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SC 8.2-Powell 4/4/02 4:07 PM Page 56 ...................... Jackie Robinson and Dixie Walker Myths of the Southern Baseball Player by Larry Powell he year of 1947 was arguably the most pivotal in the history of major league baseball. Baseball historian William Marshall re- ferred to it as the “season of fury,” while Red Barber called it the “year all hell broke loose in baseball.” What made that year so T important was one player—Jackie Robinson. Prior to his ground- breaking season, black baseball players were barred from the major leagues, lim- ited to playing only against other blacks in front of primarily black fans. That started to change once Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey added Robinson to the major league roster. Although Rickey’s “great experiment” sparked protests from other players, it also paved the way for the integration of baseball and other sports. By the time the controversy had settled, however, several myths about white southern baseball players had become part of baseball lore. Like all myths, they had elements of truth and fiction and were a powerful means of understanding the world. Unfortunately, these myths continued to affect player relationships for years. In fact, their
Southern Cultures – University of North Carolina Press
Published: May 1, 2002
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