The View from Montreal of Jackie Robinson and the Royals

By Jack Anderson

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On Tuesday, October 23, 1945, 15 of Montreal’s sportswriters and broadcasters were invited to a press conference at the home of the Montreal Royals, Delorimier Stadium, and were promised “a major announcement”. The AAA International League regular season champions had recently been eliminated in the playoffs by the second-place Newark Bears but had a great record of 95-58 with tremendous fan support of up to 22,000 fans a game.

None of the sportswriters had any inkling of what the Royals were about to announce so there was much speculation and rumor that either Babe Ruth was about to be introduced as the new Royals manager, or heaven forbid, that as reported by Harold Adkins of the Montreal Star, Montreal was about to be awarded a major league franchise, rumored to be the Philadelphia Phillies. The Royals needed a new manager as incumbent Bruno Betzel had left the Royals in a salary dispute for the Jersey City Giants. Dink Carroll, longtime Montreal Gazette sports editor, said: “We’d heard that the Royals were going to announce they’d hired Babe Ruth to manage. That would have been one helluva story. What awaited us was one helluva different story.”

Montreal was Canada’s largest city in 1945, its metropolis and industrial heartland, and Montrealers were proud of their country’s great effort during the long War of 1939-45, the city’s NHL Montreal Canadiens, and their baseball team. With a population of around one million, with almost 80% being of French background, Montreal was the world’s second largest French-speaking city after only Paris. The Royals had actually outdrawn several major league clubs in 1945 such as the Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and the Philadelphia Phillies, the last two teams by over 100,000 fans, so the citizens and its sportswriters were of the opinion that a major league team would see every success. As Royals’ general managers for many years would experience with their ballplayers, Montreal had an incredible and varied nightlife, with all-night speak-easies, casinos, and nightclubs, which at the time was only rivalled in all of North America by New York City.

It was not to be either a major league franchise or Babe Ruth as the new manager, but rather Royals club president Hector Racine, vice-president Romeo Gauvreau, and Dodgers farm system director Branch Rickey Jr. escorting in a muscular dark gentleman whom they introduced to the writers as Jack Roosevelt Robinson, the newest player to sign with the Montreal Royals. Hector Racine announced “Here is the newest member of the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. Last year he was the star shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs. He will have every opportunity to make the Royals for the upcoming season, 1946.”

“There was no applause, and neither were there hostile outbursts. I’d sum up the reporters’ approach in two words: belligerent neutrality.” said Montreal Herald sportswriter Al Parsley.

A stunned silence, then the reporters surged to the phones to call in the headline to their papers and radio stations. Jackie and the Royals’ directors posed as the ceremonial signing was photographed for posterity. Jackie stated: “Of course, I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that I am the first member of my race in organized baseball. I can only say that I’ll do my best to come through in every manner.”

Dink Carroll added: “I wouldn’t say he turned all the pagans into Christians then and there. Lloyd McGowan of the Star said there was no need for Jackie Robinson in baseball. But Robinson made a more than decent start. I know some were impressed just by the clarity of his diction.”

Branch Rickey had planned to keep the signing of Jackie Robinson quiet until he could complete the signings of other Negro League players such as catcher Roy Campanella, and pitchers Don Newcombe, Roy Partlow and John Wright. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia of New York City, in an election battle, came out with the proposal that major league baseball become integrated. La Guardia pushed that New York teams should announce they would indeed, begin to sign Negro players. Rickey immediately contacted Jackie Robinson and arranged for him to fly to Montreal for the Royals team announcement.

As could have been expected, reaction was mixed, with International League president from 1936-60, Frank “Shag” Shaughnessy stating: “As long as any fellow’s the right type and can make good and get along with other players, he can play ball”. Shag, although born in Illinois, was a Montreal resident from soon after his playing days in major league ball from 1905-08, and had managed the Royals from 1932-34.

Others were not so supportive. Herb Pennock, general manager of the Phillies stated that he would accept integration as long as Jackie didn’t come play in Philadelphia. It would appear the expression “Not in my back yard” was as prevalent back in the 1940’s. 

T.Y. Baird, president of the Negro Leagues’ Kansas City Monarchs claimed that Jackie Robinson was the property of the Monarchs, but Branch Rickey countered by stating that in his opinion, the Negro leagues weren’t in organized ball and did not offer legal contracts to its players. Rickey was diligent in insisting that in all his contracts with former Negro leagues’ players, that there was a clause indicating the player was not under a legal contract with another team.

Cleveland Indians ace pitcher Bob Feller opined that Robinson wasn’t good enough to play in the major leagues as his upper body was too muscular and would tie up his swing. In a twist of fate, Feller and Robinson would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame together in 1962.

The New York Daily News stated that although they were in favor of the integration of baseball, they offered Jackie Robinson a 1,000 to 1 chance of his making it. The Sporting News added “If Jackie Robinson was white, the best he would be offered would be a tryout in B level in the minors if he was 6 years younger.”

Royals president Hector Racine announced that Jackie came very highly recommended by Dodgers management, and that was enough for him. He added that the signing of Robinson was “A point of fairness”. Dodgers farm system director Branch Rickey Jr. told reporters “undoubtedly we will be criticized in some sections where racial prejudice is rampant”, and added the Dodgers were “not inviting trouble, but they won’t avoid it if it comes”. He then said that “some players might want to quit” than play with black players, but suggested: “they’ll be back in baseball after they work a year or two in a cotton mill.” He continued that: “Jackie Robinson is a fine type of young man –intelligent and college-bred, and I think he can take it too.”

