Ebbets Field, New York
A 28-year-old rookie named Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947. He became the first Black player in Major League Baseball since 1884.
He took his spot at first base as the Boston Dodgers faced the Boston Braves. More than 26,000 fans looked on as decades of racial segregation started to crack.
This wasn’t a last-minute decision. Dodgers president Branch Rickey had spent two years preparing for it. Robinson had played the season before with the Montreal Royals.
The Path To Ebbets Field
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. His family moved soon after to Pasadena, California.
At UCLA, Robinson played baseball, football, basketball, and track. Many saw football as his strongest sport.
In 1994, while in the Army, he refused to move to the back of a military bus. He faced court-martial but was cleared of charges.
After the war, Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. He batted .375 in 34 games and drew attention from Major League scouts.
Branch Rickey’s Grand Experiment
Branch Rickey joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942. He planned to end racial segregation in baseball.
Rickey searched the Negro Leagues for a player with talent and emotional control.
In 1945, he met Robinson in Brooklyn. Rickey acted out racist abuse to test his response. He wanted someone who would not retaliate.
On October 23, 1945, Robinson signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers. The signing stayed quiet within baseball circles.
The Montreal Proving Ground
In 1946, Robinson joined the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers’ top minor league affiliate. Rickey placed him in Canada to reduce early encounters with racism.
Robinson batted .349 and stole 40 bases. He won the International League batting title and helped Montreal win the championship.
Away games in American cities meant facing segregation. During road trips, segregation barred him from team hotels and restaurants.
After the title win, Montreal fans stormed the field to celebrate him.
The Announcement That Changed Baseball
On April 10, 1947, the Dodgers purchased Robinson’s contract from Montreal. The team announced the news during an exhibition game at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
The timing seemed planned to avoid media attention. The announcement came in the sixth inning, too late for many newspaper deadlines.
Just days earlier, manager Leo Durocher was suspended for the season by the league. This bigger story pushed Robinson’s news aside.
Coach Clyde Sukeforth replaced him temporarily and added Robinson to the Opening Day roster
Backlash from Baseball
Many in baseball fought against integration. Several Dodgers players, led by Dixie Walker, signed a petition against playing with Robinson.
All 15 other team owners opposed the move. They wanted to keep baseball segregated.
MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler overruled them. He supported Robinson’s right to play.
Some teams threatened to strike in protest. National League President Ford Frick responded: strikers would be banned for life.
The Historic Morning of April 15
On April 15, 1947, Robinson arrived at Ebbets Field with his wife Rachel and infant son Jackie Jr.
He wore number 42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers. That number was later retired by all MLB teams.
About 14,000 Black fans attended the game, many skipping Negro League matches to be there.
Robinson had mostly played second base in Montreal. That day, he started at first base for the Dodgers.
Still, he looked ready for the challenge ahead.
Robinson’s First At-Bat In The Majors
Manager Sukeforth put Robinson second in the lineup, between Eddie Stanky and Pete Reiser.
In the first inning, he faced pitcher Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field.
His debut at-bat ended with a grounder to third baseman Bob Elliott. Throughout the game, Robinson struggled at the plate.
He went 0-for-3 overall, including a double play in the fifth inning started by shortstop Dick Culler.
The Seventh Inning Turns the Game
In the seventh, the Braves led 3–2. Stanky walked and stood on first base. He placed it between the pitcher and first baseman.
Robinson bunted down the first base line. Earl Torgeson’s rushed throw hit Robinson’s shoulder.
The ball bounced into right field. Stanky reached third; Robinson took second.
Pete Reiser then doubled to left field, scoring both runners and putting the Dodgers ahead.
The Dodgers now led 4-3.
The Flawless Fielding Performance
Robinson made 11 putouts without an error in his first major league game at first base. He recorded the first out of the game on a throw from Spider Jorgensen at third.
Though new to the position, he played cleanly and handled every fielding chance.
Throughout the game, Robinson made 11 putouts without a single error. His defense proved he belonged in the major leagues.
The Dodgers won 5-3. Relief pitcher Hal Gregg got the win; Hugh Casey earned the save.
Split Media Reactions
Mainstream papers covered the game lightly. The New York Times focused on Pete Reiser’s hitting than on Robinson’s debut.
Radio announcers Red Barber and Connie Desmond described Robinson’s play but skipped the context.
Black newspapers told a different story. The Pittsburgh Courier and Chicago Defender led with photo spreads.
They recognized the historic meaning of the day. Robinson got his first hit on April 17, a bunt single down the third base line.
Visiting Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field no longer exists. The ballpark was demolished in 1960 and apartments now stand at 1720 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn.
A plaque marks the former ballpark’s location. The Jackie Robinson Museum is at 75 Varick Street and features interactive exhibits and Robinson’s personal items.
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