Before Jackie Robinson: The Unlikely Team That Fought Exclusion with Skill and Kindness
Description
On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Jackie Robinson changed Major League Baseball, a group of long-haired ballplayers from a religious commune in Michigan stepped onto fields where others weren’t welcome. Formed at the House of David in Benton Harbor, the team barnstormed the country and played with anyone who loved the game, including talented Black players shut out of the majors.
Their mix of skill, humor, and conviction made them one of the most recognizable teams of their era, and their willingness to stand beside excluded athletes helped shift attitudes long before the MLB integrated. Chris Siriano shares how this unlikely team left its mark on the history of baseball and on the early fight for equality.
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