In 1945, Branch Rickey felt the time was right to hire African American baseball players, but he needed the right man.
Scouts told him about Jackie Robinson. So Rickey met with Robinson. He told him all the threats and insults he would hear. Then he asked if Robinson could listen to all that without losing his temper. Robinson asked, “Mr. Rickey, are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?” Rickey answered, “Robinson, I’m looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back.” Jackie said he could be that ballplayer.
