Long-Term
African American players were treated unfairly by opponents, teammates, and fans, yet many overcame racism by excelling on the field. Larry Doby, another early barrier-breaker, had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before signing with the Cleveland Indians. Like Robinson, he faced hostility simply for being among the first Black athletes allowed into professional white baseball. Jackie Robinson endured abuse from crowds and players alike because many people were angry or uncomfortable with an African American competing in the MLB. “For example, many owners of major league teams rented their stadiums to Negro League teams when their own teams were on the road. Team owners knew that if baseball were integrated, the Negro Leagues would probably not survive losing their best players to the majors, major league owners would lose significant rental revenue, and many Negro League players would lose their livelihoods and negros did not have tier own stadiums,” (“ Breaking the Color Line”).
Short-Term
While conditions were harsh, some circumstances worked in favor of Negro League teams. MLB owners often rented out their stadiums to Negro League clubs whenever their own teams were on the road. Though Negro League teams lacked the revenue to own stadiums and had to wait to use them, owners allowed this because they knew these teams were the livelihood of many African American communities. Renting out stadiums was one of the few ways white owners acknowledged the unfairness Black players faced, although it still highlighted the difference in privilege: MLB teams always had immediate access to proper facilities, while Negro League teams did not. For example, “Black baseball became one of the more profitable businesses in some Black communities. It made a considerable contribution to an enclave economy composed of interrelated businesses that succeeded in response to forced segregation. ‘It was really a big deal, and sometimes people have no idea of how important these games were to the economics of not just baseball but to the community as a whole” (Brown).