After being discharged from the Army, Robinson knew he needed to make an income and have something to do so he started playing baseball. Robinson started with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945, the Monarchs were a part of the Negro American League. Robinson didnt want to just play in the Negro League but he knew he needed the money so he played with them for a year which left his stats for 41 games at a .345 batting average, 10 doubles, 4 triples, and 5 home runs. However, even through the Negro Leagues players experienced discrimination. Some cities they traveled to would refuse to let them stay in hotels or eat at certain restaurants. These circumstances left the African American players eating on the bus as well as sleeping.
Around this time, Branch Rickey, the General Manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers, started to wonder about having a African American ball player on his team. He mentioned this idea to 15 of the other MLB teams who all shot it down. Rickey continued to look into players from the Negro League without mentioning his plans to other managers. Rickey traveled to California to look into Robinson. He sent Clyde Sukeforth to watch Jackie play, if Sukeforth liked what he say he was to sent Robinson to Rickey.
Rickey told his scouts and other team owners he was making an all black team because he feared that other teams would try to stop him from having a black player and that his scouts would give bad reports for Negros if they knew he wanted one on the Dodgers.
After meeting with Robinson, Rickey signed him to an affiliate of the Dodgers, the Montreal Royals an International League team.
After Robinson signed with the Royals, he married Rachel Isum on February 10, 1946. Two weeks after the wedding, the pair traveled to Florida for spring training. At the beginning of the season, the manager, Clay Hopper, was extremely prejudice and didnt want Jackie but by the end of the season he walked up to Robinson and shook his hand saying, "You're a great ballplayer and a fine gentleman. It's been wonderful having you on the team." The Royals went on to win the International League pennant by 19 1/2 games that year as well as winning the Little World Series of the minor leagues.
November 1946, Jackie Jr. was born.
Bergmen, Irwin B. Jackie Robinson. Chelsea House Publishing, 1994. Print.
Around this time, Branch Rickey, the General Manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers, started to wonder about having a African American ball player on his team. He mentioned this idea to 15 of the other MLB teams who all shot it down. Rickey continued to look into players from the Negro League without mentioning his plans to other managers. Rickey traveled to California to look into Robinson. He sent Clyde Sukeforth to watch Jackie play, if Sukeforth liked what he say he was to sent Robinson to Rickey.
Rickey told his scouts and other team owners he was making an all black team because he feared that other teams would try to stop him from having a black player and that his scouts would give bad reports for Negros if they knew he wanted one on the Dodgers.
After meeting with Robinson, Rickey signed him to an affiliate of the Dodgers, the Montreal Royals an International League team.
After Robinson signed with the Royals, he married Rachel Isum on February 10, 1946. Two weeks after the wedding, the pair traveled to Florida for spring training. At the beginning of the season, the manager, Clay Hopper, was extremely prejudice and didnt want Jackie but by the end of the season he walked up to Robinson and shook his hand saying, "You're a great ballplayer and a fine gentleman. It's been wonderful having you on the team." The Royals went on to win the International League pennant by 19 1/2 games that year as well as winning the Little World Series of the minor leagues.
November 1946, Jackie Jr. was born.
Bergmen, Irwin B. Jackie Robinson. Chelsea House Publishing, 1994. Print.
Jackie Robinson's meeting with Branch Rickey from Rachel Robinson's point of view.