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After Robinson broke the color barrier, the integration of the big leagues moved slowly. Four years after his debut, only six of the sixteen MLB teams had a Black player. The quote from the source emphasizes how gradual the change was; even though the barrier had been broken, most teams still resisted adding African American athletes. Still, baseball became one of the first major American organizations to officially challenge racial segregation. “Baseball certainly deserves credit for integrating the sport ahead of other major American institutions. But we often forget that the big leagues integrated at a snail’s pace after Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier. By 1951, only six of baseball’s 16 major league teams had a Black player” (Dreier).

Jackie Robinson’s actions during his rookie season proved he deserved his place in the MLB. He won Rookie of the Year, finished fifth in MVP voting, led the National League in stolen bases, and ranked second in runs scored. These accomplishments directly support the main idea that he elevated the game despite facing intense verbal abuse from opposing teams, coaches, and fans. With so many new players debuting every year, winning Rookie of the Year was a huge achievement. Being voted high on MVP ballots was even more impressive, considering the prejudice he faced. His statistics proved that African American players were just as talented—if not more talented—than many white players in the league. “Despite all of the adversity, Robinson persevered. He led the NL in stolen bases and finished second in runs scored. He eventually earned Rookie of the Year honors and came in fifth in the MVP voting,” (Brown Jr.).