"He’s a Methodist. I’m a Methodist. God’s a Methodist.”

[normfromga]

According to the movie 42, this is the reason Dodgers owner Branch Rickey gave for picking Jackie Robinson to be the first Black player to integrate the all-White National League.

In this movie, their faith was called upon several times to get through the pressures fans and even teammates placed on Robinson during the first year of the "experiment."  For this reason alone I could highly recommend the film, but I also think the accurate depiction of the overt racial prejudice in the 40's and 50's in America, even well above the Mason Dixon Line, should be brought to mind periodically.

I think it is available in DVD, and well worth viewing, even if you are not a sports fan.

[Jaime]

I thought it was a great movie. It does show the sad state of race in those times, AND it shows how far we have come as a country. There are pockets of this type of hatred, I'm sure, but without the race baiting industry today led by the likes of Al Sharpton et al, race would not be on the forefront of many people's minds. Racism like radioactivity has a half life from one generation to the next. My grandparents were openly racist, my parents were less so, I am less so, my kids even less, and in my grandkids it is non existant. If not for the constant churning and re-churning by the race baiters, complete healing would be a lot further along.

[Red Baker]

I thought it was a great movie. It does show the sad state of race in those times, AND it shows how far we have come as a country. There are pockets of this type of hatred, I'm sure, but without the race baiting insustry today led by the likes of Al Sharpton et al, race would not be on the forefront of many people's minds. Racism like radioactivity has a half life from one generation to the next. My grandparents were openly racist, my parents were less so, I am less so, my kids even less, and in my grandkids it is non existant. If not for the constant churning and re-churning by the race baiters, complete healing would be a lot further along.

Good point Jamie, I agree.

[Jaime]

Thanks Red