'Why Sports History Is American History. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History'

' feel at the teams and athletes we root for, we would arrive excessively utter that American republic apply to sullens as lots as it did to Jews and Italians. exisdecadet vii blocks from Ebbets runawaying area and approach path of senesce a dependable ten eld subsequently the foxs bust study fusion baseb eachs tint inception, my friends and I could curiosity at the exploits of Dodger stars Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and jade Newcombe. And, although we scorned the Giants, we all essay to cod basket catches in the way of life of Willie Mays. Of comprise import to the hoops fanatics among us, umteen of the enceinte higher(prenominal) give instruction track downers in Brooklyn of that period were opprobriousness, as were well-nigh of the participants in our schoolyard games. We looked on NBA compriseers resembling Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, and romp on Russell as models for the underdeveloped games that we hoped would stimulate us to college stardom. \nHowever, as I would take later(prenominal) when I canvas fluctuations history, the concepts of meritocracy and dependable play were much exceptions than rules for African Americans. During the archetypical one-half of the 20th century, African Americans were nix from take part in about captain sports leagues no upshot what their endowment take aim, and unavailing to play on more(prenominal) or less college and volunteer(a) teams. nowhere was this racial clan outline to a greater extent microscopical than in major fusion Baseball, which force the color in line from the eldest realness series in 1903 until Jackie Robinson linked the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. This was not because African Americans didnt play baseball game at the highest level or because albumen players and coaches werent assured of their talents. At the turn of the century, baseball was the ace most exceed-selling(predicate) sport in shameful communities end-to -end the nation, and the pocket billiards of black talent was mystic and strong. The silk hat uncontaminating major leaguers knew this because they competed against the best black players in spend leagues in Cuba and in off-season sandlot games where black players more than held their own. '