SABR Digital Library: Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on the Page, Stage, and Screen
Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on the Page, Stage, and Screen
Edited by Ralph Carhart
Associate editors: Bill Nowlin, Carl Riechers, and Kate Nachman
Publication Date: April 12, 2022
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-970159-71-4, $6.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-970159-72-1, $19.95
8.5″ x 11″, 128 pages
Few athletes have sparked the creative imaginations of artists more than Jackie Robinson. His presence can be seen in cinema, on television and on stages, big and small; even tucked within the pages of written fiction. As we approach the seventy-fifth anniversary of Robinson’s integration of the Dodgers, he continues to inspire, including a recent appearance in the premiere episode of HBO’s groundbreaking Lovecraft Country.
Robinson’s tale serves as such ripe material for creatives because of how singular and inspiring it is. Over time, those creative representations have shaped the story of Jackie Robinson, taking him beyond his true, complicated personhood and elevating him to an inspirational symbol. The only other American athlete to ascend to the level of folklore is Babe Ruth, a son of immigrants whose “rags to riches” journey resonated with the hopes of early twentieth century Americans. Robinson’s tale, by contrast, embodies American society’s post-war aspirations for itself and the conflicts that would shape it, including the fight for civil rights and roles that education, athletics, the military, and professional sports played in racial integration.
Published by the SABR Digital Library, Not an Easy Tale to Tell looks at the stories behind the stories that have shaped the way we think about Jackie Robinson. Not only does it separate the fact from fiction, but it looks at why that fiction was created. It also posits the idea that sometimes the fiction is just as important. Contributors to this volume examine Robinson’s portrayals in Hollywood movies, children’s books, musicals and plays, and documentaries.
Artists keep returning to Robinson because he is one of the most inspirational figures of the twentieth century not in spite of, but because of his complexities. He did more than change the game of baseball—he changed America. By doing so, he inspired multiple generations of artists to look to him to help them tell their stories. In utilizing Robinson as a symbol, they invariably highlight, time and again, how his actual story is not an easy tale to tell.
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- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of Not an Easy Tale to Tell for $6.99 from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, MOBI, and EPUB/Kindle formats.
- Paperback: Get the paperback edition of Not an Easy Tale to Tell from the SABR Store ($24.95 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Kindle Direct Publishing can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
Below: Find essays from Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on the Page, Stage, and Screen
Essays
Contributors: Adam Berenbak, Milbert O. Brown Jr., Steve Butts, Ralph Carhart, Ray Danner, Bryan Dietzler, Raymond Doswell, Peter Dreier, Pat Ellington Jr., Sharon Hamilton, Tom Hawthorn, Leslie Heaphy, Tom Lee, Luisa Lyons, Adam C. MacKinnon, Nick Malian, Kate Nachman, Joshua Neuman, Bill Nowlin, Zac Petrillo, Carl Riechers, and Benjamin Sabin.