Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson (Library of Religious Biography

by Gary Scott Smith

How faith sustained Jackie Robinson—both as an athlete and as an activist. The integration of Major League Baseball in 1947 was a triumph. But it was also a fight. As the first Black major leaguer since the 1880s, Jackie Robinson knew he was not going to be welcomed into America’s pastime with open arms. Anticipating hostility, he promised Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey that he would “turn the other cheek” during his first years in the league, despite his fiercely competitive disposition. Robinson later said that his faith in God had sustained him—giving him the strength he needed to play the game he loved at the highest level without retaliating against the abuse inflicted upon him by opposing players and fans. Faith was a key component of Robinson’s life, but not in the way we see it with many prominent Christian athletes today. Whereas the Tim Tebows and Clayton Kershaws of the sports world emphasize personal spirituality, Robinson found inspiration in the Bible’s teachings on human dignity and social justice. He grew up a devout Methodist (a heritage he shared with Branch Rickey) and identified with the theological convictions and social concerns of many of his fellow mainline Protestants—especially those of the Black church. While he humbly stated that he could not claim to be a deeply religious man, he spoke frequently in African American congregations and described a special affinity he and other Black Christians felt for the biblical character Job, who had also kept faith despite suffering and injustice. In his eulogy for Robinson, Jesse Jackson described Robinson as a “co-partner of God,” who lived out his faith in his civil rights activism, both during and after his baseball career. Robinson’s faith will resonate with many Christians who believe, as he did, that “a person can be quite religious and at the same time militant in the defense of his ideals.” This religious biography of Robinson chronicles the important role of faith in his life, from his childhood to his groundbreaking baseball career through his transformative civil rights work, and, in the process, helps to humanize the man who has become a mythic figure in both sports history and American culture.

Genres: Biography, Sports, Christian, Nonfiction

315 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2022

About the author

Gary Scott Smith chaired the History Department and coordinated the Humanities Core at Grove City College where he taught from 1978 to 2017. His specialty is American religious history, and he is an avid sports fan. In 2001, he was named Pennsylvania Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He is the author or editor of nineteen books. His books include Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush (Oxford University Press, 2006), Heaven in the American Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2011), Religion in the Oval Office: The Religious Lives of American Presidents (Oxford University Press, 2015), Suffer the Children: What We Can Do to Improve the Lives of the World’s Impoverished Children (Cascade Books, 2017), and religious biographies of Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Jackie Robinson, and Hillary Clinton. His most recent book is The Greatest of All-Time: Fifteen Fantastic Athletes. Smith is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He served five congregations as an interim or stated supply pastor and is currently a parish associate at Saint Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Unhappy with his experience [playing for a Negro League team in Kansas City], Robinson planned to quit the Monarchs at the end of the 1945 season, return to California and marry Rachel, and take a job as a high school coach. Branch Rickey and God, however, had different plans for him." -- page 35

Smith's Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson covers much of the same territory as the outstanding 42 Faith: The Rest of the Jackie Robinson Story from 2017, so this newer book unfortunately does not bring a lot of new or startling information to light on the topic. However, it was still a well-written and thorough examination of how Robinson's serene but strong Christian beliefs (plus the constant love and support from his wife Rachel, an exceptional and accomplished person in her own right) sustained him during various difficult times in his regrettably brief 55 years of life - the childhood / teenage years in Pasadena, college (*he lettered in four sports at UCLA - I've known this detail for years but still think it's an amazing testament to his athletic abilities), military service during WWII, but then focusing mostly on breaking major league baseball's 'color barrier' with the fabled Brooklyn Dodgers and then his final two abbreviated decades as a father / business executive / civil rights crusader. I also admired this 1963 quote of his that I read for the first time in the book - "I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I vote for the people who I believe in, regardless of their party affiliation" - because it translates just as well to the present day. For Robinson completists it is not to be missed, but for fair-weather fans I'd recommend the aforementioned 42 Faith.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A biography on this pioneer Hall of Famer who desegregated Major League Baseball, devoted his post-playing years to civil rights activism, all sustained by his active faith.

As a lifelong baseball fan, this is not the first Jackie Robinson biography I’ve read. The one I read when I was a young fan focused on his exploits on the field, his courage and restraint in breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, and how his play contributed to several pennants and a World Series victory. As this book makes clear, Robinson not only needed to be both courageous and self-controlled to face racist treatment, he needed to be good–and he was. He was fast and daring on the base paths, a great fielder, and could deliver hits and bunts in clutch situations. He was a great all-round ballplayer deserving of Hall of Fame status simply on those merits.

