Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting

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Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting The play “Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting” by Ed Schmidt starts off in the Hotel Roosevelt, in midtown Manhattan. So basically Banch Rickey the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers is trying to bring Jackie Robinson who is second baseman for the Montreal Royals, a black player to be part of Brooklyn Dodgers. He invited Joe Louis, Paul Robeson and Bill Robinson to the meeting, to decide whether Jackie will be part of Brooklyn Dodgers or not. After reading the whole script it seems that Rickey wants to do things his way for selfish reasons, to get fame and money while Robeson wants to do it for altruistic ones. This paper discusses about Rickey’s intention, why he chooses Jackie as his prey to gain fame and money. Paul trying to explain his point to Rickey on the fact that there are other brilliant players in the team but why Rickey only wants Jackie. Rickey needs their support because he thinks that their opinions are influential in the Negro community. Paul Robeson is right because he wants to bring up not just an athlete but an entire black team together with the black ownership. Rickey has already decided himself and told Jackie that he is part of the Dodgers team no matter what the decision is, but he tells him to keep quite while he convinces other members in the meeting. He said “you’re moving up the varsity. Congratulations, son. From this day forward, it’s Rickey and Robinson. Whether in Ebbets Field or Sportsman’s Park or the ninth floor of the Hotel Roosevelt, we win or lose together. There’s no black or white any more. Only one color matters: Dodger blue” (Schmidt, 13) this clearly states that to Rickey had other things running in his mind but he didn’t wanted Jackie to know about it. Rickey said “we have no choice. One misstep and everything we’ve worked for is lost” (Schmidt, 13). Rickey had plans laid out but he needs Jackie to
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