In Jackie’s autobiography “I Never Had it Made”, he stated he remembered Branch Rickey Jr.’s comment as “I think he can make it, too.” Jackie continued: “I realize how much it means to me, to my race, and to baseball. I can only say I’ll do my very best to come through in every manner.”

The reaction in Canada to the Robinson signing was generally positive, as Paul Parizeau of Le Canada wrote he felt proud that Branch Rickey believed Robinson would be better received in Montreal than in the United States, and that this showed that Montreal was the most democratic city in the world.

Many believe that Rickey deliberately chose French-speaking cities for the integration of blacks as the French speakers would be better able to empathize with the minority players as they themselves were minorities. The Dodgers used Montreal in AAA, Three Rivers, Quebec, in level C, and Nashua, New Hampshire, in level B to begin the integration of their former Negro League players. Branch Rickey had assigned Buzzie Bavasi to find a town in New England that would support a racially integrated ball club and Bavasi chose Nashua due to its large French-Canadian population and its racially progressive newspaper. Another English-language newspaper reported that many people had phoned the newspaper on the night of the news conference, having heard of a black player in the Royals’ camp.  They were only  mildly interested to hear it was the signing of a black player and not the awarding of a major-league franchise. 

Black players in Montreal were not that rare as Chappie Johnson had a team called the Black panthers  in the Montreal league in the late 1920’s.  Canadian baseball historian Christian Trudeau has recently established in an article published by SABR that Charlie Culver had played in organized baseball’s Class B Eastern league in 1922.  Culver had been a star player in Montreal-area semi-pro teams for many years and later managed in the Quebec Provincial League.Jackie didn’t stay long in Montreal on his first visit and he flew out to New York the next day to join a barnstorming tour.

In December, 1945, Branch Rickey announced that the Montreal Royals new manager would be Clay Hopper, a 44-year-old Mississippian. Gazette writer Baz O’Meara reported: “Hopper is a gent with a drawl from the deep South, and he is going to have to handle Jackie Robinson.” Hopper later pleaded with Rickey to send Jackie elsewhere, saying that managing Robinson would be forcing him to move my family and home out of Mississippi. On a later occasion, when Rickey described a Robinson catch as a “superhuman play”, Hopper reportedly replied:” Mr. Rickey, do you really think a ni**er’s a human being?”

One would think that Hopper would be a strange choice for the very meticulous Branch Rickey to make, but events would show that Rickey had chosen wisely. Rickey had first offered a managerial position to Hopper in 1929, when Clay was only twenty-seven, and had appreciated Hopper’s leadership qualities. These qualities were to be tested in 1946.

One of the first questions that Branch Rickey asked Jackie at their historic meeting on August 28^th, 1945 was “You got a girl?” Jackie told Rickey of his engagement to the lovely and intelligent Rachel Isum, a graduate nurse back in Los Angeles. Branch replied: “You know you have a girl. When we get through today you may want to call her up because there are times when a man needs a woman by his side.” Rickey could not have been more right in his judgement. Rachel later said of Rickey that he had warned Jackie of trials to come, and that Branch was shrewd in business and thoughtful in personal relationships.

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson and Rachel Isum were wed on February, 10, 1946 in West Los Angeles. Two weeks later they set out on a cross-country trip to the Royals Spring training site in Daytona Beach, Florida. Rachel said that they were particularly concerned about arriving on time and ready for work, and that “they were all too familiar with the racial stereotype widely believed by whites and too often acted out by blacks.”

Their troubles began almost as soon as their aircraft landed in New Orleans, where they were informed that they had been bumped from the next leg of their flight, and that there were no more flights that night. After a night in a seedy hotel, they flew on to Pensacola, Florida, where they were bumped once more. Forced to continue onwards in a segregated bus, they finally arrived 16 hours later, days late, and were met by Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter Wendell Smith and photographer Billy Rowe, who had been hired by Branch Rickey to escort them around during Spring training. Rickey had arranged lodging with Duff and Joe Harris, in the local Negro community, apart from the rest of the Royals.

When Spring training games began, the Royals were locked out of games in Jacksonville and Deland, and run out of the ballpark in Sanford, solely due to the presence of Jackie Robinson and fellow black teammate, pitcher John Wright. Rachel said “these events took their toll on Jack, and that he began to try too hard to win a permanent place on the team as rookies could be cut before the end of training camp. He was over-swinging and having difficulty sleeping and concentrating.” His arm troubles had necessitated a change of position from shortstop, which he had played for the Kansas City Monarchs, to second base and then first. Rachel added: “He went into a slump, that mysterious ailment that plagues even the best ballplayers, but towards the end of camp Jackie broke out, began hitting and made the team.”

There was a way to go yet as New York World Telegram writer Dan Daniel wrote as early as March 6^th, two days after Jackie’s arrival, that Robinson isn’t of International League caliber. La Presse added on March 7^th that “It is perhaps too early to tell, but we are of the impression that Robinson won’t be with the Royals this season”. This was before Jackie and John Wright had even played a game, as they only were inserted into the lineup on March 17^th. The Royals management had had enough of the Florida municipalities’ feeble excuses for canceling games, including in Deland, where the game including Montreal’s two black players was cancelled due to “lighting problems” despite it being an afternoon game. Royals owner Hector Racine announced: “this will be all or nothing for us. Robinson and Wright will play, or there will be no games” and in this he was backed up by manager Clay Hopper. General manger Mel Jones went even further: “We don’t care if we fail to play another single exhibition game. If they don’t want to play us with our full team, they can pull out of the games.” The Royals backed up their tough talk by moving a game from Deland to Daytona Beach, and the four games the Royals were to play on their way North to start the season were all cancelled.

