Stefan and Michael Word Doc

Thesis

Branch Rickey’s ethical beliefs, and racist encounters were the greatest influences on him becoming the face of desegregating baseball

LEFT PANEL

Branch Rickey was inspired by an African-American teammate of his, Charles Thomas, who, when on a team trip to South Bend, Indiana was denied a room but shared one with Rickey. While he shared the room with Rickey he wept about his misfortune of having colored skin wishing he could make it white. Branch Rickey consoled his friend saying equality would come, but never forgot the scene and always promised to fix the wrongs brought upon the people including his friend Charles Thomas. Rickey’s childhood was surrounded by religious people, like his mother. Together they attended church every week. She would speak to him about how treating everybody equally is the right thing to do knowing that he was going to grow up in a country where racism was normal.

CENTRAL PANEL

Branch Rickey’s ethical beliefs were the main reasons for his involvement with Jackie Robinson, because if it was just to get the last bit of unused baseball talent, others would have done so just like he did and signed black players but they didn't. His main motivation though, was not this, it was his conscience and support for civil rights.Branch Rickey was a leader throughout his life by leading baseball teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers. After Rickey’s baseball career, he was general manager and president of the Brooklyn Dodgers where he won multiple championships. After his glory years with the Brooklyn Dodgers where he broke the color barrier he went on to be the general manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates for a number of years where he also established a winning culture.

“I don't want a player that has the guts to fight, I want a player that has enough guts not to fight back.”

    -Branch Rickey

“We had a victory of fascism in Germany. It's time, time we had a victory over racism at home.”

    -Branch Rickey

RIGHT PANEL

The signing showed all the other major sports that the right thing to do was to integrate, and that sports were missing colored players with great talent. In the NBA, Earl Lloyd was nicknamed the Jackie Robinson of the NBA. Like  Robinson his bravery and   determinations through all the taunts and chants proved his strong character to the world. Just a few years later he became the first African American assistant coach in the NBA. Branch Rickey was the visionary of baseball, he not only desegregated baseball for the community then, but he was the one that opened the door for other sports to follow suit. He knew that African-Americans and other minorities had so much to offer to baseball not only with their talent, and so he carried out his plan that no one else would’ve dared to do

CAPTIONS

-Branch Rickey with a front officer member of the Dodgers at a game discussing found inspiration from through his struggles.  

                            

-Teammate of Rickey’s in college who he found inspiration from Jackie Robinson.

-Branch Rickey when he played for Ohio Wesleyan University.

-Branch Rickey creates a list of possible African American players to get into the MLB.

-Branch Rickey a part of Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team coaching staff.   

-Branch Rickey in office.

-The signing of Jackie Robinson.

-Branch Rickey speaks at local church.

-Branch Rickey at bat with Ohio Wesleyan.

-Branch Rickey’s ideas about desegregation way before the signing of Jackie Robinson.

       

-Jackie Robinson’s letter to president Eisenhower in regards to
racism.

-Letters between Robinson and Rickey.

-Branch Rickey with his teammates

-Robinson signing autographs at Ebbets field.

-The first black player in the NBA, joining after Jackie Robinson.

-Jackie Robinson with Branch Rickey.

-Branch Rickey with Robinson at baseball hall of fame induction..

-One of the first Hispanic MLB players, Roberto Clemente, also after Robinson.