Vargas 1
Tristan Vargas
Professor Lewenstein
English 110
1 Feb. 2022
Fig. 1 Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese embracing each other from: Bennett, Jonathan. "TheFriendship of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese." Jonathan Bennett, 16 Jul. 2014.
Jackie Robinson: Persevering Against All Odds
When Jackie Robinson debuted in Major League Baseball, he received criticism from opposing players and managers everywhere he went. Some of Robinson’s own teammates in the Dodgers, all from the South, wanted to boycott the team because they didn’t want to see a black player in the team. Pee Wee Reese, the Dodgers’ captain, refused to sign the petition, whichmade it the turning point in the Dodgers clubhouse. Reese accepted Robinson as a player, and stood up for him at all times. At first, some of the Dodgers players were hesitant to accept Robinson in the clubhouse, but they eventually did and everyone was there for him, becoming brothers on and off the field. One time, Reese was playing cards in the clubhouse with Robinson, and a fellow teammate, Dixie Walker, pulled Reese aside and confronted him for playing cards with Robinson. Reese replied, “Look, Dixie, you and Stell travel with a black woman who takes care of your kids, who cooks your food, who you trust -- isn't that even more than playing cards with a black?'’ (“Reese”). Reese quickly managed to point out Walker’s hypocrisy; he got upset at Reese playing cards with Robinson when Walker himself had a black woman who took care of his family life while the Dodgers were playing. It’s very important to notice Reese’s courageous action in a time where the country was heavily segregated and black people were heavily looked down upon. If it wasn’t for Reese, Robinson probably wouldn’t have been accepted by his own teammates and his courage, determination and hustle for baseball wouldn’t be noticed nowadays.
There wouldn’t have been many black players in baseball nowadays, which means that we wouldn’t have seen legendary black players in baseball, such as Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr. When Robinson debuted in the MLB, he instantly received criticism from everyone. The idea of an African-American playing professional baseball was seen as unethical since segregation was seen everywhere in the country, and Jim Crow laws were especially noticed in the South. Besides, some of Robinson’s own teammates threatened to boycott if he played with the Dodgers. Although Jackie Robinson managed to break baseball’s color barrier, he first had to break through to his fans and teammates. In 1947, the Dodgers traveled to Cincinnati to play the Reds. There, Robinson endured so much racial abuse from the crowd and opposing players. In an act of solidarity, Reese put his hand on Robinson’s shoulder (“Reese”). It was an enormous gesture for Reese to befriend Robinson, especially when he was criticized by the media and even his own teammates for doingIT
At the time, segregation was seen in the country and the idea of a white person to befriend a black person was widely frowned upon. Since Reese grew up in segregated times, he never went to school or played baseball with African-Americans. So, when he shook Robinson's hand for the first time, it was the first time he had ever shaken the hand of an African-American, so it was a huge step in his career and his life (“Reese”). As captain of the Dodgers, Reese encouraged his fellow teammates to accept Robinson as a player and not look down at him since he was African-American. If Reese never accepted Robinson as a teammate, Robinson’s impact on baseball as well as his fight for civil rights probably wouldn’t have existed. It’s very important that Pee Wee Reese managed to befriend Robinson and accept him as a teammate to let everyone know that racism has no place in sports. Robinson’s impact in the civil rights movement was huge in not just normal life, but in sports as well because it allowed teams to accept their players, regardless of their race or skin color.
Courage is the ability to do something that requires a lot of spirit. Courage is very useful to stand up for yourself. However, too much courage can lead to your actions hurting more than trying to help. It can cause people to become impulsive and believe that their actions are about themselves. Courage is the willingness to respond to those who constantly try to bring you down.It is a great opportunity to prove them wrong with the abilities that you are able to perform. For example, Jackie Robinson believed in himself in spite of the criticism he faced. He made sure that nothing would let him down, not even threats to himself or to his family. He also made sure to be as determined as possible in the field since he wanted to win and give it all for the Dodgers. Courage is caused by standing up for what is right and persevering against all odds and expectations. This is done to stand up to something you believe in. Courage helps us accomplish things in a way where we are not too confident. It also helps us act and prepare against those who try to let us down. The process of building up courage takes time. Some factors that lead to courage developing over time include problem solving, taking action against your insecuritiesand being determined to give it all against all odds and obstacles that might come in your way. In the movie 42, everyone in the Dodgers wears 42 in solidarity with Jackie Robinson. The players were courageous to do this in a time where segregation was a huge issue in the country. Although they would receive criticism from everyone, the Dodgers’ act of everyone wearing 42 let the world know that racism isn’t welcome in sports or in any aspect of life. At first sight, courage might seem something that is easy to do, but requires a lot of bravery and determination, especially when you have a lot of obstacles to go through.
