April 16th, 1947

The Daily Worker

With all the hypes about Jackie Robinson being the first black player to compete in Major League Baseball since 1884, the newspaper really slows down to report on Robinson's debut. One reason is that Robinson did not do much throughout the game, going hitless in four at bats. In Lester Rodney's article regarding Dodgers' opening day victory over the Boston Braves, he writes a brief paragraph about Robinson's performance, "The opener also marked the official debut of Jackie Robinson, the first Negro player in modern big league history. Jackie went hitless in four trips to the plate but his beautiful bunt played a big role in the Dodger's three run rally which put them ahead in the 7th." Due to Robinson's insignificant performance against the Braves, the Daily Worker really has nothing to hype up for. Rather, it becomes another opening day of Major League Baseball while Robinson's teammate shines to help the team to win. The newspaper does not even post a picture of Robinson playing throughout the entire publication on this day.


The New York Times

Arthur Daley reports on Jackie Robinson's debut in his column "Sports of the Times." Daley describes the scene at the ball park and Robinson's reaction to the game. "The muscular Negro minds his own business and shrewdly makes no effort to push himself. He speaks quietly and intelligently when spoken to and already has made a strong impression. 'I was nervous in the first day of my first game at Ebbets Field,' he said with his ready grin, 'but nothing has bothered me since.'" He also reports on the reaction of Robinson's teammates about the uneventful day for the newcomer. "A veteran Dodger said of him, 'Having Jackie on the team is still a little strange, just like anything else that's new. We just don't know how to act with him. But he'll be accepted in time. You can be sure of that. Other sports have had Negroes. Why not baseball? I'm for him, if he can win games. That's the only test I ask.' And that seems to be the general opinion." Through the remark of Robinson's teammate, they have a quite bit distance from Robinson. They need time to accept Robinson as a person and as a member of the team. For the time being, they just hope that Robinson can help the team to be a contender for the playoffs later of the season. This occasion is the starting point to deal with segregation and discrimination in professional baseball.