Book Read Free

Opening Day

Page 38

by Jonathan Eig


  Phillies vs., 73–76, 105, 106

  Pirates vs., 139, 140, 159, 162, 166–67, 224, 227

  radio broadcasts of, 55, 56, 63, 113–15, 117–18, 121, 122, 148–49, 178, 195, 214, 215, 227

  Reds vs., 127, 129–30, 200, 224

  reporters and, 196–97, 199

  southern players on, 35–36, 40, 41–43, 88, 89, 91, 109, 171

  spring training of, 32–33, 36–39, 43–44, 50, 55, 86, 89

  statistician of, 169

  trades and attempted trades by, 25, 46, 85, 89–91, 106, 159, 160, 197, 265–66

  uprisings and boycotts threatened by, 4, 41–45, 89

  weak pitching staff of, 57, 144, 213, 236–37

  Yankees compared with, 235–38

  see also Ebbets Field; Rickey, Branch; Robinson, Jack Roosevelt “Jackie”

  Brooklyn Eagle, 71, 162, 164, 167, 169, 212, 246, 252

  Brown, Bobby, 243, 244

  Brown, Lou, 155

  Brown, Mabel C., 70–71, 83

  Brown, Willard, 186, 187–88

  Brown v. Board of Education, 64, 157

  Bums (Golenbock), 127

  Bunche, Ralph, 134

  Burdette, Lew, 268

  Burley, Dan, 67, 98

  Burr, Harold, 164

  California, University of (Los Angeles) (UCLA), 11–13, 20, 33, 61, 72, 233

  Camilli, Dolph, 25, 71

  Campanella, Roy, 26, 36–37, 90, 170, 175, 178, 179–80, 181, 267

  Cannon, Jimmy, 57, 97, 98

  Casey, Hugh, 35, 42, 70, 160, 171, 197, 212, 216, 221, 223, 237, 261

  in 1941 World Series, 237, 248–49

  in 1947 World Series, 248, 249, 250

  Cashmore, John, 232

  Chandler, Albert Benjamin “Happy,” 47, 76, 100, 108, 128, 240, 261

  Chandler, Eddie, 125

  Chandler, Spud, 209

  Chapman, Ben, 100, 104–5, 170, 175

  bench jockeying and race baiting by, 74, 75–77, 97, 104, 137–38, 254

  Charleston, Oscar, 29, 176

  Chester, Hilda, 54

  Chicago, Ill., 123, 124, 142

  Chicago American, 257

  Chicago American Giants, 10

  Chicago Cubs, 84, 88, 91, 105, 141, 143–44, 181, 205, 224, 231, 246

  boycott threat by, 101

  Dodger vendetta with, 164–66

  Chicago Daily News, 144

  Chicago Defender, 20, 21, 53, 59, 135, 142, 192, 235

  Chicago Stadium, 141

  Chicago White Sox, 41, 132, 183, 184

  Chicago White Stockings, 29

  Chipman, Bob, 88

  Chock Full o’Nuts, 271–72

  Cincinnati, Ohio, 123, 124–25, 126, 161, 176

  Cincinnati Enquirer, 128

  Cincinnati Reds, 39, 91, 114, 125, 127, 128, 129–30, 200, 224

  civil rights movement, 15, 64, 65–66, 270

  Clark, Allie, 256

  Clark, Hilton, 154

  Clark, Kenneth B., 154

  Clayton, Horace, 142

  Clemente, Roberto, 201

  Cleveland, Ohio, 124, 182

  Cleveland Buckeyes, 136, 185

  Cleveland Indians, 51, 102, 175, 181, 267, 268

  Doby and, 182–86, 189–90

  Cobb, Ty, 71, 80, 168, 230, 240

  Cohen, Leonard, 39, 106, 237

  Cohn, David, 123

  Coleman, Ray, 187

  Collins, Eddie, 71, 135

  Combs, Earle, 236

  Comerford, Dan, 70

