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Branch Rickey (1881 - 1965)
Branch Rickey may no longer be a household name, but he changed the face of America. Come hear him expound on any number of baseball and non-baseball topics, most importantly, his decision to sign Jackie Robinson to a Brooklyn Dodger contract.
His historic meeting with Jackie Robinson is now a part of American folklore. But it is only one part of the Branch Rickey story. Hear him out and you'll know why:
"Luck is nothing more than the residue of design"
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| Stories |
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Branch Rickey is represented in stories. These are a few of the links leading you to more information.
The initial interview between Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson according to the screenplay says:
RICKEY: You think you've got the guts to play the game? No matter what happens? They'll shout insults at you ... they'll come in to you spikes first ... they'll throw at your head.
JACKIE: They've been throwing at my head for a long time, Mr. Rickey.
RICKEY: Suppose I'm a player ... in the heat of an important game. Suppose I collide with you at 2nd base. When I get up I say, "You dirty, black so-and-so." What'd you do?
JACKIE: (stops and thinks for a moment, then) Mr. Rickey, do you want a ball player who is afraid to fight back?
RICKEY: I want a ball player with guts enough not to fight back. You've got to do this job with base hits and stolen bases and fielding ground balls, Jackie. Nothing else. (whirls on him) Now, I'm playing against you in the World Series and I'm hot-headed. I want to win that game, so I go into you spikes first and you jab the ball in my ribs. The umpire says "Out." I flare -- all I see is your face -- that black face right on top of me. So I haul off and I punch you right in the cheek. What do you do?
Jackie stops, grinds his right fist into the palm of his left hand, as the camera moves in, then
JACKIE (slowly): Mr. Rickey, I've got two cheeks.
If you know of more stories about Branch Rickey, email us. | |
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BRANCH RICKEY
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