On May 18, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his first career appearance in Chicago, in front of a sold out Wrigley Field crowd. It still remains the largest paid attendance in the ballpark’s history. When the Dodgers announced that Jackie Robinson would be playing for them that season, the Cubs players held a closed door vote about whether or not they would take the field when he came to Chicago. The final vote tally was not released, but the Cubs voted no. Their owner, Phillip Wrigley, also voted no. He was afraid that the white North Side neighborhood surrounding Wrigley Field would rebel and take it out on the Cubs. The players and owners were overruled by Commissioner Happy Chandler, who forced everyone to accept Robinson or be barred from the game.

[film courtesy of the Hazan family, via thearchivist.com)

(via roundingthirdandheadingforhome)