Baseball in the 1940s was not an integrated sport, but rather followed a separate but equal policy. While white players were paid a lot of money to play in the major leagues, black players, sometimes superior ones, had to play in the Negro Leagues, which did not pay as well. Many of these players gained notoriety through this league, such as Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. Although their records broke many white players' records, the racism was too severe to justify major league integration without someone who wouldn't fight against the callous abuse that was sure to occur. One man managed to find the right man to play. Branch Rickey made baseball history by signing a black player to the Dodgers in 1947. Star Negro League players questioned his choice of players, but ultimately Rickey made the right decision by signing Jackie Robinson. Known for his speed, Jackie Robinson was not one of the Negro League's standout stars at the time of his signing. He tried out for the Monarchs in 1945 after leaving the army. Although he was accepted, his statistics were not up to par with some of the other most famous players in the Negro League. He was good enough to play shortstop and spent his entire Negro League career with the Monarchs. He may not have been the best player in the Negro Leagues, but he was better than some major league players. It was this fact, combined with his attitude toward integration, that led him to join the minor leagues in 1945. He was willing to remain humble in the face of the hatred he would receive in the white leagues. His objective would not be to boost his ego, but to facilitate the integration of black players who would succeed him. He was a reasonable man, who took his job seriously ... middle of paper ... criticized because of his race. Robinson passed and he knew he couldn't fight back. Rickey chose him for his courage in being the first and only black man in the all-white major leagues. Rickey and Robinson started a revolution of sorts; they fought against racism, even if it was only in baseball. They broke the racial barrier with no political goal other than to end racial discrimination in baseball. It was a great decision to start with someone who wasn't a big name yet. Robinson was able to prove himself as an athlete. Someone who deserved to be in the major leagues, and he managed to do so without grousing to the other players who looked down on him for his running. He succeeded because he was able to defeat the system and move on without retaliation, proving that he could withstand adversity, and if he could do it, other minorities could too...