On April 5th, the Royals met the Indianapolis Indians and their experienced long-time majors pitcher, Paul Derringer. Derringer proceeded to give Jackie the star player treatment, by throwing hard inside and knocking Robinson down twice, with Jackie responding each time, first with a single, then a triple. Derringer spoke to Clay Hopper after the game and told him that Jackie had passed the test: “Clay, your colored boy is going to do all right.”

Wendell Smith wrote in the Courier on April 6^th, that both Wright and Robinson had made the team, despite no official confirmation. The Royals’ game in Sanford the following day was interrupted in the 2^nd inning by the Police Chief, insisting that Robinson be removed from the field due to a municipal law prohibiting mixed sports. Jackie had already singled, stolen a base and scored a run. Jackie was back in the lineup the following day and hit a triple, walked and scored two runs against Jersey City.

On April 8^th, the Royals assigned Lou Rochelli, the other presumptive second baseman, to the St. Paul Saints of the American Association. Of Rochelli, Jackie wrote in his biography: “the generosity and friendship of a white teammate in the early days with Montreal is a fond memory” and that Rochelli, despite competing with Jackie for the second-sacker spot, “spent a lot of time helping me, and teaching the techniques needed to be a competent second baseman.” Royals shortstop Stan Bréard, a popular native Montrealer, was also a great supporter of Jackie. When a ground ball took a bad hop and struck Robinson in the face, Bréard ran over to make sure his teammate was uninjured.

As for Clay Hopper, all agreed that he treated both Jackie Robinson and John Wright fairly. He never spoke out against Rickey’s great experiment and supported the Royals’ stance when visiting other Florida cities. By the time the Royals arrived back in Montreal, Hopper was speaking glowingly of Robinson, calling him: “a regular fella and a regular member of my baseball club” and regaled the sportswriters with tales of Jackie’s fielding and base-running prowess. When the Star ran an opening day layout picturing Abraham Lincoln surrounded by Rickey, Racine, Robinson and Hopper, the southerner asked for an original for his home in Mississippi.

At the end of Spring training the Montréal Matin announced that Jackie had made the Royals and a starting spot at second base due to “his truly sensational record in spring training”. This was clearly hyperbole, as his arm injury, sleepless nights and constant harassment from the stands, would easily explain his rather mundane statistics: a .280 batting average, including two doubles and two triples, 7 walks and 5 stolen bases.

John Wrights’ pitching statistics were worse, but he had only thrown 10 innings, compared to several other Royals’ pitchers who had over 30 innings under their belt. According to Jackie “every time he stepped out there he seemed to lose that fineness and he tried a little bit harder than he was capable of playing.” In his last appearance in Spring training, Wendell Smith reported that “he was wilder than an Egyptian Zebra” as he walked four and hit one in the only inning he pitched. Years later super scout Clyde Sukeforth said that they did not expect great things from Wright, but they were of the opinion he would be a good companion for Jackie.

There was great anticipation in the stands as 51,872 raucous fans filled the over-capacity Roosevelt Stadium for the 1946 season’s opener against the Jersey City Giants. Jackie’s wife, Rachel, was so nervous in the stands she couldn’t sit down. At his first at-bat in the 1^st inning Jackie hit a soft grounder to the shortstop. In his next at-bat in the 3^rd inning, the Giants were expecting a bunt with two runners on base, but Jackie hit a 3-run homer over the left field wall for a 5-0 Royals lead. Jackie was welcomed as he crossed home plate by the next hitter, outfielder George “Shotgun” Shuba. Shotgun reached out and shook Jackie’s hand to congratulate him and the crowd roared. As he made his way back to the dugout his teammates showed their appreciation. Jackie said “this was the day that the dam broke between my teammates and myself. Southerners or Northerners, they let me know they appreciated what I did.”

La Patrie said it all in a banner headline in the sports section” Robinson plays the role of Hero”, echoed by the Courier whose headline was “Jackie Stole the Show.” Jackie had a 4-for-5 day with 1 home run, 3 singles, 4 RBI’s, 4 runs and a fielding error. At the end of the game, fans swarmed the field to congratulate Jackie, shaking his hand and getting his autograph. Finally, burly Royals outfielder Red Durrett, who had hit two home runs that day, came over and escorted Jackie back to the clubhouse.

It was not an easy schedule for the Royals as after the Jersey City series, which they won two games to one, they then moved on to Newark, Syracuse, and Baltimore. With the exception of Baltimore, Syracuse proved to be the most inhospitable to Jackie Robinson and John Wright. In Syracuse while Jackie was in the on-deck circle a Syracuse player pushed a black cat on the field and yelled at Robinson: “Hey, Jackie, here’s your cousin clowning on the field”. The umpire ordered the Syracuse bench to behave themselves.

Baltimore was to be the real test for the great experiment. International League President Shag Shaughnessy had beseeched Rickey: “don’t let that colored boy go to Baltimore. There’s a lot of trouble brewing there.” Rickey replied: “We solve nothing by backing away.”

On a freezing cold Saturday night in late-April, the few fans that showed up in Baltimore hurled awful racial abuse, so much that Rachel later commented that the Baltimore fans “engaged in the worst kind of name-calling and attacks on Jackie that I had to sit through.” Jackie was nervous and tentative the first three games in Baltimore, with only 2 hits in 10 at-bats and fielding poorly, committing two errors in the field. On Monday night he made up for his earlier performance with three hits in three at-bats and four runs scored. Baltimore pitcher, Paul Calvert, a Montreal native and a former Royal, plunked Jackie on the wrist after his hitting performance.

Although the Royals had only a 6-6 record after this grueling road trip to start the season, Jackie was batting .372 with 17 runs scored and 8 stolen bases.

