| Maury Allen wrote the biography of a major | | | | opposing player during spring training in 1947, |
| league ballplayer with deep roots back to his | | | | expecting the big league club to see his skill level |
| southern heritage. Dixie Walker became a fan | | | | and demand that he join the roster. This did not |
| favorite through his play on the field, but carries | | | | work of course, a petition was generated, and |
| the legacy of having been an opponent to the | | | | Walker sent a letter to Branch Rickey indicating |
| breaking of the color barrier in baseball. In his | | | | that he wanted to be traded. Maury points out |
| book titled Dixie Walker of the Dodgers: The | | | | that the letter never specifically stated that the |
| People's Choice, Maury Allen reviews this dual | | | | request was because he did not want to play |
| legacy. | | | | with Robinson, but that he felt he had become a |
| When the Brooklyn Dodgers, and specifically | | | | focal point in the controversy and a "scapegoat" |
| Branch Rickey, decided to have Jackie Robinson | | | | for all of the southern players in opposition. |
| on the roster for the 1947 season, it was said to | | | | Walker went on to play during the 1947 season |
| have been Walker who generated a petition to | | | | and apparently the on the field results were |
| team management in opposition of the move. | | | | enough to help overcome any of the tension that |
| Seasons prior to the fateful events of spring | | | | had existed during spring training. Winning (and |
| training in 1947, Walker had been dubbed as the | | | | money) helped soothe many of the challenges |
| successor to Babe Ruth in the Yankees lineup but | | | | that stood in the way of Jackie Robinson's |
| injuries and the arrival of a kid named Joe | | | | teammates. |
| DiMaggio made him expendable. After | | | | Maury had a chance to get to know Dixie Walker |
| accumulating decent career numbers with the | | | | years later while Walker was coaching. The |
| White Sox and Tigers, he was picked up by the | | | | common response to any inquiries into the |
| Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1940 season. With the | | | | situation was that in those times it was a natural |
| Dodgers he not only continued to hit the baseball, | | | | response to an attempt at integration, but after |
| but most importantly to fans, he always came | | | | getting to know Jackie he learned to respect him, |
| through when it counted against the rival New | | | | though they never became close friends. Walker |
| York Giants! | | | | also indicated that Robinson was not an easy |
| As things can happen in baseball and in life, things | | | | person to get to like no matter his race, |
| are not always what the might seem at first. | | | | competitiveness and personality had an impact on |
| According to this article written by Jack Cuddy | | | | a real friendship. |
| and carried here by the Modesto Bee, things | | | | Dixie Walker had a good season in 1947, but the |
| were looking up for Dixie Walker with a change at | | | | Dodgers still decided to trade him to Pittsburgh |
| the top of the Dodgers from Larry McPhail to | | | | prior to 1948. Speculation was always that he |
| Branch Rickey. According to Maury, McPhail was | | | | was traded because of the opposition to |
| the "George Steinbrenner of his day" and had a | | | | Robinson, however as Maury discovered by |
| lot of conflicts with Dixie because of the adulation | | | | speaking with Ralph Branca years later, it was |
| the fans and the media heaped upon him. After | | | | purely a baseball business decision. Walker was |
| the put downs and struggles with McPhail, things | | | | getting up there in years and was traded as a 37 |
| had to look better with new management. It was | | | | year old ballplayer in the twilight of a career. In |
| of course the efforts that Rickey made towards | | | | fact, he was finished in the majors just two |
| integration that would ultimately connect Walker | | | | years later. As Rickey always said "it's better to |
| and Robinson in the conflict that defined Walker's | | | | trade a player a year too soon than a year too |
| legacy. | | | | late". |
| It takes some effort to put these historical | | | | Maury worked with Susan Walker, Dixie's |
| situations in context from our current cultural | | | | daughter, when writing this book. She had no |
| point of view, but during Walker's playing career it | | | | knowledge of her father's career directly, but |
| was The Negro Leagues where African | | | | could only infer from the comments from the |
| Americans played the game, with a "separate but | | | | numerous inquirers who knew of Walker's |
| equal" type of mindset. Rickey was motivated for | | | | reputation as the guy who tried to block Jackie |
| a number of reasons to integrate the game, | | | | Robinson. Readers will get a great background on |
| including experiences with a former teammate, | | | | the family aspects of Walker's story, including his |
| stocking the farm system with high caliber | | | | wife Estelle who worked for Sonny Werblin |
| players, and financial reward at the gate. | | | | seeking out talent for the MCA radio show Your |
| Walker's perspective was of course very | | | | Hit Parade. |
| different, with pressures from business associates | | | | Maury Allen is able to identify the changing culture |
| in his Alabama hometown of Birmingham, as well | | | | that was taking place in the country during this |
| as a general sense throughout baseball that jobs | | | | time period, and how it was impacting the game |
| were at stake. Players on the margins had to be | | | | of baseball. It is a significant story that we do not |
| looking over their shoulders at this potential influx | | | | usually get to hear. |
| of quality ballplayers and wanted to make every | | | | You can find Maury at The to keep up with his |
| effort to save their own positions. | | | | current writings, and we look forward to any |
| Maury recalls a failed strategy that Rickey used in | | | | other books that he delivers in the future. |
| his integration attempts, using Robinson as an | | | | |