In 1939, the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the largest black newspapers published an eye-catching headline, what big leaguers think of Negro League baseball players.

The series of articles told the story that was surprising. The majority of the

National League players and managers who were interviewed didn't have a problem with black people

playing in the majors. The author was Wendell Smith, a young sports writer who was part of a national

campaign to desegregate baseball.

The campaign was led by him and other members of the Black Press.

These writers worked tirelessly to amplify black baseball players,

and people around the country were starting to pay attention.

The pressure to integrate baseball was growing.

Some white owners appeared to play along.

At one point, Wendell was able to secure trials for Negro League players

with teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox.

But these trials went nowhere, and none of the teams signed any of the black players.

It felt like a performative stunt by the owners.

But there was an exception.

Branch Ricky.

Branch was the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers

and had already been quietly pondering what and who it would take to integrate baseball.

Wendell had a name for him, Jackie Robinson.

The rest is history.

Jackie Robinson would go on to break baseball's color barrier.

But that's only part of the story.

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