Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, illness, and death.

In February 1946, four months after Rickey signed Jackie to the Royals, Jackie and Rachel married. A few weeks later, they traveled to the Royals’ spring training in Daytona Beach, Florida. The journey was exhausting. Due to racist norms, they had to surrender their seats on an overbooked plane. The next two flights were also overbooked. On the third flight, they made it to Pensacola, Florida, where they rode a segregated bus.

To prevent Jackie from being the only Black player, Rickey signed pitcher Johnny Wright. However, the spotlight was on Jackie. The press questioned him, and he answered frankly, with a bit of humor. While the white players stayed at the Mayfair Hotel, Jackie, Rachel, Johnny, and Black sports journalists Wendell Smith and Billy Rowe stayed within “the Black community.”

Threats of serious violence forced the Royals to rearrange their schedule and avoid certain parts of Florida. They played most of their spring training games in Daytona Beach, where the fans included “proud” Black people and “curious” white people.

The Royals’ first regular-season game was April 14, 1946, in Jersey City, New Jersey. More than 30,000 fans, including the mayor and celebrities, attended.