This book added to the portrait of Robinson in several ways. Most importantly, it reveals him as a man of deep faith, who like Augustine had a godly mother and his own Ambrose in the form of a Methodist pastor, Karl Downs, who rescued him from gang life in Pasadena. Later, as he faces intense pressure and vitriol, he testifies, “Many nights I get down on my knees and pray for the strength not to fight back.” This and the support of his wife Rachel made all the difference for a proud man whose natural instinct was to fight back. Yet Smith also shows how Rachel went beyond standing by Robinson to pursue her own career as a nurse-therapist and professor.

Gary Scott Smith also fleshes out the vital role Branch Rickey played in Robinson’s life. Smith goes into the Methodist faith the two men shared, a critical factor in Rickey deciding to sign Robinson. Rickey was both a deeply religious man in Smith’s account and a sharp (and parsimonious) baseball entrepreneur. It was Rickey’s counsel he followed in not fighting back against spiking, knockdown pitches, and crude racial insults. When Rickey died in 1965 he said of Rickey: “He talked with me and treated me like a son.” The treatment of Rickey is so interesting that I would love to see Smith follow up this book with a full length biography on Rickey, perhaps as part of this Library of Religious Biography series.

What also distinguishes this book is the account it gives of Robinson’s post-baseball career as a tireless activist for civil rights through newspaper columns that did not hesitate to criticize presidents of either party, through public addresses including messages in hundreds of churches, marching on the front lines in places like Selma. At the same time, Robinson was not a “movement activist.” While honored by the NAACP with its Spingarn award, he did not hesitate to differ with others like Paul Robeson over communism or Dr. King over Vietnam. Some accused him of being an “Uncle Tom” for his relationship with Nelson Rockefeller, motivated by both political and business considerations, and his support in 1960 for Richard Nixon.

Vietnam would contribute to tragedy in Robinson’s life. His son Jackie, Jr. returned with addiction problems but the book makes clear the strains on the father-son relationship between the two. Sadly, just as Jackie, Jr. started to get his life on track as well as his relationship with his father, he died in an auto accident, just a year before Jackson himself passed.

That leads to my one question about this book, that the author doesn’t discuss how such a fine athlete as Robinson died at age 53, just sixteen years after retirement, suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and nearly blind. Others have discussed the disparate impacts of racism on health and the effects of his repressed anger and racial traumas on his health. Pictures of Robinson show him with hair turning white in his last playing years. Robinson bore on his body in many ways, externally and internally, the trauma of racism, and perhaps this might have been further developed in this work.

Smith portrays Robinson’s faith as “muscular,” and apart from those bedside prayers concerned more about moral and social uplift of his people, expressed in his tireless work. Even in his last years, with failing health, he was grateful for God’s blessings. Yet, he was infrequent in church attendance, and Smith notes the evidence of extra-marital affairs. After his first two years, he was more aggressive in defending himself on the field, having fulfilled his agreement with Rickey. Yet there is a thread running through the course of his life, shown by Smith of a faith that sustained and strengthened Robinson. What resulted was some of the most significant civil rights leadership in the twentieth century delivered in the form of a stellar athlete (no one since has stolen home more than the 19 times he did this) and a courageous champion. His faith, courage, and perseverance are worth emulation.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Review of the Audiobook

Published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in October of 2022.
Read by Shamaan Casey.
Duration: 10 hours, 57 minutes.
Unabridged.

Jackie Robinson.

He is an icon of sports. And politics. And American history.

All fans of baseball know at least the broad strokes of the story of Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) and how he integrated baseball. This book offers a detailed re-telling of that story with a twist - a look at how Jackie Robinson's faith led him to this path and helped sustain him.

Robinson's early life, his time in service during World War II and his college sports career and his relationship with his wife are all covered. The biggest single part of the book is, appropriately, the story of how he and Branch Rickey (the head of the Brooklyn Dodgers) worked together to integrate Major League Baseball in 1947. The book also looks at how Rickey's faith led him to act to make the world a more just place by acting in such a symbolic manner.

I am not going to go through all of the details of Robinson's life - that's what the book is for. This book covers it all pretty thoroughly right up until his death in 1972. Sometimes, it was a little slow and repetitive about how Robinson demonstrated his faith. On the whole, though, it was a good listen.

The audiobook was read by Shamaan Casey. He had a perfect voice deep solemn voice for narrating this book. The only complaint I had was that he mispronounced several people's names, including singer/civil rights activist Harry Belafonte and baseball players Orel Hershisher and Derek Jeter. I don't look at this as necessarily the fault of the reader - if you don't know the name, you don't know the name. In my mind, the producer or director of the audiobook should have caught and corrected the mistakes.

