Growing up in a white neighborhood and playing baseball with only whites, Robinson battled with racism throughout his life. He constantly had to prove himself and stand up for himself as well. People did not believe that Robinson would make it in the Major Leagues. It was evident that the Brooklyn Dodgers were taking a big risk in signing Robinson. Many of their fans were furious, other teams, and even their own players did not want him on the team but numerous of people came to watch Robinson play. On the other hand, the blacks were all excited to have a colored person in the big leagues and would come all over the United States to watch him play. Someone of a different color other than white was a big deal in that time period. Robinson and …show more content…
The opposing team tried to hurt him by spiking him, aiming the ball at his head, called him unpleasant names, and his own teammates avoided him. The racial discrimination was not just on the baseball field; he encountered a lot of trouble when they were on the road. Many cities did not allow Robinson to stay at the same hotel as the team and restaurants would not serve him. Therefore he was forced to eat his meals and sleep on the bus. The only positive applauses and cheers came from the colored section at the games, some Brooklyn Dodger fans, and Branch Rickey that also backed him up. Robinson left America speechless with his skills of the game, “after a dazzling first season, he was named Rookie of the Year and for the next decade, he enjoyed a stellar career while waging a continual battle against racism” (Chase 1996). Robinson won respect from all his teammates and the fans when he was stealing bases, hitting homeruns, and helping the Dodgers win. The Dodgers team leader, Pee Wee Reese stood up for Robinson when opposing were bitter towards him. With all the threats and insults Robinson received he remained quiet about and countless number of people praised him for his brave and courageous