220;All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”# Jackie knew it would take time, but be well worth it in the end. If baseball’s “Great Experiment” were to be a success, it would be the first aspect of American society to integrate. One year later the second aspect of American society integrated, the United States government desegregated the army.# Jackie Robinson knew the implications of what he was getting himself into, he knew he would be harassed, verbally and physically abused, and even worse. But he also knew the effects he would have on the improvements of African-American equality in society. Jackie was ready and waiting for this ultimate challenge. On October 30, 1945, Jackie was pulled up from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues and officially became the first black person to sign a Major League contract.# However, in the beginning, baseball’s “Great Experiment” was baseball’s “great secret.” A year before this a secret poll was conducted of Major league managers and owners on the question of blacks in baseball, the results were not positive. Fifteen of the sixteen polled responded “No,” with the only “Yes” vote coming from Branch Rickey.# Branch felt the move to integrate baseball had to be slow and meticulous. So, on April 18, 1946, Jackie Robinson made his minor league debut for the Montreal Royals, the International League affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers. With an impressive hitting display: a three run homerun, a solid single, two bunt singles, and speed that led to 2 stolen bases and two balks home, the rookie second baseman and the Montreal Royals beat the hometown Giants 14 -1.# The public’s outrage of a Negro playing with white people were silenced by the outstanding talent of Jackie Robinson. This is the only reason integration in sports was possible in the first place. Sport is different from many ...
