“Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues” by Donn Rogosin Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction

As we give critical speculation over the book ‘INVISIBLE MEN: Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues’ by a promising writer Donn Rogosin, we discover lots of things that are kept unrevealed so abruptly in the social configuration of racism.

“In all things that are purely social, we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.”[1]

This is a particular book that is a very fresh scholarship on the Negro baseball leagues. The context as has been dealt with is totally related to racially isolated America during the period between 1920 and 1950. This is the particular phase of racism that has made the dominance so very concrete that the title in itself declares the actual picturesque about the foregrounding towards this dominance.

There is no doubt that history has followed this particular structure of declaration. However, the initiations were discovered by the presentations related to the Negro Leagues. The first person was Robert Peterson, in his write-up ‘Only the Ball Was White’ made a very strong stand. The basis of this particular plot was made over the history that has been collected colloquially. Added to this, all kinds of write-ups on African-American baseball are scarce and are whirl pooled by controversies.

The attempt, as has been forwarded by Donn Rogosin’s Invisible Man: Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues, too, is remarkable in its own way. This book makes a detailed exploration and exposition of how the native and the local teams became an important community in the sports institutions. All these sports institutions were operated by black entrepreneurs involved in the numbers rackets in a random way. As history states that in the year 1947, it was Jackie Robinson who very strongly broke baseball’s color barrier and became the most unconquered hero for black and white Americans.

The role played by Robinson was a Negro League player and is all about his struggle till he integrated with the Major League baseball. The Negro League ballplayers were always followed by thrilling black fans. This was an obvious state till 1920. The legends on the line were Smoky Joe Williams, who was famous for his fastballs. He was a player who can deliver fastballs in a really fast way. The force comes in as if off a mountain top. The next legend on the line was Satchel Paige, the player who was more known as an ageless wonder. He had dominance on the pitch for five decades. This was well expressed in

“I hope that someday Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson will be voted into the Hall of Fame as symbols of the great Negro players who are not here only because they weren’t given a chance.” [2]

The players like Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard were some noted legends in the stream of the sport. Their contributions were not only well-acknowledged but are still very much recognized. However, their struggles to this position were like “the Ruth and Gehrig of the Negro Leagues.”

The dominance

The games of these predominant players were very much ignored by white-owned newspapers and radio stations. Their popularity and the performances were never appreciated. They were never even mentioned by these modes of media. The only reason was the color of their skin. The consequence is an absolute example of racism. Even after being good players, they were never recognized by the white communities, and the media was dominated by the whites. The performance was so ignored that they were initially treated as invisible men. No matter how they play, the commentators in the stadium and the radio will never talk about them. It was an open declaration of discrimination over racism. As declared in the lines

“With the admission of Cubans of a darker hue in the two big leagues, it would then be easy for colored players who are citizens of this country to get into the fast company.” [3]

However, their games and the proficient expertise on the fields were acknowledged b their own communities of black. All the fans of black ballplayers became folk heroes in most of the major cities. In the nuke and corridors of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, New York, and Washington DC, the discrimination was not much in the air. They could not ignore their expertise, and as such, the flame was shown to prosperity.

Post-colonial affects

The performance of the players could very easily draw large crowds and was considered as the major contributor to the local community life. INVISIBLE MEN: Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues’ by Donn Rogosin is a kind of memorable narrative that has got a post-colonial effect on the issue, and the declarations are all very much authentic to this discrimination that existed during the first half of the 20th century. Being black is in itself was a kind of crime, and the people with this complexion were considered invisible as if lost in the dark. As the book gets exposure, we discover that there is content that has filled with the memories of many surviving Negro League players. It has got the historical analysis on the basis of the facts that dominate the psychology as well as the social status of the Negroes.

“Monarchs have done more than any other single agent in Kansas City,” added the Kansas City Call, “to break the damnable outrage of prejudice that exists in this city.” [4]

It is a success story in terms of being able to pull the veil off these “invisible men” who were under all adverse circumstances were forced into the segregated leagues. This book, in particular, has been considered as a chapter in terms of declaring the post-colonial effects in the marginal existence of African American history. The book has had a very important effect on the most overlooked aspect of our American past.

Donn Rogosin has always been a predominant writer in relation to public media exposure. He is an active member of the world of television and had a career as a famous executive and an independent producer of documentaries. His writings were well supported by his craft of documentary, and he always tries to make an attempt to pectoris the whole scene as for the historical impact and implementation. The writings are all very much related to historical events and are well supported by facts. In this particular book, too, he has got the whole list of incidences to make all kinds of particularized declarations related to racism during 1920-1950.