  Comiskey Park, 20, 183, 192, 193

  Communist Party, communism, 22, 51, 64, 268

  Conn, Billy, 82

  Cooke, Bob, 67, 68

  Covington, Lacy and Florence, 154–55, 234

  Cramer, Richard Ben, 207

  Crosley Field, 125, 126, 127, 128

  Culler, Dick, 57, 58

  Dad, Jackie and Me (Uhlberg), 215

  Daily Mirror, 97, 153

  Daily News, 22, 86, 89, 92, 103, 104, 144, 162, 165, 186, 197, 198–202, 214, 215

  Daily Worker, 59, 65, 127–28, 135

  Daley, Arthur, 60

  Danning, Harry, 76

  Davis, Ben, 21–22

  Davis, Benjamin O., 134

  Davis, Lorenzo, 186

  Day, Laraine, 47, 96, 240

  Dean, Dizzy, 22

  Desmond, Connie, 227

  Detroit Committee to Fight Racial Injustice and Terrorism, 65

  Detroit Tigers, 41, 102, 138, 188, 246, 247

  Dewey, Thomas E., 240

  Dillinger, Bob, 187

  DiMaggio, Joe, 36, 40, 51, 80, 102, 203–4, 207–9, 236, 238, 248, 255, 260, 265

  heel injury of, 102, 203, 204

  in 1947 World Series, 243, 248, 249, 250, 256–57

  Doby, Larry, 26, 180, 182–85, 187, 189–90, 215

  Dodgers Stadium, 274

  Dodger Sym-Phony, 54, 232

  Dodson, Dan, 23, 44

  Doerr, Bobby, 102, 208

  Douglass, Frederick, 3, 219

  Downs, Karl, 11, 16, 234

  Drake, St. Clair, 142

  Dressen, Charlie, 243

  Drews, Karl, 255

  Drummond, William, 23

  DuBois, W.E.B., 131–32

  Dulles, John Foster, 240

  Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 218–19

  Durocher, Leo Ernest, 26, 39–40, 41, 71, 96, 161, 205, 211, 240, 265, 268

  managing style of, 39–40, 57, 129, 144, 212

  response to petition by, 43–44, 50

  suspension of, 47, 50, 57, 96, 205

  Dyer, Eddie, 95, 163, 196

  Easter, Luke, 181

  East-West game, 192–93

  Ebbets Field, 26, 41, 46, 49, 50–51, 54, 62, 70, 71, 81, 82, 101, 103, 106, 117, 129, 136, 149, 151, 154, 155, 178, 200, 214, 218, 227, 245, 247, 248, 249, 271

  attendance at, 52–53, 80, 86, 159, 160–61, 161–62, 194, 195, 231–32, 246

  “Jackie Robinson Day” at, 230–31

  lack of warning track at, 159, 160, 201

  Edwards, Bruce, 59, 164, 219, 225, 247, 250, 252, 255, 259, 261, 267

  Eisenhower, Dwight David, 1

  Elliott, Bob, 57, 58

  Erautt, Eddie, 127

  Etten, Nick, 75

  Evans, Dale, 141

  Fair Employment Practices Committee, 156

  Falkner, David, 101

  fans, 29–30, 51–52, 76, 90, 99, 102, 118–19, 122, 153, 156–57, 161–62, 168, 230–31, 233

  hate mail sent by, 108–9

  JR heckled by, 49, 77, 105, 127–29, 161, 215–16

  JR’s influence on, 5, 55–56, 77–78, 106–8, 118–19, 155–56, 215, 223–24

  JR’s mail from, 106–8

  1947 World Series and, 235, 242, 243–44, 246, 248, 249, 251, 252, 260

  opening day response of, 51–53, 55, 57, 58, 59–60, 61

  as supportive of JR, 104, 145, 216

  fans, black, 4–5, 29, 49, 52–53, 54, 63, 105, 106–7, 108, 119, 126–27, 145, 153–54, 156–57, 161, 162, 163, 182, 195, 216, 221, 228–29