May 1, 1946 was a bright and sunny home opener at Delorimier Stadium for the Royals against the visiting Jersey City Giants. Jackie Robinson was the center of attention as noted in the Star “the fans appreciated what they saw: One of the great athletes of our time, of any time, had all the tools to be a very good baseball player.” Sam Lacy wrote that the “applause for Robinson made the fences shake” and Charles Mayer of Le Petit Journal stated that the ovation for Jackie was the greatest ever given to a Royals player.

Jackie did not have as explosive a game as his previous debut against the Giants, still bandaged on his wrist and sore from the hit-by-pitch in Baltimore. He only had a single, a walk and a run scored in a 12-9 victory for the Royals. The fans mobbed him after the game and he had to be escorted out of the park by two policemen out of a side door. Rachel Robinson, returned the affection of the fans by sitting at a table in front of the main stadium gate and signed autographs.

There were still skeptics as recounted by Phil Seguin of La Patrie: “Jackie Robinson didn’t impress yesterday, in the field he looked weak on balls hit to his right and at bat he only hit the ball out of the infield once, and was caught stealing second base.” Baz O’Meara of the Star wrote on May 16th: “Most observers believe that, in a month or so, Robinson will not be hitting with any degree of consistency”.

In the meantime, the Robinsons had to find a place to live In Montreal. Rachel Robinson was worried that they would have a hard time renting an apartment in the city, as she was provided with a list of rental apartments by the Royals. Rachel was warmly greeted by the landlady at 8232 De Gaspé Street, her first choice, and was invited in to tea where they agreed on renting the apartment. When it became known in the French-speaking neighborhood that the Robinsons were expecting their first child, the neighbors carried Rachel’s groceries for her while the women helped her make maternity clothes and gave her ration cards, exhorting her to eat more meat. The experience in Montreal was “almost blissful” Rachel later remarked. Speaking of Rachel Robinson being a rock to her husband, Lula Jones Garrett, a woman reporter from the Baltimore African-American said: “The only person I know who can equal her is that first citizen of the world, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.”

Rachel Robinson’s fortitude was to be tested as Jackie began to show signs of exhaustion in mid-season. The constant pressure caused him to have insomnia and limited his appetite. A doctor advised rest away from the ballpark and afterwards Clay Hopper tried to give Jackie more time off as the season progressed. Rachel had her own challenges as she was pregnant with Jackie Jr. and had to visit doctors regularly, even experiencing old-time medicine as a doctor refused to perform a procedure on her without her husband’s permission.

By the end of May, the Royals had improved to 27-11 and had climbed into first place in the International League. Jackie was leading the league in hitting at .356, in hits with 47 and in runs scored with 38.

Jackie missed a week of games due to a leg injury, returning on Friday, June 7, in a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He then missed games against Baltimore and then the entire series against Jersey City, with the Royals running their winning streak to five games. Jackie then tried to play on June 12^th against Jersey City, but withdrew after five innings due to a right leg injury. On Sunday, June 16^th, after 19 straight days on the road, the Royals drew 20,086 fans and the home team split a double-header against the Syracuse Chiefs with Jackie still absent. The Greek community of Montreal held a special ceremony between the games of the double-header and Al Campanis, the Royals’ shortstop, was presented with a radio and even spoke a few words of French to the rapturous crowd.

Jackie returned to action on Friday, June 21^st, in the second game of yet another double-header against the Newark Bears. On Monday June 24^th, the holiday of Quebec’s patron saint, John the Baptist, Roy Partlow threw a five-hitter against the Jersey Giants in a Royals victory, becoming the first black pitcher to officially record a win in organized baseball at that level in the 20^th century. Jackie chipped in with two hits, two runs one RBI and five assists from second base. Al Parsley of the Herald reported that the Royals now had a second black star, a “dark wizard” who threw lefty with great velocity. On Tuesday, June 25^th, Jackie had a double and two singles in a win over Jersey City, and the Royals now counted 9 players hitting .300 or higher. Bruno Betzel, the manager of the Jersey City Giants was on hand at Delorimier Stadium to see the Royals raise the 1945 pennant, when he had been the Royals’ manager. He took the opportunity to state that as a manager he would have liked to have nine Jackie Robinsons on his team. Another positive for the Royals was the return of star local pitcher Jean-Pierre Roy, who had won 25 games for the Royals in 1945 who picked up his first win on Thursday, June 27^th.

To close off the month of June, the Royals split a double-header against Rochester with Jackie having three hits and three runs scored amid a great show of support from the fans. Danny Murtaugh of the Red Wings tripped up Robinson in the first game, and was soundly booed the rest of the day. For the month in which he was injured more than half the time Jackie hit .319 with 12 runs scored, seven RBI’s and 2 stolen bases.

The Royals had played their first 30 home games before 214,352 spectators, already 55,000 more than the previous year. On the road the Royals, with Jackie Robinson the star attraction, were also drawing record crowds. Rochester had 14,140 fans for the first two games against the Montrealers compared to only 2,478 the previous year, and in Syracuse the first visit of the Royals drew an all-time record attendance for a weeknight game.

Sam Maltin of the Herald, who also reported for the Courier, said there was no doubt that Jackie’s popularity was the main reason for the increase in ticket sales. He reported: “Jackie was regularly surrounded by admirers on this streetcar ride back home, some fans even following him to the door to get an autograph”. Maltin continued: “In restaurants, Jackie’s meal became cold as he was so busy signing autographs” Quebec actor Marcel Sabourin, who crossed paths on the streetcar with Jackie stated: “Instantly he became our idol. His photos filled our scrapbooks, and in the alleys all the youngsters playing ball wanted to be Jackie Robinson.”

