical process that created this American icon, has been reduced to an occasional
"Jackie Robinson is an interviewer's delight," said Mesibov at the time. "You ask him a two or three part question and he answers each part in detail, and then adds some more information." Here, then, are Jackie Robinson's ow
On October 23, 1945, history was made as Robinson signed with the Dodger’s number one farm team, the Montreal Royals. A year and a half later, on April 15, 1947, integration in the major leagues was a reality. Taking his place in the Dodger’s starting lin
To the average man in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that. . . . In remembering him, I tend to de-e
Joe Louis burst onto the professional boxing scene in 1934 with style and skill such as the boxing world has seldom seen. Known to many as the "Brown Bomber," Louis emerged victorious from his first 27 fights, all but four of which he won in kno
Joe Louis Barrow was born in Chambers County, Alabama, at the foot of Buckalew Mountain on May 13, 1914. His father, Munroe Barrow, was a hardworking sharecropper, but was committed to an asylum when Joe was 2 years old and died when Joe was 4.
When Lillie Barrow found out what her son was up to (the violin teacher had come by looking for him) she was disappointed, but told him to do the best he could at it. When Louis filled out the forms for one of his first amateur fights, he didn't have
At the turn of the century, who was the highest paid athlete in the World, and what sport did he participate in? Major Taylor was earning a bigger salary than baseball players, he was a cyclist. It is not widely known that Major Taylor was African-Americ