  cautionary warnings to, 53, 66–67, 142–43, 264

  in Chicago, 141, 142, 143, 144

  decorum and good behavior of, 54, 77, 143, 170, 214

  drop in Negro-league attendance of, 153, 175, 190–91, 192

  in Harlem, 63, 66–68, 153–54

  1947 World Series and, 235, 244

  Feller, Bob, 71, 80

  Fences (Wilson), 226

  Ferris, Boo, 101

  Fetter, Henry, 231

  Fleming, Les, 184

  Foner, Henry, 156

  Forbes Field, 139

  Ford, Henry, 132

  Fowler, John “Bud,” 29

  Frank, Stanley, 22

  Franklin, Bernice, 195

  Frick, Ford C., 63, 66, 142, 196, 240

  Cardinals strike threat and, 93–94, 95

  Furillo, Carl, 42, 44, 69, 96, 145, 164, 167, 171, 248, 250, 252, 255, 256, 259

  Gandhi, Mohandas, vii

  Gar
agiola, Joe, 76, 146, 163–64, 238

  JR’s spat with, 227–29

  Gearhart, Lloyd, 68

  Gee, Sammy, 180

  Gehrig, Lou, 39, 197, 236

  Gentleman’s Agreement (Hobson), 83

  Gibson, Josh, 18, 101, 136, 178–79

  Gilliam, Jim, 269

  Gionfriddo, Al, 90, 166, 250–51, 252, 256–57

  Goldstein, Spud, 189

  Golenbock, Peter, 91, 127

  Gordon, Joe, 183

  Goren, Herb, 38–39

  Graham, Charles, 193

  Gray, Pete, 179

  Green, Dwight, 141

  Green, Pumpsie, 136

  Greenberg, Hank, 71, 74, 76, 138–40, 149

  Gregg, Hal, 75, 89, 249, 259

  Griffith, Calvin, 191

  Griffith Stadium, 191

  Grimm, Charlie, 231

  Gustine, Frankie, 140

  Guthrie, Woody, 204

  Harlem, N.Y., 63–68, 134, 142, 153–54, 219, 235, 263

  civil rights movement in, 64, 65–66

  Harlem Globetrotters, 231

  Harris, Bucky, 204, 205, 208, 242, 246, 247, 251, 259

  Harrist, Earl, 184

  Hartung, Clint, 76

  Hatten, Joe, 89, 213, 220, 237, 247, 248, 256

  Havana, Cuba, 36–37, 38, 39, 89

  Hawley, Monte, 264

  Hayward, Margot, 118–19

  Hazzard, Norman, 52

  Head, Ed, 42

  Heath, Jeff, 187, 188

  Henrich, Tommy, 204, 208, 238, 244, 248, 249, 250, 252, 256, 259, 260

  Herald Tribune, 67, 94–96, 236

  Hermanski, Gene, 49, 58–59, 75, 112, 145, 159, 217, 247, 250, 259

  Hicks, Wyonella, 131

  Higbe, Kirby, 35, 42, 43, 44

  trade of, 89–90, 91, 197, 250

  Hitler, Adolf, 10, 133

  Hoak, Don, 269

  Hobson, Laura Z., 83

  Hodges, Gil, 72, 164, 260

  Homestead Grays, 153, 175

  Hoover, Herbert, 240

  Hopper, Clay, 33

  Horne, Lena, 32, 65, 182

  House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), 268–69

  Howell, Dixie, 89, 167

  Hughes, Langston, 5, 66, 217

  Indianapolis Clowns, 175

  I Never Had It Made (Robinson), 14

  integration, 44, 60, 65, 122, 137, 155, 212

  of professional football, 33–34

  of Stanford University, 77–78

  integration, baseball, 18, 50, 99, 171, 215

  activists’ push for, 21–23

  Browns’ experiment in, 186–89

  early attempts at, 29, 135–36, 181–82

  increase in, 175–78, 180–86, 187–89, 193, 225, 271

  Indians’ experiment in, 182–86, 189–90, 271

  media campaigns for, 22, 134–36, 137

  media on, 22, 34, 49, 60, 96–97, 106, 111, 185, 186, 227, 230

  Negro leagues impacted by, 153, 175, 182, 190–92, 193

  owner opposition to, 100, 135, 205–6

  players and writers in opposition to, 18, 22, 67, 99, 100–101, 191–92

  players supportive of, 22, 101, 185–86

  Rickey’s experiment in, 21, 22, 23–24, 25–26, 30, 46, 47, 50, 63, 74, 84, 89–91, 92, 104, 116, 136–37, 138, 169–70, 179–80, 181, 196, 205–6, 240, 273

  strikes and boycotts threatened due to, 4, 41–45, 60, 89, 90, 92–96, 97, 99, 100, 104, 145, 194, 201, 267

  see also Robinson, Jack Roosevelt “Jackie”

