SABR All-Time Eras Teams:
Integration Era (1947-1972)
Throughout the 2026 season, SABR members will have a chance to vote on SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams as we celebrate the 150 years of baseball and American history since the founding of the National League in 1876.
The All-Time Eras Teams project is an interactive opportunity for all SABR members to participate in, debate with one another, and learn more about the iconic players and figures from different eras.
- Voting period: July 24–August 10, 2026
- Zoom webinar: Tuesday, August 18 with a presentation by author Howard Bryant
Each of the six All-Time Eras Team ballots will be released throughout the baseball season. SABR members will be able to vote for players at every position on the diamond, as well as the top manager and executive from that era.
Each ballot period will culminate with a virtual Zoom webinar which includes a presentation covering that era of American history prior to the unveiling of the team chosen by our members. Zoom links will be sent out to all SABR members on the morning of each webinar.
Get an All-Time Eras Teams baseball card set!
Sign up as a new annual member during SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams membership drive using the code AllEras15 and you’ll receive an exclusive baseball card set of players across our All-Time Eras Teams, as well as a one-year membership discount! Join between April 7 and May 13 to qualify and save $15 off the cost of a one-year membership. Click here to learn more.
Current SABR members who refer two new members by May 13 will also receive an exclusive baseball card set featuring players selected to our All-Time Eras Teams! New members must use the discount code AllEras15 to qualify for this promotion.
If you have any questions about signing up for a new SABR membership, please email Jessica Smyth.
More about the Integration Era (1947-1972)
No one can doubt the immense courage shown by Jackie Robinson when he took his position at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947. Robinson was the first Black American to play what was then defined as major league baseball at a time when baseball was dominant in American culture — truly the National Pastime — but an institution which had been segregated by race.
Even after Robinson’s debut, however, it took 12 more years before every team in the American and National Leagues integrated. Robinson had by then completed his 10-year Hall of Fame playing career. There was gain, but there was loss as well: the vibrant Negro Leagues lasted only a few more years after that.
In addition to the players who played the game, baseball changed in many other monumental ways during this era — with franchise relocation, expansion, and the rise of the players union. The Giants and Dodgers moved west to California following the 1957 season and eight new teams were added in the 1960s, including one in Canada.
The era ended with a significant milestone: the US Supreme Court’s ruling in a case challenging baseball’s reserve clause, which tied players to their original team forever. Curt Flood’s landmark case helped set in motion the establishment of free agency for all major leaguers in the 1970s.
Further Reading
