Author Topic: Cubs History  (Read 56654 times)

Jes Beard

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Re: Cubs History
« Reply #30 on: April 05, 2011, 08:02:54 am »
Although I'm not excusing Anson, he was just reflecting the tempo of his time.  There were other instances of managers refusing to play against blacks, but he was the Babe Ruth of his day, so his refusal carried more weight. 

No doubt there was plenty of racism to go around.  At the time of the Civil War, many norther states had laws on the books which did at least one of the following: 1) Prohibited blacks from living in any incorporated area in the state; 2) Made it illegal to employ blacks in any incorporated area in the state; or 3) Prohibited blacks from being present after dark in any incorporated are in the state.  Indiana (my home state) had all three.  Some states made it illegal for black to move into the state. 

None of that changes the fact that Anson led the resistance to blacks playing in organized baseball at the time, and without him leading the resistance, and refusing to allow his team to take the field if blacks played, the normal forces of market competition would likely have resulted in integration of baseball in the 1800's.  Not smoothly or in any friendly or embracing manner, but it likely would have happened.

And, even if it would not have happened, Anson's position on the issue still leaves him a POS.