White Sox History: Jackie Robinson Gets a Tryout

Jackie Robinson is remembered as one of the all time great Dodgers. However, he had his first Major League tryout on this day in 1942, trying out for the Chicago White Sox.

Following the Black Sox scandal, it took quite a while for the Chicago White Sox to dig out of that hole. It took 40 years for the team to get back to the postseason, as they spent most of that time mired in mediocrity. The wounds were, in a way, self inflicted, but the loss of those players after the 1920 season still reverberated throughout the franchise.

The path to contention could have been jumpstarted, however. The Negro Leagues were an untapped source of some of the top talent in the game, forced to play elsewhere for the color barrier. While the Dodgers are lauded for bringing in Jackie Robinson to end segregation in the sport, that moment could have happened five years earlier.

On this day in 1942, Robinson and fello Negro League player Nate Moreland requested a tryout with the Chicago White Sox. Manager Jimmy Dykes allowed the two to practice with the team during Spring Training in Pasadena, curious as to what the two could contribute.

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Dykes had nothing but praise for Robinson and Moreland, adding to the belief that players from the Negro Leagues could succeed in the Majors. Unfortunately, he had to turn both players away, as he felt that the White Sox organization would not allow the players to be a part of the franchise. Alas, the color barrier remained in effect.

The White Sox certainly could have used the duo. That season, they finished with a 66-82 record, sixth in the American League. Outfielders Taffy Wright and Wally Moses were the only above average bats in the lineup, while the pitching staff desperately needed another arm after Ted Lyons and Johnny Humphries. Needless to say, Robinson and Moreland could have had a positive impact upon the team.

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The Chicago White Sox could have ended the color barrier, and could have changed their history at the same time. Instead, the status quo remained in place, as Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland were sent away.