  International League, 30, 240

  International Workers Order, 65

  In the Year of the Board and Jackie Robinson (Lord), 229

  Irvin, Monte, 26, 175, 176–78, 180, 181, 185, 193

  Irving, Clarence L., 157–58

  Isum, Zellee, 234, 263

  Ives, Irving, 240

  Jackie Robinson Booster Club, 68

  “Jackie Robinson Day,” 230–31

  James, Bill, 224–25

  Jefferson, Thomas, 1

  Jethroe, Sam, 136, 185, 193

  Johnson, Billy, 204, 208, 248

  Johnson, Buddy, 168

  Johnson, Jack, 81

  Johnson, Si, 173, 210

  Johnson, Walter, 71, 80

  “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio,” 203–4

  Jonas, Gilbert, 71–72, 74

  Jones, Louis, 182

  Jordan, Vernon, 274

  Jorgensen, John “Spider,” 37, 55, 57, 125, 130, 160, 201, 221, 224, 237, 247, 250, 252, 255, 259

  Kahn, Roger, 67, 93

  Kansas City Monarchs, 17, 18, 20, 25, 37, 136, 137, 163, 187, 188

  Kaye, Danny, 240, 246

  Keane, Clif, 210, 211

  Keller, Charlie, 102, 204, 208, 248

  Kennedy, Monte, 69

  Kennelly, Martin H., 141, 192–93

  Kenney, George Churchill, 141

  Keyspan Park, 129

  Kiner, Ralph, 46

  King, Clyde, 85, 130, 217, 237

  King, Martin Luther, Jr., 157, 270

  King, Norma, 85

  Kingsblood Royal (Lewis), 83, 111

  Klem, Bill, 117

  Kohl, Herb, 142

  Koslo, Dave, 68

  Koufax, Sandy, 156

  Kurowski, Whitey, 146, 221, 223

  Kutner, Abe, 148

  Labine, Clem, 199

  Lacy, Sam, 38, 59, 135

  Lafayette News, 72

  LaGuardia, Fiorello H., 23

  Landis, Kenesaw Mountain, 29, 135, 179, 181–82, 206

  Lang, Jack, 199

  Lavagetto, Cookie, 42, 130, 164, 172, 247, 251–53, 255, 256

  Lee, Canada, 65

  Lehner, Paul “Peanuts,” 187–88

  Leonard, Dutch, 73

  Lewis, Sinclair, 83, 111

  Liebowitz, Samuel S., 239

  Life of Christ (Papini), 4

  Lindell, Johnny, 236, 238, 242, 243, 248, 249, 250

  Little, Malcolm, 119–22, 272

  Littlefield, Dick, 271

  Little World Series, 33

  Lively, Red, 200

  Lollar, Sherm, 247, 248

  Lombardi, Vic, 68, 236–37, 252, 255

  Long Island Press, 199

  Lord, Bette Bao, 229

  Los Angeles Times, 11, 273

  Louis, Joe, 3, 32, 65, 68, 81–82, 120, 134, 235

  Lynch, Pat, 86

  McCarthy, Joe, 206

  McCooey, Everett, 56

  McCulley, Jim, 91–92

  McCullough, Clyde, 165

  McDonald, Bill, 148

  McGowan, Roscoe, 172

  McGriff, Edna Sims, 15–16

  McKinney, Frank, 89

  McLish, Cal, 89

  MacPhail, Larry, 47, 203, 205–7

  McQuinn, George, 204, 208, 236, 249, 261

  Major League Baseball, 142

  anti-JR strikes and boycotts threatened in, 4, 41–45, 60, 89, 90, 92–96, 97, 99, 100, 104, 145, 194, 201, 267

  anti-Semitism in, 74, 76, 138

  attendance in, 51–52, 67–68, 69, 86, 141, 145, 153, 160–61, 166, 186, 187, 188, 195, 208, 216, 231–32, 238, 244, 246

  black players scouted for, 20, 21, 137, 169–70, 175–78, 179–83, 187, 193, 225

  integration of, see integration, baseball

  racism and bias in, 22, 29, 41–46, 47, 61, 73–77, 82, 87–88, 89, 92–93, 99–101, 105, 137, 176, 179, 254

  segregation in, 4, 21, 29–30, 36, 80, 133, 135–36, 205, 216; see also Negro leagues

  southerners in, 4, 22, 35–36, 40, 41–43, 45–46, 61, 88, 89, 91, 100, 109, 114, 165, 171, 266–67