Jackie Robinson managed to fulfill his dream of being the first African-American to play professional baseball, but constantly endured racist attacks and threats to his family from opponents, the media, and society in general. At one point, some of Robinson’s own teammates in the Dodgers almost boycotted the team when they realized he was going to be on the team (Beschloss). Despite the fact that Reese and the Dodgers eventually befriended Robinson, the criticism didn’t stop there. Everywhere the Dodgers traveled, Robinson dealt with racist attacks from opposing managers and players. The scene where the Dodgers are playing the Phillies stands out the most. During the game, Robinson is up at bat, and Phillies manager Ben Chapman taunts him and yells at him that he shouldn’t be there. Shortly after, Robinson goes to the dugout and smashes his bat in frustration. At this point, he had gone through so much struggles and dealt with so many racist attacks that Chapman taunting him was his breaking point. Although his frustration was seen in the film, Robinson never smashed his bat in real life. Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ general manager, had advised Robinson to stay calm and not snap instantly, since he knew that Robinson had a short temper. Furthermore, Rickey believed that people wouldn’t like Robinson if he constantly argued with opposing teams and players (Bergland). Although Robinson found it difficult to endure these attacks and not snap at the opposing players and managers, he managed to control his temper and stay away from brawls with anyone. Also, he persevered against all odds and never gave up or let criticism take him down. After he retired, Robinson constantly pushed for equality and baseball, and was unsatisfied when progress was slow (Dreier). Robinson’s perseverance and determination allowed him to leave a lasting impact in baseball, with his accomplishments being celebrated by Major League Baseball every year and Martin Luther King Jr. describing Robinson as an American hero.
Fig. 2 42 Movie Poster from: “New “42” Movie Poster”, Sons of Steve Garvey. 25 Mar. 2013.
In the center of 42’s movie poster is Pee Wee Reese with his arm around Robinson as they look towards the crowd. In the background is Ebbets Field, the Dodgers' stadium when they played in Brooklyn. The first thing that catches my eye is Robinson and Reese standing next to each other; Reese is considered the first Dodgers player to welcome Robinson as a teammate. Something that also catches my eye are the players' uniforms. The Dodgers have played with the same uniforms since at least the 1930s, but the cap in the poster has a B in it, which can be nostalgic for Dodgers fans who have followed them since the Brooklyn days. I believe that it is important that the Dodgers keep their uniforms because it has become a huge symbol for Dodgers fans, and changing the uniform wouldn't come well with most of them. The poster provides an atmosphere of solidarity and hostility. First, it provides solidarity since Reese welcomed Robinson as a teammate and later encouraged everyone in the Dodger clubhouse to do he same; this came in a time where segregation was still a huge issue in the country. It also provides hostility because wherever the Dodgers played, everyone would boo and be racist towards Robinson since they didn't want him in the field due to his skin color. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 to play professional baseball. This move wasn't well received in the media since many people didn't like the fact that an African-American was playing in the MLB. Robinson went through so much hell in his career, such as racial abuse, death threats to his family, and even some of his own teammates wanting to boycott just because of his skin color. It is important that this poster includes ethos with Reese standing alongside Robinson because it shows solidarity in a tough time for the United States. Despite Robinson being called on constantly for being African-American, he never let these attacks come to him, and made sure this determination and perseverance was seen on the field. It was more than just Robinson breaking the color barrier; it allowed black people to feel more confident about their fight for a rightful place in society (“Cost of Racism”). This is a huge factor on why Robinson was idolized by many influential African-Americans, such as legendary basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who refers to Robinson as his greatest hero.
Movie critic Richard Roeper believes 42 is decent, but not exceptionally great. First, he describes 42 as an “unexceptional film about an exceptional man.” Roeper somewhat criticizes Chadwick Boseman, who plays Jackie Robinson in the film. Roeper believes that Boseman wasgood, but didn’t accurately portray the pressures Robinson dealt with in real life. Roeper further describes 42 as a “high school history lesson”, saying that it lacked complexity and didn’t exactly detail Robinson’s life as he had expected. I can understand why Roeper believed that 42wasn’t as amazing as he believed; however, I disagree with his criticism of Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of Jackie Robinson. I believe that Boseman did an exceptional job for portraying Robinson; his expressions were on point and effectively demonstrated how Robinson had to struggle with racial abuse when playing baseball. One scene that stands out in the film is Robinson breaking his bat after being taunted by Phillies manager Ben Chapman. At that point,
Robinson had gone through so many struggles and obstacles that Chapman taunting him was his breaking point. According to Roeper, Robinson was chosen by Branch Rickey to play with the Dodgers since Robinson was a fierce competitor and was ready to deal with racial abuse. However, Rickey had also warned Robinson to refrain from any brawls in the field since he had a short temper. Robinson had said that it was difficult at times for him to maintain hiscomposure, but managed to stay away from serious altercations to opposing managers to players. In a way, 42 did portray Jackie Robinson’s career accurately; he faced racial abuse from opposing crowds and players everywhere he went and dealt with Jim Crow laws when playing in the South. Despite this, he gained support from Pee Wee Reese by putting his arm around Robinson’s shoulder, and everyone in the Dodgers started accepting Robinson as a teammate. In the end, everyone in the Dodgers wears 42, showing a powerful sign of solidarity and sending an important message: racism isn’t welcome in sports and everyone should treat each other equally, regardless of who they are and where they come from.
