Soul of the Game
Encyclopedia
Soul of the Game is a 1996
made-for-television movie about Negro league baseball
.
It starred Blair Underwood
as Jackie Robinson
, Delroy Lindo
as Satchel Paige
and Mykelti Williamson
as Josh Gibson
. The film depicts Paige and Gibson as the pitching and hitting stars, respectively, of the Negro Leagues in the period immediately following World War II
. Robinson is an up-and-coming player on Paige's team, the Kansas City Monarchs
.
, played by Edward Herrmann
, is the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers who is determined to integrate Major League Baseball
. He begins sending his scouts to Negro League games to find the best players. Rickey directs his scouts to look not only at playing ability but also at the players' maturity and capacity to withstand the hostility that is sure to be directed at the first black player in the Major Leagues.
Robinson gradually comes to Rickey's notice both for his skills on the field and his personal background. Although Paige and Gibson are far more prominent, Rickey decides to pass them over, concerned about Paige's age and reports about Gibson's mental stability. Rickey makes history by signing Robinson to the first contract between a black man and a Major League Baseball
franchise. This alienates Robinson from his two friends at first, until Paige enlists Robinson's help in getting Gibson temporarily released from a mental hospital so that the three men can all play in the annual exhibition game between the All-Stars of the Major Leagues and the Negro League. The game is rained out, but Paige and Gibson seem reconciled to Robinson's being signed ahead of them.
The movie concludes by showing scenes from Robinson's successful career with the Dodgers, as well as Paige's later signing by the Cleveland Indians
. Gibson died from a brain aneurysm at the age of 36 before he could ever play a game in the Major Leagues. All three men are later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1996 in film
Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
made-for-television movie about Negro league baseball
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
.
It starred Blair Underwood
Blair Underwood
Blair Underwood is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award...
as Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
, Delroy Lindo
Delroy Lindo
Delroy George Lindo is an English actor and theatre director. Lindo has been nominated for the Tony and Screen Actors Guild awards and has won a Satellite Award...
as Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime...
and Mykelti Williamson
Mykelti Williamson
Michael T. "Mykelti" Williamson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Buford Blue in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime drama Boomtown, and recently for appearing as the head of CTU for...
as Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Joshua Gibson was an American catcher in baseball's Negro leagues. He played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946...
. The film depicts Paige and Gibson as the pitching and hitting stars, respectively, of the Negro Leagues in the period immediately following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Robinson is an up-and-coming player on Paige's team, the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
.
Synopsis
Branch RickeyBranch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, played by Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann
Edward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
, is the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers who is determined to integrate Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He begins sending his scouts to Negro League games to find the best players. Rickey directs his scouts to look not only at playing ability but also at the players' maturity and capacity to withstand the hostility that is sure to be directed at the first black player in the Major Leagues.
Robinson gradually comes to Rickey's notice both for his skills on the field and his personal background. Although Paige and Gibson are far more prominent, Rickey decides to pass them over, concerned about Paige's age and reports about Gibson's mental stability. Rickey makes history by signing Robinson to the first contract between a black man and a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
franchise. This alienates Robinson from his two friends at first, until Paige enlists Robinson's help in getting Gibson temporarily released from a mental hospital so that the three men can all play in the annual exhibition game between the All-Stars of the Major Leagues and the Negro League. The game is rained out, but Paige and Gibson seem reconciled to Robinson's being signed ahead of them.
The movie concludes by showing scenes from Robinson's successful career with the Dodgers, as well as Paige's later signing by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Gibson died from a brain aneurysm at the age of 36 before he could ever play a game in the Major Leagues. All three men are later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.