The Jackie Robinson Story

This is the story of a boy and his dream...

but more than that...

it is the story of an American boy...

and a dream that is truly American.

The year... 1928.

The time... spring.

If you were a young man,

your thoughts were undoubtedly turning to those of love.

But if you were a young boy,

your thoughts were of one thing...

baseball.

Give me some high ones!

Come on!

Here... right over here!

Give me a fast one!

Crack!

Give me one... come on!

Come on... I'll show you how!

Crack!

Give me a good high one!

Great bunch of infielders we got.

Yeah, big leaguers.

Phump.

Hit me one, mister?

What do you want?

Grounders, flies, anything.

Watch this.

Crack!

Right here... come on!

How's that for a ballplayer?

Yeah, we ought to give him another chance.

Hey, kid, you want another?

Yes, sir.

Here it comes!

Crack!

Hey, kid, come here a minute.

Now, don't tell me that one didn't sting.

Just a little bit.

Haven't you got a glove?

No, sir.

Come here a minute.

You mean I can borrow this?

No... you can have it.

For keeps?

For keeps!

Yea!!!

Mom! Mom!

Yes, Jackie?

Look, Mom!

Where'd you get it?

A man gave it to me.

Torn!

You can sew it up.

Oh, Jackie!

Heh-heh-heh

Jackie!

Yes, Mom?

Sew 'em on like that?

No, Mom.

The way you have them now reads.

"Junior Pasadena College."

That way, Mom.

Pasadena Junior College.

Of course.

How'd I get it mixed up like that?

My, my...

They wouldn't know who I'd be jumping for

at the track meet.

That what your brother Mack won a medal for?

That what you're talkin' about?

Won a medal?

When Mack jumped for Pasadena Junior College

he broke the National Junior College record

and nobody has jumped that far since.

That's nice!

Heh-heh

This kid jumped 25 feet, 6 1/2 inches, Bill.

Broke his brother's record.

Do you think maybe he could, ah,

jump over that Southern Cal line?

He led the conference in TDs.

Only, there's one problem, Bill.

You mean the Trojans have already got him?

Heh... no, no.

He's a colored boy.

I heard somebody squawking about giving

colored boys too many athletic scholarships.

Colored boys are all right with me,

if they're the right color.

The right color?

I like a good, clean, American boy with a B average.

If that's the kind of a boy you're talking about-

his colors are blue and gold.

UCLA colors, huh?

That's right, and you can tell it

to Robinson for me.

Fvee-fvee-fvwheet!

Come on, Jackie, come on.

Come on, boy.

Come on, Jackie.

Come on!

You're his brother, aren't you?

That's right.

You're Mack Robinson.

I ran against you when you were at Oregon.

Oh, sure, you ran for Southern Cal.

Pete Schubeck... this is my wife.

Hello, Mack.

How do you do?

This is Rae Isum, Jackie's girl.

- Hello. - Glad to know you.

What are you doing these days?

Oh, I got a good, steady job.

Glad to hear it.

Come on, Jackie.

Tweet-tweet.

Easing up?

Yeah, a lot.

What's the matter with those guys,

giving it to Jack like that

just because he's...

Because he's the best halfback

on the field.

Oh, yeah... yeah, sure.

And Jackie,

I wasn't kidding about that either.

They have a lot of respect

for you out there.

I have a lot of respect

for them too.

Believe me.

How's Mack been doing lately?

I always liked Mack.

Mack?

Oh, Mack's doin' fine.

Been waitin' long?

No, just got here.

Somebody told me you got

an honorable mention on the All-American.

Did I?

Somebody else told me you cut class this morning.

Could be.

Was it because you worked late last night?

And I went to see about a better job...

A full-time job.

Why now?

You've still got some time before you graduate.

If I graduate.

Oh.

Suppose I finish out the year.

I'm no further along than when I started...

No closer to getting a half-decent job

so I can afford to get married.

Who are you thinking of marrying, Mr. Robinson?

Oh, you know who.

Your mother'll take it hard if you quit school now.

Yes, I know.

You ought to talk to her before you do anything...

And to Mack.

Yeah...

it was Mack I was thinking of.

Well, if you'd just wait till June

and get your diploma...

A lot of good a college education did Mack.

Well, Mack's all right.

He's got a job.

Yeah...

a good, steady job.

Hey, Mack!

What are you doing here this time of night?

I fixed you some lunch.

Here, catch!

Man, that's really smart signal callin'.

I thought you'd be hungry.

I'm always hungry.

Sit awhile?

Sure.

Anything botherin' you?

I wanna quit college.

Right after the basketball season.

What for?

I gotta get a job.

I wanna marry Rae.

School's one thing, but...

You and Mom can't support Rae too.

Can't it wait till you graduate?

What good will a degree do me?

They're not hiring colored football coaches.

Not our color anyway.

Don't you want to play baseball this season?

What good will that do me?

Baseball's one sport they'll never let me in.

Yeah, it's your best sport too.

I wonder if there's any place

where they will let you in.

Here's one place nobody draws the color line.

Yeah... great job for a college man.

May not be a great job,

but it's steady.