Works Cited
Bechloss, Michael. “When Jim Crow Got Cut From Spring Training.” New York Times (Online), New York: New York Times Company. Feb 14. 2015. www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/upshot/when-jim-crow-got-cut-from-spring-trainin g.html.
Bergland, Christopher. “The Guts Enough Not to Fight Back.” Psychology Today, Apr 12. 2013. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201304/the-guts-enough-not-fight-back.
Dreier, Peter. “Jackie Robinson: A Legacy of Activism.” The American Prospect Blogs, Washington: Newstex. Jan 31. 2019. prospect.org/civil-rights/jackie-robinson-legacy-activism/.
Helgeland, Brian. Performances by Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford, Legendary Pictures, 2013. “Jackie Robinson And The Cost Of Racism.” New Pittsburgh Courier (Online), Pittsburgh: Real Times, Inc. May 2. 2016. newpittsburghcourier.com/2016/05/02/jackie-robinson-and-the-cost-of-racism/.
“Reese Helped Change Baseball: JACKIE ROBINSON: A Baseball Celebration -- Standing Beside Jackie Robinson.” New York Times (Online), New York: NewYork Times Company. Mar 31. 1997. nytimes.com/1997/03/31/sports/reese-helped-change-baseball.html.
Roeper, Richard. “42 Movie Review & Film Summary.” Roger Ebert, 11 Apr. 2013. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/42-2013.
Tannebaum, Seth S. “Athletes Are Fighting For Equality. They Shouldn’t Ignore Their Own Sports: Jackie Robinson’s Lesson To Today’s Athletes.” Washington Post – Blogs, Washington: WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post. Oct 26, 2017. washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/10/26/athletes-are-fighting-f or-equality-they-shouldnt-ignore-their-own-sports/.
It's been three days since the accident and I still can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I can hear the sound of the train approaching us, getting closer and louder, the wheels scraping on the metal train tracks, the pessimistic look of despair on their faces, and worst of all, the piercing scream that still haunts my ears
My mother, the only parent I know, is both a mom and a dad to me. Both of my parents would work, but even then my father would demand for my mothers paychecks. He'd use that money to get totally wasted, and it went on for a while like this....
In the book “Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility” the most valuable part is when Chuy offered a ride to Yoli on his motorcycle through many places of the San Diego city. no. Yoli thought she hadn’t heard him right...
On November, 1993 both my father and brother started the Richard McGee Correctional Basic Correctional Academy....
For America in the novel The Tortilla Curtain, Being married to Candido is like carrying a backpack full of bricks all day long....
My mother had struggled her whole life to make us happy. Being a single mother of two with two jobs was almost impossible yet it was her daily routine....
My father's addiction has had significant effects in my life. My father's alcohol abuse has made me realize what I want in my life and what I don’t want....
After the bell had rung, I quickly got to my seat, of course being tardy was probably a bad first impression because as soon as I picked a desk to sit at my teacher was glaring at me. He then began to yell at me saying how it was an essential to be on time to his class. This was my first encounter with my economics teacher and I already knew it was going to be a long year. Little did I know that Jack had a specific purpose in my life and although he was scary to me at first, he soon became my strongest adult in my life. As the years went by, I got to know Mr. Little and we became the greatest of friends. Once Jack Little passed away, I had a different perspective on the little amount of time we all have to live...
After living three years in this country, it was important for me to realize that I needed to go to school to learn English. I was feeling like I was illiterate and deaf. When my husband was in work I was afraid to answer the phone, or afraid to go outside. I remember the day when I had my first daughter, I was in pain in the hospital and my new born daughter was crying; the hospital was cold, with a pale color on the walls, and its smell was like alcohol. There were nurses walking on the long and bright hallway. You can hear the nurses talking morning and night. I couldn’t express myself and talk for my daughter that was crying...
In this first section of Friends of the Earth,
students take the time to introduce themselves through their reading.
Instead of the brief mention of their hobbies and pets, they reflect on
a memorable literary experience. You might not judge a book by its cover, but here we learn
what is often hidden inside of others.