Branch Rickey was born on December 20, 1881, in Stockdale, Ohio. He grew up in a strict religious household, and these Christian beliefs stuck with him throughout his whole life. A stellar athlete in high school, Branch attended Ohio Weslyn University to continue his baseball career. While managing at Ohio Wesleyan University, a black player, Charles Thomas, was refused accommodation, because of his race, at the hotel where the team stayed. An angry Branch managed to get him into the hotel for the night, he never forgot the incident and later said, "I may not be able to do something about racism in every field, but I can sure do something about it in baseball." (Branch Rickey) After struggling as a player, Branch returned to college, where he learned about administration and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1911. From 1913 to 1915, he served as field manager of the St. Louis Browns. This led to a long association with the St. Louis Cardinal. First, as club president from1917 to 1919; Then as a field manager up until 1925, eventually becoming a general manager in 1925.
|
As a general manager, Branch did his best to change the game of baseball for the better. During this time as a general manager, he developed and built the Farm League. The Farm League was used by Branch to allow minor league players to compete on a less competitive level. This allowed Branch to bring in good players that otherwise would have gone unnoticed in the minor league. The Commissioner of Baseball was concerned that Rickey's minor league system was going to ruin baseball by destroying existing minor league teams, and he twice released over 70 Cardinal minor leaguers. Despite the commissioner's efforts, Branch's minor league system stayed in existence, and every major league team adopted similar systems within a few years. Arguably, the farm system saved the minor leagues by keeping them vital after the television age began, and minor league attendance figures declined.
Up until this point, the MLB did not allow negroes to play in the MLB. This was because the commissioner was openly opposed to integrating Major League Baseball. However, on August 28, 1945, Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to a minor league contract on the Brooklyn Dodgers Farm League. There was no statute officially banning blacks from baseball, only a universally recognized unwritten rule which no club owner was prepared to break. "I signed Robinson in spite of the pressure-groups who are only exploiting the Negroes, instead of advancing their cause. I signed him because I knew of no reason why I shouldn't. I want to win baseball games, and baseball is a game that is played by human beings." (Lab) Whether it was his Christian upbringing or what, Branch, unlike most white men at the time, saw blacks as equal human beings and, therefore, eligible to play in the MLB. The common fear amongst whites was that they would get surpassed by the 'naturally' more athletic negro man. Branch viewed this as a great way to boost competitiveness and improve the amount of attention the MLB was getting. The Negro Leagues had numerous star athletes, and logically, the first Major League team to hire them would get the first pick of the players at an attractive price.
For all the changes that Branch made to baseball, it is his integration of baseball that will forever mark his legacy. The inspiration to other negroes and underdogs alike that came with Jackie Robinson's dominance in the MLB led it to brighter and more colorful days. While Branch was white, he was able to look past the color divide and see players for their talent and potential. On November 13, 1965, Rickey collapsed in the middle of a speech in Columbia, Missouri, as he was being elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. He was telling a story of physical courage, and was about to "tell you a story from the Bible about spiritual courage," Then he collapsed and never spoke again. (Branch Rickey) The irony of his last words showed his Christian beliefs and how they shaped his life. Without Branch Rickey the world would never know the name, Jackie Robinson.
|
The Dodgers hired Branch Rickey as President and GM. In 1945, the Dodger ownership reorganized, with Rickey acquiring 25 percent of Dodger stock to become an equal partner with three other owners. With his new power, he started to implement some of his ideas, such as using batting cages, pitching machines, and batting helmets. Branch also pioneered the use of statistical analysis in baseball. All of these were new to the MLB, and he faced much push back, but eventually, they caught on, and the players and coaches began to see the importance of these tools.
On October 23, 1945, it was announced that Robinson would join the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' International League affiliate, for the 1946 season. He would end up as the league's batting champion and led the Royals to a dominant league championship. While he was playing in Canada, a historically less racist country, he still faced backlash from the audience. However, Robinson stayed strong and did not allow them to break him. If Robinson were to lose it on the white players and spectators, he would prove them right, that he was an uneducated animal that could not be trusted. However, Branch chose Jackie for this specific reason as he knew he could endure even the most brutal backlash.
"Jackie Robinson: You want a player who doesn't have the guts to fight back? Branch Rickey: No. I want a player who's got the guts not to fight back." (422013) Robinson had agreed with Rickey not to lose his temper and jeopardize the chances of all the blacks who would follow him. This decision to integrate baseball forever changed the game. While there were much more dominant and better Negro players, Branch chose Robinson because he knew he could keep his cool. 
|
Works Cited
“422013.” Jackie Robinson: You Want a Player Who Doesn't Have the Guts to Fight Back?Branch Rickey: No. I Want a Player Who's Got the Guts *Not* to Fight Back.Jackie Robinson: You Give Me a Uniform, You Give Me a Number on My Back, I'll Give You the Guts., www.quotes.net/mquote/963269.
“Baseball Integration, 1947-1986.” Baseball Integration, 1947-1986 | Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org/bioproj/topic/integration-1947-1986.
“Branch Rickey.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Oct. 2019, www.biography.com/athlete/branch-rickey.
“Branch Rickey.” Branch Rickey | Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org/bioproj/person/6d0ab8f3.
“Branch Rickey.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_Rickey.
Lab, Digital Scholarship. “The History Engine.” History Engine: Tools for Collaborative Education and Research | Episodes, historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/4961.
Mueller, Bobby. “Library of Congress Digitizes Branch Rickey MLB Scouting Reports from 50s and 60s.” Call to the Pen, FanSided, 5 Apr. 2018, calltothepen.com/2018/04/05/branch-rickey-scouting-reports/.
“422013.” Jackie Robinson: You Want a Player Who Doesn't Have the Guts to Fight Back?Branch Rickey: No. I Want a Player Who's Got the Guts *Not* to Fight Back.Jackie Robinson: You Give Me a Uniform, You Give Me a Number on My Back, I'll Give You the Guts., www.quotes.net/mquote/963269.
“Baseball Integration, 1947-1986.” Baseball Integration, 1947-1986 | Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org/bioproj/topic/integration-1947-1986.
“Branch Rickey.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Oct. 2019, www.biography.com/athlete/branch-rickey.
“Branch Rickey.” Branch Rickey | Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org/bioproj/person/6d0ab8f3.
“Branch Rickey.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_Rickey.
Lab, Digital Scholarship. “The History Engine.” History Engine: Tools for Collaborative Education and Research | Episodes, historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/4961.
Mueller, Bobby. “Library of Congress Digitizes Branch Rickey MLB Scouting Reports from 50s and 60s.” Call to the Pen, FanSided, 5 Apr. 2018, calltothepen.com/2018/04/05/branch-rickey-scouting-reports/.