Due to rainouts, the Royals had a demanding start to July with 11 games in 7 days in three cities, in which they won 9, stretching their lead to 10 ½ games atop the standings. On July 2^nd, Jean-Pierre Roy hurled a four-hit shutout and Jackie had three hits as the Royals swept a double-header against Rochester. After this marathon, the parent Dodgers came to Quebec for two games over the major league all-star break against their C and AAA farm teams. The Dodgers pounded the C Three Rivers Royals 6-2 on the 8^th, before facing the Montrealers on the 9^th. Le Canada newspaper’s Paul Parizeau wondered if this wasn’t a good opportunity for the Rickey-Durocher tandem to evaluate the Royals’ players with late-season big league call-ups in mind. In 1945, despite a promise by Rickey, the Dodgers had called up two of the Royals’ best players, and many fans and reporters thought that this had deprived the Royals of a possible Little World Series berth. Parizeau wrote that this had been a big mistake by the Dodgers, and they had taken Montreal fans for “suckers” and this should not happen again in 1946. After the Dodgers broke out to a 4-0 lead, the Royals fought back to tie the game at 5-5, and the game was called as the Dodgers had to catch the night train to Chicago. Many of the 16,168 spectators booed the decision and threw seat cushions onto the field.

On Friday the 12^th, the Buffalo Bisons defeated the Royals 3-1 putting an end to the home team’s 10-game winning streak. Jackie knocked in the speedy Marv Rackley from 2^nd for the Royals only run.

In the middle of July the Royals headed out on a three-week-long road trip visiting all the other seven teams in the league. As they did so, Montreal also ceded the disappointing Roy Partlow back down to the CC Three Rivers team. Unlike John Wright before him, Partlow did not take the demotion well. Wendell Smith, the great sportswriter said: “Partlow is acting like a spoiled child, he should think less of himself and more about the 14 million African-Americans from one ocean to the other who wanted him to succeed in white baseball.”

On Wednesday July 17^th, the Royals swept two from Rochester, swatting 28 hits. Jackie had one hit and a sacrifice in the first game before resting the second, as the Royals extended their lead to 12 ½ games. On Sunday the 21^st they swept the Syracuse Chiefs in yet another double-header with Robinson the hero with 4 hits in 8 at-bats, including his 2^nd homer of the campaign. The Royals now led the league by 15 games. On the 24^th, Jackie bunted for a hit, then when the ball was thrown down the right field line, he scampered all the way round to score. Jackie also made an error in this game, his first in 58 games.

While the Royals were on this long road trip, the Montreal (formerly Pittsburgh) Crawfords of the United States Negro Baseball League split a double-header at Delorimier Stadium with the Brooklyn Black Dodgers.

During the Syracuse doubleheader, La Presse reported that Robinson had the 10,000 fans laughing as he bunted for a hit running so quickly he lost his cap and a shoe while running to first base. He quickly put the shoe back on and promptly stole second base. On Friday, July 26^th, Robinson was the star for the Royals with three hits including a homer as Montreal edged Baltimore 10-9.

The Royals continued to draw well on the road and while splitting a double-header with Baltimore on Sunday, July 28^th, the home team drew 26,038 to run their season total to 378,336 fans an all-time league record. In the first game won by the Royals 3-2 behind a shaky Jean-Pierre Roy, Jackie participated in four double plays and went 1-for-3. The Royals, wracked by a flu bug which caused five players to miss the last game, then moved on to Newark. Although it did not show in his on-field performance The Sporting News noted this week that “the stress continued to mount on Robinson.”

Jackie did not only shine offensively, as he dove to rob Yogi Berra of the Bears of a bases-loaded two-out hit in the first game. Jackie did go 1-for-4 in Monday’s game before stealing 3 bases with 4 hits in the double-header split on Tuesday.

To close out the month of July, La Presse eulogized Jackie: “Jackie Robinson will possibly move on to the Brooklyn Dodgers next year to create a precedent in the history of baseball. Yesterday, once again, Robinson showed his value to the team by smashing a hard-hit double to right field in the 10^th inning to drive in the winning run in a 3-2 Royals victory.”

After starting off August with a loss in Jersey City, where Robinson had two hits on Thursday the 1^st, the Royals split a double-header on Friday with Jackie adding a 1-for-3 first game before sitting out the later game.

Returning home for another double-header on Sunday the 4^th, before 16,556 fans, the Royals swept two from second-place Syracuse. La Presse noted that one couldn’t ignore the contribution of Robinson. In the first game Jackie hit a sharp single knocking in a run and made a beautiful play in the field, while also pilfering his 32^nd stolen base. In the second game, Jackie was even more brilliant, leaping two or three feet in the air to snare a hard-hit ball by Syracuse catcher Just, and driving in the winning run.

Monday the Royals took the train North to Three Rivers for an exhibition match against the C Royals, defeating the home squad 8-1. Waiting with a warm welcome at the train station for Jackie were his former roommates, Roy Partlow and John Wright.

Returning to Montreal to face Syracuse on Tuesday the 6th, the Royals pitching staff had an off-day, aided by several errors, losing a contested slugfest 18-17 at foggy Delorimier Stadium. La Patrie described the game as a poor imitation of the game of baseball. Jackie had three hits and four runs scored but it wasn’t enough for Montreal. The Royals struck back against the Chiefs on Wednesday, 9-4, with Jackie again going 3 for 4, raising his season average to .367.

