The Ohio Daily Express

Between the Lines

Another world's series is ended and like most of those that went before it, ended in favor of the American league entries. As an insurable National league rooter, I am absorbing my annual humiliation and chagrin. The bitter dose is served every autumn and I am forced to drink to the very dregs.

The devotees of the National league may as well face the fact, the American league plays better baseball and he is exceedingly rash who seeks to minimize this fact.

The Yankees won because they are the best team in the world; and it was almost minor misfortune that they were matched with the hapless Brooklyn Dodgers. Of course Brooklyn won something far more important than a world series and that is the approbation of mankind. When they entered a team boasting of three Negro baseball celebrities, they struck a mighty blow for democracy in a world that is drunk with race prejudice and bigotry.

The world series was above all else a dramatization of the fact that the things of the spirit are the eternal verities of life.

It is difficult to conceive of a better way to dramatize the new spirit that is abroad in the world than by the spirit exhibited in the integration of Negroes into the great American pastime, so wonderfully exemplified in the world's series just ended. Even more dramatic than Joe Louis bursting the beak of some white man, proving his pugilistic prowess for the entertainment of mob-minded thousands. While Joe Louis is on exhibition once in a great while the Negro baseball players are on exhibition daily and before millions including millions of children who will not forget, even though their elders would have them forget.

The impression of a Jackie Robinson cavorting around second, or the matchless Campanella showing baseball catching at its best or, a Don Newcombe pitching his heart out with only two hits to help him lose a heartbreaker in the series opener, will last, as it were, forever! The world watched with bated breath while what is perhaps the finest greatest twentieth century drama unfolded before our astonished gaze.

But most important for this race is the fact that with three Negroes in its line up, and with millions praying for a Brooklyn victory, the Flatbush entry failed utterly to stand up before the onslaught of the Yankee team that played minus Negroes and within the stimulus of knowing that it was doing a big and godly thing. There was never a world's series where millions were pulling with more ardour and prayer than that series when not only baseball was being played but the finer spirits of mankind were being stirred.

But all the same the Dodgers went down and the Yankees went up. The whole affair goes to show that it takes more than prayer to achieve our objective as Negroes. Prayer did not carry these Negroes to their place of importance and fame and fortune. Negroes went into their first world's series because they could play baseball. Prayers doubtless had its place but prayer without skill is limited unmercifully. The prayer of 15 million Negroes could not turn the tide, when the Yankee bats began ringing on the Brooklyn pitching. Strangely enough the first game was lost to Brooklyn on one home run; yet the next day Brooklyn got three home runs and could not win. That seemed a little curious but the fact remained those Yankees were something terrible to behold.

Prayer has its place but it cannot take the place of science and ability. It is just as well for us as Negroes to ever bear this in mind.

The way toward our citizenship goal is tedious and tortuous - although prayer will at times stand us in good stead; but fine skills and preparation must not be overlooked or minimized.

Thursday, October 20, 1949

When Napoleon said that God was usually on the side with the finest artillery, he hardly meant more than that thorough preparation is a major factor in success. Being a Negro and being on the right side does not insure victory or the realization of our dreams. We must be able to outstrip our opponents in skill and preparation.

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Between the Lines-

said team faces those Yankees. It takes prayer plus to beat the Yan-

The prayers of 15 millions Ne- (concluded From page 2) not have that "plus", let us be

ponents if we would win the prize. kees! The Brooklyn Dodgers did

groes could not overcome the po- sure we have.

ory for our favored team when tency of these terrible Yankees.

I.F

Prayer wins, but not always vict-