"Democracy on the Field"
By: Chris Lamb and Glen Bleske
The black press takes on white baseball.
Baseball was one of the first institutions in American society to become desegregated. Many whites feared the integration. Laws stating people would be killed and or "left dead."
The article is about press treatment of baseball's first integrated spring training from two perspectives-the advocacy role of black press versus the status-quo role of the white mainstream press.
Studies showed that black sportswriters were more active in covering the story than white reporters. Black reporters were instrumental in spreading the integration issue into mainstream media.
The coverage of the Robinson story became a metaphor for equality on civil rights. This integration of Robinson was used to push further into society. Black sportswriters reported this story with emotion, emphasizing its historical significance, while the white reporters generally viewed it as a curiosity or a publicity stunt. White reporters remained relatively silent because of fear and uncertainty. Mainstream press didn't five this story the social or cultural context it deserved.
The integration of baseball meant more to black sportswriters in personal, societal and journalistic terms than it did to white sportswriters. This was obvious throughout the article.
Wendell Smith the "Crusader for integration" was known as the writer who most fought for the inclusion of blacks in organized baseball. Black journalists were more aware of progress in civil rights and helped make progress possible. By the spring of 1946 newspapers recorded their highest readership. The white mainstream press was limited in content and context on the story of Robinson during the spring training. Most white sportswriters either criticized integration, ignored the issue completely or said that no good would come from raising the race issue.
Robinson signing barely made white newspapers or columns and was given little importance with little historical context, again. One paper said, "If he were white and six years younger, he might be good enough for Brooklyn's AA team." I thought that was very interesting. For black newspapers it hit like a "bombshell" and got page one status. And of course it was written with tons of emotion and historical context and significance. Major stories during that spring were suppressed. The fact that Robinson was signed was even suppressed for months before it was released.
Black sportswriters thought white sportswriters didn't care or wanted Robinson to fail. They kept the story close where white reporters kept it "at arms length" gathering information from Rickey or other team officials. When Robinson made his way to Florida for the spring he was met with much discrimination and had multiple problems with flying and other transportation because he was black. White newspapers tried to cover this up while black journalists revealed the true story.
It was interesting that both black and white newspapers reported that Robinson was integrating with white players well during training but that wasn't really true. He barely made contact with any players besides the pitcher that was brought in with him, who was also black.
Many games were cancelled by southern cities because of the two blacks on Montreal's team. Rickey stood up for Robinson and Wright by not compromising. But for mainstream press these cancellations barely made the paper where blacks reported on this profusely and challenged officials who cancelled the games. They wouldn't let up.
Overall, it was clearly a different story for black sportswriters than it was for white sportswriters. The objective, establishment press focused on hard news values; a history making game and a game cancelled. To black reporters and their readers the story symbolized the hopes and dreams of integration, not just on the field but in society.
"Blacks in Organized Baseball"
By: David K. Wiggins
Jackie Robinson makes it clear in his book that he is indebted to Wendell Smith for telling Rickey about him and really pushing for the integration of blacks in America's pastime.
The Courier-Journal proved most effective in seeing that the game's racial barrier was finally lifted. It had the largest circulation of any black newspaper in the country. It was also most effective because of the "tireless efforts" of Wendell Smith.
It was only after the stand taken by Broun and Powers at the baseball writer's dinner that the Courier-Journal began to fight for the integration of blacks in baseball. It began with conducting the "Big League Symposium" which was set up to solicit the opinions of leading baseball men concerning the sports exclusionary policies. Of course at first the respondents said there was no exclusion happening and even dared to say there was no race-line. When the Big League Symposium ended, although it was somewhat instructive, the Courier-Journal was faced with the problem of what it should do next to ensure that blacks would finally be allowed in organized baseball. So they would compare black athletes to those in the Major Leagues and send telegrams to the owners stating how they would benefit skill wise and financially.
There was an East-West Classic that showcased the best black athletes and gathered more than 20,000 fans each year. This "Classic" served the Courier-Journals crusade very well, along with the games that black club's would play against major leaguers and win.
Wendell Smith, in 1938 shifted the CJ's tactics to advocate more radical procedures for ending discrimination in the National game. Smith would lash out at the national game for its racial policies. Smith did not only call for the color line to be dropped in baseball but also for self-improvement, racial pride and group unity among black Americans.
"Smith believed that black Americans had to identify positively with their own race before it would be possible for them to stage any effective campaign effort."
It is clear that Smith made a huge impact. He encouraged the CJ to stand strong in its efforts to promote integration and an end to discrimination. All while trying to change a community of people to be more proud and to stick up for themselves and to encourage self-help and organization. He believed they could conquer this goal as a group proposing this idea to the NAACP. He compared this exclusion to the practice of Nazi Germany. He said if we are shouting for freedom in other countries why not in our own. Smith's first interview with the leagues owner Ford Frick found some answers. Frick said that it accepts black athlete's but players could not because they weren't educated enough and said major league baseball was like the newspaper in that it could not make changes without public opinion's readiness.
Smith conducted more interviews and found that only one owner would not use or like black athletes in their club. The CJ kept fighting and the war crisis added more reason and opportunity to protest against discrimination. The war provided a unique opportunity to expose the gap between America's creed and its practice.
With the CJ gaining momentum, other sources and sportswriters joined the fight against race discrimination in baseball, but Smith continued to set the tone. Smith was trying to get the President to make an address but got no response. So he went after Griffith who was very outspoken about not letting blacks join even though he would hire non-American citizens. Black ball club owners didnt' even support Smith's campaign because they thought it would put an end to the black league.
Smith finally got to meet with Landis the commissioner and they spoke openly about their campaign. But even after the great points made by multiple important people Landis did nothing in his power to integrate black ball players. So Smith continued to attack Landis and the issue.
A year later blacks were finally trying out for national league ball clubs. Smith was asked to bring in the best three black players to Boston for the tryout ad they performed "magnificently." None of the five were signed and since Roosevelt died the day after, the tryouts got little to no press which fueled Smith's anger.
Rickey set up a new league which was skeptical but he really wanted to scout black athletes for his own club. And after being questioned and somewhat attacked by the CJ he asked Smith about potential black athletes to tryout for his team. Smith responded with Jackie Robinson. This led to his signing and Smith soon had a change of heart towards Rickey, mentioning his open-mindedness in the CJ. Finally, after twelve years of campaigning Robinson was signed.
Mark Valeriano
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