Jackie continued his hot streak against the Jersey City Giants on Thursday and the headline in La Presse said it all: “Jackie Robinson gives another victory to Montreal”. The newspaper then carried on “How to vaunt the merits and to highlight the real value of the popular colored player Jackie Robinson is actually an impossible task for a sportswriter without inventing a new dictionary”. Jackie added another three hits, hitting a triple, then daringly made a mad dash home on a shallow sacrifice fly for the winning run. The Gazette’s Dink Carroll, who had been previously reserved in his praise of Jackie, added “There doesn’t seem to be anything he can’t do”^, and Lloyd McGowan of the Star opined: “there is nothing left for him to do”.

On Friday, August 9th the Royals defeated Jersey City, with Jackie again leading the way with a triple, double, single and four RBI’s. Jackie’s hot streak now extended to 14 hits in his last 19 at-bats.

The Royals split a double-header with Baltimore on Sunday the 11^th, as Jackie had a triple and a double in the first game, knocking in two runs, before singling in the late game. The Royals then defeated the Orioles on Monday the 12th, 9-1 behind ace pitcher Steve Nagy, with Jackie having 1 hit in 3 at-bats, but also with a run scored, a sacrifice and a stolen base.

The Royals downed the Orioles on Tuesday the 13th, again by a score of 9-1 to improve their home record to 44-13, putting them 15 games ahead of now second-place Buffalo Bisons. Jackie had two walks, two runs scored but was injured by a pitch to his biceps by Orioles hurler Stan West. Between innings Royals trainer Ernie Cook, wrapped Jackie’s arm in ice to limit swelling.

Robinson returned to play on Wednesday as the Royals won 2-1 against Baltimore’s Johnny Podgajny, Jackie going hitless as his double play partner Al Campanis knocked in the winning run. After the game Baltimore manager Alphonse Thomas told La Presse that he was glad to be leaving Montreal, noting that the Orioles, despite being the highest paid team in the League, lacked fighting spirit and the desire to win against the first-place Royals.

Fans at Delorimier Stadium certainly had their money’s worth on Thursday night the 15^th, as the Royals and Newark Bears put on an unprecedented hitting display in a double-header, the Royals winning the first game 21-6 and Newark taking the nightcap 12-2. The teams totaled 50 hits and 41 runs together. Jackie, who was leading the League in batting, went 3-for-3 with 4 runs scored, and added another single and run scored in the second game. He kept pace with Newark’s top entry for the batting championship, Al Clark, who had 5 hits on the night.

After a rainout on Friday, the Royals and Bears split a double-header Saturday at Delorimier, Robinson went only 1-for-8 on the day, with 3 RBI’s dropping his average below .370.

Sunday, August 18^th, the Royals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs, losing the first game, and trailing 1-0 in the last inning of the second game behind Curt Davis before Jackie knocked in the winning run. The two weekend double-headers ran the Royals season attendance to an all-time record of 351,022.

The Royals returned to play against the Toronto squad on Tuesday, downing the visitors 6-5 with Robinson chipping in with a single, triple and 2 RBI’s. On Wednesday the 21^st, lefty Royals starter Steve Nagy won his 16^th and Jackie was the hitting star in a 6-2 victory over the Maple Leafs. Jackie had two hits, two stolen bases and also advanced from first to third on a sacrifice bunt. Lloyd McGowan of the Star commented: “All pitchers, whether right-handed or southpaws, have looked pretty much alike to Robby in recent games. He can hit the curve, and while a natural right-handed pull-hitter, he can powder the ball to all fields, and has proved he can hit behind the runner.” La Presse added: “Jackie demonstrated once again his speed in stealing two bases to run his season total to 35.”

Montreal travelled to Buffalo on Thursday, the 22^nd, and local fans responded with their largest weeknight turnout of the year, 8,437. The Royals downed the Bisons 4-3, and although Jackie was held hitless, he did score the first Royals run by stealing home.

The following night the Royals again prevailed for their 5^th straight win, 8-3. The Sporting News commented: “Robinson earned several ovations from Buffalo fandom, especially after pilfering home, and then turning an unassisted double-play the following night.

On August 25^th, against the Rochester Red Wings the Royals came back from a tight 3-2 loss in 12 innings, to win the nightcap 4-2 behind Curt Davis to clinch the league regular season title with 90 wins and a 19 game lead. Jackie went 1- for- 9 in the double header as he desperately needed some time off to mend from injuries and the tremendous stress he had been under during this breakthrough season. Clay Hopper obliged Jackie with a few days off and noted in Newsweek: “Robinson is a player who must go to the majors. He’s a big-league ballplayer, a good team hustler, and a real gentleman.” This was quite the turnaround of opinion from when Branch Rickey advised Hopper that Robinson would be joining the Royals before Spring training.

Jackie was listed by La Presse as out with a leg injury on Monday August 26^th as the Royals lost to the Red Wings, before splitting a double-header on Tuesday, with Jackie still absent.

Montreal moved on to Toronto for a double-header on Thursday the 29^th, but reporters quizzed Montreal General Manager Mel Jones, who had to quash rumors that Robinson would be heading to the Dodgers before season’s end: “He’s passed the test here, and he shouldn’t have to go through that again in the big leagues.” Jones said to the Gazette’s Lloyd McGowan. Montreal swept the Thursday double-header against the Maple Leafs, and while Jackie was hitless in the first game, he rebounded with a single and a double, and two runs scored, in the late game. Chet Kehn of the Royals lost a perfect game in the first match on a bunt single in the 6^th inning, the only hit he allowed.

The Royals split a double-header against Toronto on Friday, Aug. 30^th. The Sporting News reported: “In the second game, Jackie Robinson, Negro infield star, was shifted to the hot corner, a station he is said to be ticketed for to play for Brooklyn next season.” On Saturday, August 31^st, the Royals downed the Maple Leafs, with Robinson contributing two hits a run and an RBI.

