Dodgers Sign Jackie Robinson to Minor League Contract

It had been over 60 years since a black player had appeared in the Major Leagues. However, Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey took the first step to ending the color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson on this day in 1945.

Although it was not common to see, there were a few black players in Major League Baseball in the 1800’s. Bill White, a former slave, played a game for the Providence Grays. Fleet Walker, and his brother Wedley Walker, played for the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884. However, from that point on, an unofficial color barrier was erected in the game.

With World War Two having come to a close a couple of months before, and the changing culture in America, it was time to end the color barrier in the Majors. With that in mind, Brookly Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey sought out the perfect player to break the color barrier once and for all. His search ended with Negro League star, and former Army Lieutenant, Jackie Robinson.

The first step towards integrating baseball once again happened on this day in 1945. In what was considered a shocking move at the time, the Dodgers signed Robinson to his first contract, with the intention of sending him to Montreal for a year.

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We all know what happened next. Robinson proved he was far better than the International League, winning the MVP honors while becoming embraced by the city. His hopes of reaching the Majors that year never materialized, but he won a spot with Brooklyn the following year.

That began a Hall of Fame career. Robinson made six All Star Games, won the Rookie of the Year award in 1947 and was the MVP in 1949. Robinson led the National League in steals twice, won a batting title, and had six years with over 100 runs scored. Understandably, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962, enshrined on his own merit instead of his part in breaking the color barrier.

That journey to tear down the color barrier needed to begin somewhere. That moment happened when Robinson put the pen to the paper, signing the most important autograph of his career. He and Rickey gambled on his ability to adapt, to control himself in the face of racism, and on his ability to perform at the highest level. Robinson passed every single test put before him.

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On this day, the color barrier began to crumble. Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers, and history began to unfold.