Carrying Jackie's Torch: The Players Who Integrated Baseball-And America

I love to read, but I've had trouble for a while staying focused on a book and finishing it. I love those books that once you pick them up, you can't put them down. This was one of those books. The title is VERY appropriate. Recently, I got in an online debate about why Larry Doby was seemingly ignored during the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier in baseball. I think Larry Doby was a great man to his country (a WWII vet), to his family (remembered as a good husband and father) and to the game (elected to HOF, 1998) but he was no Jackie Robinson. So many of the men in this book talk about how Jackie guided them and how they looked to him for inspiration. I think some people today feel that racism is something you only find in a history book, that the struggles black players faced back then don't happen today. I was shocked to find out in this book that Ken Griffey Jr. was targeted by racist hecklers in Bakersfield, CA in 1988. In fact, he wasn't able to leave the park by himself that day because the racists were waiting for him in the parking lot. I'm African-American. Reading this book did not make me bitter... it only gave me a true appreciation for these men and the crosses they bore to live out the American Dream while they played the National Pastime. And there is no rule that says blacks HAVE to play Major League baseball but I am always glad to see the legacy of Jackie Robinson continue, especially by those who do it with excellence and integrity.

Author Steve Jacobson has tracked down various former black players who were willing to share their experiences on what it was like to break into major league baseball following Jackie Robinson's trailblazing effort in 1947. Larry Doby, who shortly followed Robinson, asked, "Do you think it was any easier eleven weeks later?" Ball clubs would sign players to contracts and not prepare them in any way for the racist experiences they would soon be introduced to. Many understandably couldn't deal with the bigotry that was thrown at them while others asked themselves, "What would Jackie do?" The book includes the names of several individuals who assisted these young black athletes. Their small kindnesses will never be forgotten. Michael Jordan was asked why he hadn't campaigned for a Democrat to unseat Jesse Helms in the North Carolina Senate. Jordan's answer, "Republicans buy sneakers, too." Baseball and America have come a long way since Pumpsie Green integrated the last remaining all-white team, the Boston Red Sox, in 1959. However, before we get too smug in the success that has been achieved, there are still reminders that we must continue, as Lou Brock stated, to "cope with the ever-present danger." I did find one irritating mistake that was made four times on pages xix, 42, 100, and 180. The murder of Emmett Till took place in August of 1955, not 1954. Nevertheless, this book also needs to be read by present day ballplayers who, like Hank Aaron said, "don't have a clue" what conditions were like. How many players did Vince Coleman speak for when he stated, "I don't know no Jackie Robinson, and don't care to."? History lessons are in order for professional players who are presently reaping the benefits.

"Many terrific things come to me due to this job, some by pure fortune. For example, The Post and Newsday have seats side-by-side at Yankee Stadium. So for many games, I was blessed to sit next to veteran columnist Steve Jacobson before he retired from Newsday in 2004. I received an education because Steve is a first-rate reporter and even better storyteller. Now, you can share the same experience. Steve's book, "Carrying Jackie's Torch," is in bookstores. It magnificently portrays the struggles endured by the black players who followed Jackie Robinson in integrating the major leagues." --JOEL SHERMAN - New York Post (2/18/07)

Although I am old enough to remember the times, I never understood the plight of the Black baseball players who fought their way to the Big Leagues in the early days of baseball integration. Their experiences mirrored the experiences of Blacks trying to integate into our mainsteam. This book relates the unbelievable segregation that we have forgoten (or never knew). It also identifies some heroes (Black and White) that took risks to do the right thing. This is a must read for those of us that care about or history and for those that want to avoid the mistakes that history teaches us. And the book is an easy read and full of interesting stories.

You don't have to be a big sports fan to enjoy this book. It's not just about baseball. "Carrying Jackie's Torch" is a sports story, a history lesson in desegregation, and has readers rooting for the underdog. The book is full of many riveting stories about Jackie Robinson and the first African American players to play baseball in the major league during segregation. I have recalibrated my sports hero gauge after reading this book. These players were true sports heroes with experiences and challenges unlike anything faced by athletes today. Steve Jacobson, the author, states that these stories have not been told before. The book is the culmination of his 40+ years as a sports writer in New York. "Carrying Jackie's Torch" provides a true glimpse of what it was like to travel this country as a black professional athlete in the 50's and 60's. These guys were winning against all odds (most inconceivable). It's the true underdog baseball story exposing all the ignorance in the system and in our country. I got an education in recent American History while enjoying it in the framework of sports. I'm not a big athlete or historian yet I found this book seriously engaging. This is a book that would be enjoyed by anyone interested in baseball, the era of segregation, and human experience. It should without a doubt be required reading for most professional athletes who could benefit from greater understanding of the experiences of their predecessors.