Read Online 42 by Aaron Rosenberg - Free Book Online

mind up to it, because he’s coming! And think about this when your heads hit the pillow — he’s only the first, boys, only the first. More are coming right behind him. They have talent and they wanna play!” He let that sink in for a moment. “Yes, sir, they’re gonna come diving and scratching. So I’d forget your petition and worry about the field. Because unless you fellas pay a little more attention to your work, they are going to run you right out of the ballpark! A petition?” He glared at them. “Are you ballplayers or lawyers?”
    Then he turned and marched past them through the kitchen doors. Behind him, his team muttered and grumbled, but Durocher knew he’d put the fear of God into them. And the fear of Leo Durocher and Branch Rickey. He hoped that would be enough.

    Jackie didn’t have any trouble getting to practice this year, and when he stepped out onto the field in Panama in his Montreal uniform, he felt confident, in control. But that ended the second he saw Sukeforth heading toward him, decked out in a Dodgers uniform.
    â€œRobinson!” the talent scout and coach called. Then he tossed something over. Jackie caught it reflexively, then glanced down, recognizing the feel of worn leather. It was a first baseman’s glove.
    â€œWhat do you want me to do with this?” Jackie asked.
    Sukeforth raised an eyebrow. “Play first base,” he answered, as if that were obvious.
    Jackie shook his head. “I’ve never played first base in my life, Coach.”
    â€œWell, it’s like this,” the coach explained. “Brooklyn’s got a solid second baseman. And they got Pee Wee Reese at short. But first base is up for grabs.” He broke into a big, warm, friendly smile. “Are you catching my drift?”
    Jackie nodded. “Yeah. I don’t need a glove to do that.”
    Sukeforth ambled over to the dugout and grabbed a bucket of baseballs and a bat. Then he returned to home plate and started hitting grounders out to Jackie. At first, Jackie had trouble catching the wicked little hops, and he fumbled his tosses to the little Panamanian kids who had appeared from nowhere and taken up residence at second and third. But after a few rounds, Jackie felt he was starting to get the hang of it.
    â€œMr. Rickey said he wants you playing conspicuous baseball!” Sukeforth explained as he hit ball after ball toward Jackie. “To be so good the Dodgers’ll demand you on the team! So I thought about it awhile and then I looked up
conspicuous
in the dictionary. It means ‘to attract notice or attention.’ ”
    On that last hit, Jackie dove and snagged the ball, then fired it to second, almost knocking the kid off the bag from the force of his throw. That was more like it! He looked over at Sukeforth, who paused and tilted back his cap.
    Then the coach grinned and gave him a big thumbs-up. “Conspicuous.”

    â€œBragan,” Rickey said, staring at the catcher across his desk at the Tivoli Hotel, “most of your teammates have recanted on this petition nonsense. Are you really here to tell me you don’t want to play with Robinson?”
    â€œYes, sir,” Bragan answered. “My friends back in Birmingham would never forgive me.”
    â€œAnd your friends here in Brooklyn?” Rickey asked. But Bragan just shrugged. “Then I will accommodate you.” He frowned and sharpened his tone. “If you give me your word that you will try your very best for this team until I can work out a trade.”
    Apparently, Bragan didn’t much like the suggestion that he might slack off, because he jumped up from his chair and pounded both hands on the desk. “Do you think I would quit on anyone?” he demanded. “I don’t quit.”
    Rickey stared him down, only the edge in his voice showing his anger — or his disgust. “Only on yourself, apparently,” he snapped.