42: The Best Baseball Movie Ever

Reggie Jackson, Willie Randolph, Dave Winfield, Willie Stargell, Lou Whitaker, Barry Bonds, Joe Carter, Darryl Strawberry, Eddie Murray, Rickey Henderson...I grew up as a kid in the 80's watching these men knowing nothing of segregation nor baseball's dark secret of discrimination.  The road to me and millions of other youth not knowing the difference in the color of skin vs the skill to hit or throw a ball was due directly in part to what happened in 1947.

Two men had the courage and bravery to break the "color barrier" after World War II and they were Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, ever synonymous with the #42.  The trials and pressure that Robinson had to endure would have crippled any regular man, but as was said in the movie, he must have been superhuman.

I won't go into detail about the movie as to not ruin anyone's experience, and I am sure some cinematic "license" was used for drama, but this movie not only seemed authentic but it had me in tears feeling for Jack several times.  At the end a flash of Derek Jeter wearing the #42 only served to remind me of how far the game and indeed this country have come from that time.  My greatest memories of baseball include men that wouldn't have been included in the major leagues in 1946...Jeter, Mo, Bernie, Soriano, C.C., Posada, ROBINSON Cano, even Chester Hayes...yes, I know some are hispanic,  but Robinson opened the door for all races and backgrounds for mainstream acceptance.

I strongly encourage you to see the movie 42.  It has now replaced Field of Dreams as my #1 baseball movie of all-time and I would honestly say that it is instantly in my top-10 overall.