Carrying Jackie's torch : the players who integrated baseball-- and America / Steve Jacobson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jacobson, Steve.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

African American baseball players--Biography.

African American baseball players.

Baseball players--United States--Biography.

Baseball players.

United States.

Discrimination in sports--United States.

Discrimination in sports.

Baseball--United States--History.

Baseball.

History.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 264 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : Lawrence Hill Books, [2007]

Summary:

The real and painful struggles of the black players who followed Jackie Robinson into major and minor league baseball from 1947 through 1968 are chronicled in this compelling volume. Players share their personal and often heart-wrenching stories of intense racism, both on and off the field, mixed with a sometimes begrudged appreciation for their tremendous talents. Stories include incidents of white players who gave up promising careers in baseball because they wouldn' t play with a black teammate, the Georgia law that forbade a black player from dressing in the same clubhouse as the white players, the quotas for the number of blacks on a team, and how salary negotiations without agents or free agency were akin to a plantation system for both black and white players. The 20 players profiled include Ernie Banks, Alvin Jackson, Charlie Murray, Chuck Harmon, Frank Robinson, Bob Gibson, Hank Aaron, Curt Flood, Lou Brock, and Bob Watson.

Contents:

Equal but separate : before Jackie changed everything

He made his own history : Monte Irvin might have been first

Second, and second to none : Larry Doby bears the burden with grace

A closed world opens up : Ed Charles finds there is a chance

Worse than you imagine : Mudcat Grant dodged the bullets

Looking back with regret : Ernie Banks was playing baseball

The pinstripes go black and white : Elston Howard hid the pain

You know you go in the back door : Alvin Jackson reports to spring training

I'm no Jackie Robinson : too much bigotry for Charlie Murray

Recognition 50 years later : Chuck Harmon gets his own street

Sometimes people live and learn : Maury Wills finds a white ally

Forever is not too long to wait : Emmett Ashford umpires alone

Most valuable attitude : Frank Robinson made them better

The best of them don't always understand : Tommy Davis reminds the Dodgers of their heritage

Living up to his own image : Bob Gibson overcomes the stereotype

Joan of Arc of baseball : Curt Flood sacrifices his career

Breaking that record and bigoted hearts : Henry Aaron sets the record

What would Jackie do : Dusty Baker finds his answers

Coping with the ever-present danger : Lou Brock outsmarted the threats

The only Black in the room : Bob Watson wears a necktie

Epilogue : We integrated baseball and America followed.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 251-252) and index.

ISBN:

1556526393

OCLC:

68373268

Publisher Number:

9781556526398

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description