  Malcolm X, 119–22, 272

  Mallory, William, 126

  Maltin, Sam, 34

  Manley, Effa and Abe, 182

  Marchev, George, 155

  Marion, Marty, 71, 163, 164, 216, 223

  Marshall, George C., 240

  Marshall, Thurgood, 149

  Marshall, Willard, 69

  Martin, Johnny Leonard Roo
sevelt “Pepper,” 231

  Masi, Phil, 57

  Mauch, Gene, 89, 265

  Mays, Willie, 12

  media:

  black fans cautioned by, 53, 66–67, 142–43

  death threat coverage by, 103–4

  Dodger coverage by, 57, 65, 154, 196–97, 199–202, 211, 217, 230, 232, 236, 245, 246, 252

  integration campaigns of, 134–36

  on integration of baseball, 22, 34, 96–97, 106, 185, 186, 227, 230

  JR coverage by, 32, 34, 37, 38–39, 49, 59–60, 61, 65, 76–77, 103–4, 111, 152, 170, 173, 200–202, 211, 220, 264, 269

  and New York’s press coverage, 197–98

  players’ relationship with, 196–97

  race issue avoided by, 59–60, 76, 97, 111, 172, 186, 201–2

  World Series coverage by, 235–36, 245, 246, 252, 257–58, 261

  Medwick, Joe “Ducky,” 163, 220, 222

  Memphis Red Sox, 180, 225

  Merullo, Lennie, 164–66

  Miksis, Eddie, 196, 247, 251, 252, 260–61

  Minoso, Orestes “Minnie,” 193

  Mize, Johnny “Big Cat,” 69, 85, 106, 153, 240

  Montgomery bus boycott, 15, 64, 270

  Montreal Royals, 30, 33, 37, 39, 46, 47, 59, 61, 71, 87, 149, 150, 164, 170, 175, 178, 180, 181, 182, 205, 225

  Moore, Terry, 92

  Moore, Willie, 157

  Morehouse, Ward, 60–61

  Moses, Brother, 29

  Most Valuable Player Award, 138

  Motley, Marion, 33–34

  Muchnick, Isadore, 135–36

  Muckerman, Richard, 186, 189

  Mulvey, James and Deare, 90

  Munger, George, 223

  Munger, Red, 96

  Murray, Arch, 232

  Murray, Jim, 92

  Musial, Stan, 85, 92, 93, 145, 163–64, 191, 219, 221, 222

  Myer, Buddy, 76

  Myrdal, Gunnar, 45–46

  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 77–78, 147, 149, 170–71

  National Basketball League, 13

  National Football League, 13

  National League, 25, 41, 51, 53, 61, 63, 72, 170, 182, 185, 220, 224, 231, 232, 267

  boycott and strike rumors in, 92–96, 97, 99, 100–101, 104, 145, 163, 194, 201

  pennant race in, 101, 130, 144, 153, 164, 166, 173, 174, 194, 202, 216, 217, 224, 227

  Rookie of the Year contenders in, 201

  National Youth Administration, 13

  Neal, Joe, 145

  Negro leagues, 17–19, 20–21, 101, 136, 153, 175–83, 184, 185, 187, 205, 226, 228–39

  declining attendance in, 153, 175, 190–91, 192, 193, 275

  East-West game in, 192–93

  identity crisis for, 191–92

  majors’ interest in, 20, 21, 137, 169–70, 175–78, 179–83, 187, 193, 225

  World Series of, 177, 192

  Newark Eagles, 175, 177, 180, 182, 183, 192, 228, 240

  Newcombe, Don, 26, 36–37, 90, 130, 180

  Newsom, Bobo, 246–47

 

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