I rate this audiobook 4 stars out of 5.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I enjoy listening to biographies to learn about different people and how they impacted our world, no matter the focus. I’m not a big fan of sports events or personnel, but I can say that the name Jackie Robinson often bubbles to the top with others like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and many others who affected Major League Baseball. Yet, I can honestly say, this is the first biographical piece I have listened to involving Mr. Robinson and I found it fascinating. “Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson” was written by Gary Scott Smith and exceptionally narrated by Shamaan Casey. The audiobook was both an eye opener as to the greatness, even outside of baseball, along with much tragedy this one man had to endure during his life. Even though there may be many other works covering Mr. Robinson’s life, this one seemed to be a more focused view of his religious influences and his overall faith in God no matter the situation, good or bad. If you are one that likes biographies or want to learn more about America’s number one sport of baseball history, I recommend you give this audiobook a listen. Even if you have previously studied this man, I think you will also learn something new about the person who desegregated Major League Baseball in a time of horrific race wars.

For me, I was mostly taken back by the battles this man fought to see Major League Baseball desegregated and what he had to endure for this to come to fruition, by no means was this an easy task. As he started to achieve success in this goal, many from his own race began turning on him and even call him a sellout. It seemed like he would never be able to win, and much of his life was plagued by these perceived swings in his alliances. I found his joining with the Jewish community to unify the races quite fascinating as the Jews were also a people group being segregated for their heritage. However, in all this turmoil, Jackie would hold fast to his God and believe that he was destine for greatness only by the power of his creator. Even with this belief, Jackie would work and train harder than many others knowing that such worldly changes require focus and effort along with the level of scrutiny he would be under. While listening, you begin to see the mental and physical scars this man had, and this did not even account for the tragedy he would face in his own life with the loss of one of his children.

I was a bit nervous when I started listening as I felt it was going to overlay a more modern view of racism on top of this historic person. The introduction had me worried that the book would only focus on race, and we would not get an overall perspective on this man who made history, not only in Major League Baseball, but also in his many life endeavors. It was quickly apparent that his faith is what drove his decisions and supported him in his trials. Even though some of his theology took a backseat to his social/political efforts, he still held fast to his beliefs. I found the section covering his early years, often involved in both gangs and some form of trouble fascinating. In his later years, he used these earlier life experiences to help those that were in a simular situation. I was quite amazed at the number of failed and successful enterprises he started after his baseball career along with his popularity being used to lead some of the US leaders around politics and the divide of race.

For the audiobook’s nearly eleven hours, the author kept me engaged and wanting to listen to more about this man and his role in making history. The writing and flow of the audiobook was well thought out and researched. Again, with me not being a big Major League Baseball fan, I was still captivated by all that this one man was involved in and the many trials he faced from an early age up until his death. I found the author’s focus on the religious side of this man also refreshing and enlightening. The only negative aspect is the author’s overuse of the acronym MLB instead of using the full term of Major League Baseball. In the audiobook’s narration this began to get on my nerves by the time I reached the end of the book. Maybe it could have been addressed by the narrator, but I understand why they stick to the text alone.

Let me turn my attention to the audiobook’s narration in this part of the review. I have listened to quite a few of Shamaan Casey’s works and I can say that, from a narration perspective, have enjoyed them all. I like his smooth and deep voice which flows gently as one listens. I do recall one or two spots where the audio appeared to have been patched/plugged, but both times were not anything that pulled me out of the story. The audio volume was overall consistent and for its length, it seemed to have been recorded all in one sitting, which I’m sure was not the case. This shows both professionalism and skill in the work of the narrator. Always a narrator I will listen to for years to come.

For parents and younger listeners, I would say that this biography could be enjoyed by most ages. There are a few heaver aspects around his political and religious events that may not be easily understood by younger audiences. Other than that, I think anyone will learn something new about this historic man and I would recommend it to any who may be interested.

In summary, a biography that can be enjoyed by people even if they do not love the sport. His work in changing the game of baseball was only the tip of the iceberg when held up to all that he accomplished during his life. The narration was right up there with some of the best, and I do like the deeper and suave voice of Mr. Casey. If you give this audiobook a chance, I guarantee you will learn something new about this great man of not only baseball history, but US history as well.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to the 1947 season, Major League Baseball was a whites-only affair. There wasn't anything in the by-laws of the leagues, but it was a "gentleman's agreement" that no team would sign black players or even players who were darker-skinned. While the major leagues and even the minor leagues offered a white-washed product, there was the alternative Negro Leagues. There were some really great players in those leagues, people like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. Things began to change in the 1940s because Branch Rickey, President of the Brooklyn Dodgers decided to cross the invisible line. The question was, who should he turn to in order to make this happen? It would take a special person to take on the challenge, knowing that the opposition would be fierce and likely even violent.

Enter Jackie Robinson, a young man who not only fought in World War II but became an officer, attended college at Pasadena Junior College and UCLA, where he starred in sports, and was a person of faith. In fact, he was a Methodist, just like Branch Rickey.