In August Jackie hit .366 with 10 doubles, 5 triples, 6 stolen bases and 33 runs scored as the Royals won 24 of 35 games.

Back on home turf at Delorimier Stadium at last on Sunday, Sept. 1^st, the Royals swept Buffalo in a twin-bill. Jackie had one hit in each game while stealing a base in the opener while centerfielder Marvin Rackley hit for the cycle.

The following day, Labor Day, Sept. 2^nd over 27,000 fans were disappointed as their heroes were swept in yet another twin-bill, the Bisons handing the Royals their first double-header loss of the season. Jackie was 3-for-9 with 2 RBI’s in the losses.

After an off-day on Tuesday, the Royals returned to action at home against the Rochester Red Wings, splitting the double header. Jackie was 2-for-7 with 2 stolen bases and a run scored in the two games. The stolen bases gave him 40 for the season.

On Wednesday, Sept 4^th, the La Presse headline says it all “Brilliant debut for Jackie Robinson at third base. It then reported that: “the days of Cookie Lavagetto at third base for the Dodgers are numbered, as Jackie Robinson will certainly replace him next Spring.”

After two games at third in which Jackie started a crisp double play, made a nice catch, stopped several grounders and made accurate throws, Manager Clay Hopper told reporters “He does everything well that we ask of him”.

On Thursday, Sept. 5^th, Jackie returned to second base in a loss against Rochester, then Manager Hopper rested Robinson on the Friday and Saturday while the Royals split the two games. On Sunday the 8^th, The Royals disputed their 39^th double-header of the season accounting for more than half of a full season’s 154 games.

The Royals attained their regular season objective of 100 victories in the second game against the Maple Leafs. Jackie went 1-for-5 in the first game and 1-for 3 in the second game to clinch the batting title at .349, scoring a league leading 113 runs with 40 stolen bases while striking out only 27 times. His stolen base total was second in the league only to teammate Marvin Rackley.

The Newark Bears were the visitor at Delorimier Stadium in the playoff semi-final series, which commenced on Wednesday, Sept. 11^th. Steve Nagy, the Montreal ace with a season record of 17-4, started for the home team and took a shutout into the 9^th inning before fading as the Royals won 7-5. Jackie was the hitting star for the home team, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run, and three RBI.

The following day, Thursday Sept. 12^th, the Royals needed a suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 9^th by Al Campanis to edge the Bears 2-1. Jackie went 0-for-3 as Royals’ Glen Moulder and Duane Pillette of the Bears each allowed only 5 hits.

The series moved to Newark on Saturday and Sunday, and the Bears roared back with great pitching performances to twice edge the Royals. Robinson managed only a double in the latter game, knocking in Montreal’s sole run.

With Branch Rickey in the stands in Newark on Monday, the Royals’ Glen Moulder again excelled in a 2-1 visitors win. Jackie drove in the winning run and went 1-for-3 as Montreal took a 3-2 game lead in the series.

On Wednesday Sept. 18^th, back again in Delorimier Stadium, the Bears took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 9^th, when Newark manager George Selkirk, a Canadian, vehemently objected a non-called third strike on Royals First Baseman Les Burge and was ejected along with three of his players. Given another life, Burge belted a full-count pitch for a homer to tie the game. Speedy outfielder Tom Tatum then singled, and catcher Herman Franks swatted a long double off the scoreboard as Tatum scurried around the bases and scored in a close play at home, just evading the tag by Yogi Berra.

La Presse called the final game of the series a “frenetic end of the game” and a reporter quoted a streetcar rider afterwards as saying “a game like this one, only happens every 25 years.”

Jackie commented after his 2-for-4 day with 2 runs scored, “George Selkirk came over and shook my hand and those of the other players and demonstrated complete class as a gentleman despite the tough loss and elimination of his team. Jackie hit .318 in the series.

Montreal moved on to face the Syracuse Chiefs in the Governor’s Cup, for the International League championship.

The Royals came out flat at home on Thursday, Sept. 19^th, and lost the first game, 5-0. Lefty Jim Prendergast of the Cincinnati farm club allowed only 4 hits in the Chiefs win.

The next day, Friday they roared back to win 14-12 with the winning runs scoring on an inside-the-park three run homer by reliever Chet Kehn in the 8^th inning. Old-timer Curt Davis came on in the 9^th for the save as Jackie contributed with a 2-for-4 day, a double and 2 runs scored.

After the Saturday of travel, at Syracuse on Sunday the 22^nd, the Royals dominated the Chiefs 11-1, behind a great pitching performance by Curt Davis. Jackie went 1–for-5 in the win.

After two rainouts in Syracuse, the Royals triumphed 7-4 on Wednesday, September 25^th. Jackie went 1-for-3 with a run scored. The following day the Royals closed out the series at MacArthur Stadium 4 games to 1, with another 7-4 victory. Jackie was instrumental in the clinching win, with 4 hits in 5 at-bats, a run scored, 2 RBI’s and a stolen base. After the first game shutout, Jackie went 8 for 17 to help the Royals clinch their second Governor’s Cup final, with Robinson hitting .400 for the series.

Montreal then travelled South to Louisville, KY to face the American Association champion Colonels in the Little World Series. Robinson had managed to withstand abuse before but Louisville promised to raise the attacks to a higher level. Louisville outfielder John Welaj said of the Colonels’ fans: They called him everything under the sun.” La Presse noted that while the Royals stayed at the Brown Hotel, Jackie had to stay in the home of a prosperous black lawyer.

Louisville fans booed Robinson at every possible occasion, at bat or in the field. Colonels’ pitcher Otey Clark stated: “I remember our pitcher Jim Wilson knocked him down, and the fans cheered. Robinson didn’t seem to pay attention to any of it.”