The relation of African-American sportsmanship was under great pressure and turmoil in this particular phase. His attempt as an explorer of Negro League baseball has always been considered as a very strong and dominant periphery. There was hardly any instance when his works were not appreciated. There were more about his clarifications and interpretations related to the genre of writing for the particularized background of racism.

The effects of post-colonial attitude were not only psychological affecting the players but also adding a sense of demoralization in them. There were hardly any beings who could breathe well in that atmosphere. Every single incident and every particular excellence was ignored, and there was hardly any scope for its declaration. There was no chance or space for male opposition, and the suffocation was made a part of the whole socio-political scenario.

Negro National League

In order to review this book, I have tried to go for an in-depth study. My understanding shows that the author in himself is very much convinced with the challenges as has been faced by the sportsman during 1920-50. The post-colonial effects are outrageous, and there was hardly any dominance for the same. With a very appropriate understanding of the title, the consequences can be well assessed.

There are lots of queries and controversies as has been followed by the publication of such a strong social interpretation. Though there are many who don’t want to make a confirmation of the declared incidences, yet the truth has been well supported by much evidence. The very major premises of the book are in its declarations that are related to racisms in a sequence of consequences. The situations start from the selection procedure. In most cases, the black players are not selected just because of their complexion. The Negro National League was the first in history to represent an enormous step forward for black baseball.

“…will open the avenue in the near future wherein [blacks] may walk hand-in-hand with the opposite race in the greatest of all American games — baseball”. [5]

It was the association that first came up with an official declaration related to the protest against racial discrimination. The major role was played by Rube Foster. He was the one who is very much responsible for most of its success. He provided unconquered leadership, business acumen, and lots o financial and strategic support to the association. The financial stability in the earlier leagues lacked all kinds of developed provisions.

This was well handled by the association, and the performance of the players was all well speculated under it. He frequently loaned money to players for all kinds of assistance. This brought in a kind of confidence in them, and baseball very slowly turned up to be a career option for most of the players. All kinds of investments were made to bring the team to an international standard. The coaching and the gaming strategies were all well speculated, and people were all made a part of it. The contributions were though coming in small quantity, yet the support was getting severe.

With the increase in popularity and support of the fans, the media has got no option left other than to cover stories with the team. The invisible team started getting focused by the end of 1950. There were lots of public contributors, and even more supporting organizations came up on their way. The performances were much polished, and the challenges were all very much tougher. The players were determined to make their existence possible they were rather very dominant with their approach. There were very few organizations that still considered the team as invisible. Otherwise, there was nothing to stop their popularity.

There were many players who got recognition, and the visibility came in. Their performances were so great that people were hound to get stuck with it. The gaming strategies and the refined formats were all made a part of their practice. The target was more related to winning over games in order to make an adamant position in the social setup.

“… Cubans of a darker hue in the two big leagues would then be easy for colored players who are citizens of this country to get into fast company. The Negro in this country has more varied hues than even the Cubans, and the only way to distinguish him would be to hear him talk”. [6]

Foster has been recognized as the “Father of Black Baseball,” and very appropriately, he deserved to be the one. His contribution and support were outrageous and the spirit to be the best was the only solution that he discovered to give a heavy reply to the racial discrimination. He created awareness among the players and made them realize their role in the pages of history. Baseball was more considered an instrument against these kinds of discrimination.

It was more social participation than just a game. The realizations were being structured in the set of discriminated social conditionings. The selection procedure was well modified, and there was air in the process of leading the game. A captain who would have never given the preference to the Negro was now getting dependent over him. The hard work and determination of the players made them one of the few selected players. The declaration of discrimination over the complexion was official, and there was no space for its opposition.

Conclusion

Eventually, the outcomes were all related to the dominance led by the performances as has been delivered in the field. No matter what, the suppression and suffocations were always there throughout, but at least an attempt was made to declare opposition against it. There were lots of contributions made to all these aspects, and people can well synchronize the racial discrimination. Being a popular sport, performance was made the criteria for all kinds of assessment.

The Negro national league made a tremendous declaration to this field, and there was an attempt of no looking back. The shattered psychologies of the players were made to tolerate the discrimination and to deliver better performances on the field. The whole functionality of the book depends on the declarations made by the author towards the survival strategy in the world of baseball and the racial influences as a whole.

Reference

Donn Rogosin, Invisible Men: Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues, Published by U of Nebraska Press, 2007, ISBN 0803259697, 9780803259690.

1. Page 33, Appears in 934 books from 1850-2008.
2. Page 176, Appears in 23 books from 1965-2007.
3. Page 154, Appears in 11 books from 1992-2008.
4. Page 35, Appears in 5 books from 1986-2008.
5. Page 89, Appears in 5 books from 1995-2008.
6. Page 154, Appears in 6 books from 1992-2007.