Branch Rickey served as vice-president of the Wesley Brotherhood

UM Men INSIGHTS

Branch Rickey served as vice-president of the Wesley Brotherhood

By 1928, the Wesley Brotherhood of the Methodist Episcopal Church adopted a slogan: “A million Methodist men making the mind of the Master their main motive and mission.”

The Men’s Work Commission consisted of 30 men. Edgar T. Welch, president of the Welch Grape Juice Company, served as president

Branch Rickey, then vice-president of the St. Louis National League Baseball Team, served as first vice president.

Rickey signs Jackie Robinson

In 1942, Rickey moved from the Cardinal organization to become manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Five years later he signed Jackie Robinson to a minor league contract.

“He’s a Methodist, I’m a Methodist... And God’s a Methodist; we can’t go wrong,” said Rickey.

Robinson was quickly moved from the minors to the Dodgers where he became the first African-American player in the major leagues.

Rickey told Robinson, “We can’t fight our way through this. We’ve got no army. There’s virtually nobody on our side. No owners. No umpires. Very few newspapermen. And I’m afraid many fans will be hostile. We’ll be in a tough position. We can win only if we convince the world that

Rickey as a Cardinal I’m doing this because you are a great ball player and a fine gentleman.”

Rickey’s roots

Rickey was born in Stockdale, Ohio, in 1881. And he played football and baseball for Valley High School in Lucasville, Ohio. In 1899, he entered Methodist-related Ohio Wesleyan University where he played baseball and football. Following his 1903 graduation, Rickey was named coach of the school’s baseball team while playing football for the Shelby Blues football team with Charles Follis, the first Black professional football player.

Rickey says his inspiration for bringing Robinson into baseball derived from the mean manner in which teammates treated his Black catcher Charles Thomas in 1903 and 1904.

In the fall of 1904, Rickey was named athletic director and coach of the baseball, basketball and football teams at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.

Rickey debuted with the St. Louis Browns in 1905, and was traded to the New York Highlanders in 1907, Rickey could neither hit nor field while with the club, and his batting average dropped below Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey .200. One opposing team stole 13 bases in one game while Rickey going to bed. “It’s the best way to get closer to was catcher, which was minor league record until God,” Robinson said, and then the second baseman 1911. Rickey also injured his throwing arm and added with a smile, “and a hard-hit ground ball.” retired at the end of the season.

Jackie Robinson speaks to the Boy Scouts Rickey then entered the University of Michigan where he studied for his Bachelor of Law degree while coaching the baseball team. Following service as an Army officer in World War I, he served with the St. Louis Cardinals organization until 1942 when he began his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He coached until 1950 and died in 1965.

Robinson’s roots

Born January 31, 1919, in Pasadena, Calif., Robinson was influenced by the Rev. Karl Downs, pastor of Scott Methodist Church where the ballplayer’s mother, Mallie, attended services. Downs helped Robinson develop his faith. Rickey spoke often about his faith, but Robinson kept his faith quiet. At one point the second base man told a reporter that he kneels down every night to pray before In 1935, Robinson enrolled in John Muir High School where he played shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, quarterback on the football team, and guard on the basketball team. He also

won the broad jump with the track team. After high school, Robinson attended UCLA, where he was the first person to letter in four varsity sports in a single year.

During his 10-year career with Major League Baseball, Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1954, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949. He played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers’ 1955 World Series championship.

Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of

Jackie Robinson slides into second.

Fame in 1962 and died in 1972.