Jackie struggled at bat with an 0-for-5 day in the first game on Saturday the 28th, the only time he was held hitless in 5 at-bats all season. The Royals struggled to a 7-5 win in the first game thanks to two homers by first baseman Les Burge. The Colonels replied on the Sunday with a great pitching performance by right-hander Harry Dorish who hurled a two-hit shutout. Jackie went 0-for-2 with an error.

On Monday the Colonels exploded for 19 hits in a 15-6 home team win as Montreal’s Steve Nagy was wild and the relievers weren’t able to stem Louisville’s attack. Motorcycle policemen escorted the visitors in their taxis to the train station for the long train ride home to Montreal, with the Royals now down 2-1 in the series.

Speaking of the treatment of Jackie by the local fans, Louisville outfielder George Bennington told a La Presse reporter on the trip to Montreal: “If I was in his place, I would have thrown my glove into the field and walked away from both the game and baseball. Robinson is truly extraordinary!” Royals’ shortstop Al Campanis added: “Robinson hasn’t played well down here, but just wait until you see him in Montreal where the fans are his friends.”

Only 14,685 fans showed up at Delorimier Stadium on a freezing and damp Wednesday night, as the Royals evened the series at two games. La Presse described the situation: “As much as Jackie Robinson was booed by Louisville fans during the previous three games, he was cheered last night as he hit a Texas-leaguer to drive in the winning run in the 10^th inning.”

In Jackie’s autobiography “My Own Story” he described the home fans’ response: “We discovered the Canadians were up in arms over the way I had been treated. Greeting us warmly, they let us know how they felt… All through that first game at home they booed every time a Louisville player came out of the dugout. I didn’t approve of this kind of retaliation, but I felt a jubilant sense of gratitude for the way Canadian expressed their feelings.”

Montreal was trailing 5-3 into the bottom of the 9^th, but the Royals loaded the bases and then tied the game to set the stage for Robinson in the 10th. Jackie went 2 for 5, with a run scored and the game winning RBI in the victory. Louisville had intentionally walked Marv Rackley, preferring to face Jackie with the winning run on third base.

The Royals were again led by Jackie on Thursday, Oct. 3^rd, as he doubled and scored in the first inning, then tripled and scored the eventual winning run in the 7^th, then bunted for a single to score Al Campanis with the insurance run in the 8^th in a 5-3 Royals victory, before 17,758 fans.

On Friday Oct. 4^th, The Royals sent wily veteran Curt Davis to the mound in search of the championship. Davis, who had celebrated his 43^rd birthday the previous day, was masterful as he scattered 9 hits in a tight 2-0 shutout. In the 9^th inning he induced a double play to second, Jackie’s second of the day, to preserve the shutout. Jackie also singled twice, the only player in the game with more than one hit.

After the final out the Royals raced to the clubhouse as thousands of fans covered the field. Stadium staff and police could do nothing against such a huge crowd of over 19,000 fans. Courier and Herald reporter Sam Maltin, who was also a great friend to Jackie, described it thus: “The fans refused to leave and sang the traditional French-Canadian congratulatory song Il a gagné ses épaulettes (He won his bars or spurs) and “We want Robinson”. First Clay Hopper came out and the crowd carried him around the field on their shoulders, then Curt Davis made his appearance and the fans carted him around”. But the fans refused to move until Jackie showed himself. Maltin continued: “a delegation of ushers went to see Jackie and asked him to step out so they could close the park and call it a season. Jackie came out and the crowd surged on him. Men and women of all ages threw their arms around him, kissed him and then carried him around the infield on their shoulders, shouting themselves hoarse. Jackie, tears streaming down his face, tried to beg off further honors.”

In “My Own Story” Jackie added: “When I at last got ready to leave the dressing room, the passageway was blocked with at least three hundred people. Every time I opened the door, they’d start yelling and pushing. couldn’t get out, and the ushers and police couldn’t break through and come to my rescue. Finally, I had to take a chance. I passed my bag to a friend, hunched my shoulders, and plunged smack into that throng.”

Sam Maltin carried on the story: “It was a demonstration seldom seen here. Again the crowd started hugging and kissing him. He tried to explain that he had to catch a plane, but they wouldn’t listen, refused to hear him. They held on to him but – as he had done in his football days at UCLA–Robbie gently fought off his admirers and pushed his way through until he found an opening. Then he started running. The mob was running after him. Down the street he went, chased by five hundred fans. People opened windows and came pouring out of their houses to see what the commotion was about. For three blocks they chased him until a car drew up and someone shouted: “Jump in Jackie”, and they brought him safely to his hotel. It was probably the only day in history that a black man ran from a white mob with love instead of lynching on its mind.”

At the airport the next morning Jackie boarded a flight for Detroit to join a barnstorming tour and on the newsstand was the Le Canada newspaper with the headline “Royals are champions of the World” with a team photo, and individual photos of the winning pitcher, and the fans’ favorite, Jackie Robinson.

Jackie confided to reporter Wendell Smith: “As my plane roared skyward and the lights of Montreal twinkled and winkled in the distance. I took one last look at this great city where I had found so much happiness. I don’t care if I never get to the Majors”, I told myself. “This is the city for me. This is paradise.”

“In Jack’s book he said he owes more to Canadians than they’ll ever know. We were passionately in love and brimming with the anticipation of starting a family. I will always feel a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for the attitudes of the people in Montreal,” said Rachel Robinson. “It had a lot to do with our future success.”

N.B. The author has used game reports published in Montreal newspapers. Those might differ from reports published in certain other sources.