Jackie Robinson's story has been told before. In fact, I read/reviewed Jackie Robinson: A Spiritual Biography: The Faith of a Boundary-Breaking Hero by Michael Long and Christ Lamb. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, which covered much of the same ground as this volume by historian Gary Scott Smith. Both biographies emphasize Robinson's faith as well as his baseball exploits. Both are worth reading.

The author of this effort is Gary Scott Smith, professor of history emeritus at Grove City College. He is the author of eighteen books and was named in 2001 the Pennsylvania Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Throughout this biography, Smith highlights Robinson's role as a trailblazer and the challenges he faced before, during, and after his history-changing decision to become the first black to play in the major leagues since the late 19th century. While Smith highlights the many ways in which Robinson broke new ground for others, he also seeks to address the myth/legend surrounding Robinson, so that he can be seen as he was, a brave human being. While he was the first, there were others who quickly followed, especially Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians. Nevertheless, his role in integrating baseball not only changed baseball but would prove to be a giant step in the movement of civil rights in the United States. His demeanor and professionalism, along with his gifted athletic prowess, made it possible for others to follow in his footsteps. In fact, he was chosen to be the first to cross the line because he had the qualities necessary to make this happen.

One of the myths surrounding Robinson is that he was not affected by the abuse and threats that accompanied him, together with the fact that in many cities he could not stay with the team. The fact is, he was a proud man who struggled with Rickey's requirement that he not fight back. Rickey would draw upon the common faith that linked the two men to encourage him to go the distance and not give up, something he thought about regularly.

It's amazing to read about the horrific treatment directed at him. He faced hostile crowds, opposing managers and players who tried to run him off the field by throwing at his head or spiking him. At a time when many whites are resisting a narrative that highlights the roadblocks placed in the way of persons of color, this is a book that will prove challenging. The picture painted here is not pretty, and yet by drawing on a deep faith, Robinson persevered. It should be noted that Robinson was not an evangelical. He was a progressive Mainline Protestant. Originally a Methodist he ended up in the United Church of Christ. While it was his prowess on the field that gave him the opportunity to play baseball, he used that platform to further the cause of civil rights. He took advantage of opportunities to speak and write columns for both black and white-owned papers.

As we ponder Jackie's role in all of this, Smith also highlights the important role of Rachel Robinson, his wife, who was a person of courage and determination herself. Not only did she support Jackie throughout these difficult years, but she pursued her own career as a nurse and later psychiatric nurse. After his death, she founded several institutions to carry on his legacy. All of this is revealed in this wonderful biography.

Baseball may not be as important to American life as it was at the midpoint of the twentieth century, but the legacy of Jackie Robinson lives on. He paved the way for people like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and many more. To know that faith was central to all of this is important to note. Thus, we can be thankful that Gary Scott Smith took up the task.

[Paul Sutter]

Not too long before I began this book, Major League Baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson Day, an annual event that pays tribute to one of the most inspirational and iconic players who ever stepped onto a baseball field. His courage, perseverance and faith changed the sport forever.
In STRENGTH FOR THE FIGHT THE LIFE AND FAITH OF JACKIE ROBINSON, author Gary Scott Smith looks at the world of Robinson, his struggles, but most of all how his faith was one of the defining factors of his life, giving him the strength to continue his dream, no matter what was happening around him.
It is common knowledge and has been reported in many other publications, how difficult others made it for Robinson to succeed. He was an elite athlete, in fact the only person inducted into both The Baseball Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. The book does cover many aspects of Robinson’s life, such as time spent in the service for his country during the Second World War, college life, and how his wife was pivotal in keeping him grounded in so many ways.
The odds seemed against him about fulfilling his baseball dreams, until Branch Rickey manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Robinson to play for his team. Of course the public outrage was overwhelming, and even members of his own team did not want to play alongside him. Taunts from fans and opposing players were deafening, but Robinson answered with his spectacular baseball play.
The highlights of his life before, during and after his playing career, often covering what was also public notice, but adding the spiritual aspect, presents another dimension to Robinson. The fact that Jesus was forgiving of those who sinned against him, gave Jackie his own motives for accepting the grievous responses, and kept him holding his head high and proud for his entire baseball career. After he retired, he participated in civil rights marches, was active in political circles, with his faith unshaken and belief in the goodness of people intact. Although he died in 1972, his wife Rachel continued his dreams with the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and other charitable organizations. STRENGTH FOR THE FIGHT is a must-read for sports fans and anyone seeking a book of a great athlete’s life and the role of faith in that life.

[Will Whitmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this is a really good read. The author seeks to approach Robinson’s life from the perspective of his faith, but also his work to promote civil rights. I appreciated that the majority of the text emphasized these two things. However, the author himself recognizes that Robinson spoke little of his own faith, in regards to depth or motivation, and at times this thin self reflection/source material available is noticeable.