Jackson began and finished his career with the Athletics, who relocated to Oakland in 1968. Oakland was an industrial city that suffered after World War II and the expansion of suburbia. The city became increasingly poor and had to deal with racial tension between the African-American community and mostly white police force. The city also struggled with drugs and gang-related violence. Jackson acknowledged the difficulties Oakland was dealing with, “As well as we played, Oakland was going through some hard times, and we could never get that many people out; sometimes we couldn’t even fill the ballpark in the post-season” (Jackson 21). Oakland would eventually rebound in the 1990’s after Jackson’s retirement, led by an economic resurgence in the East Bay (Iwata). Jackson then signed with the Yankees in free agency before the 1977 season. The late-70’s and early-80’s for New York City was “the era when the city was edgy and dangerous” (White). The crime rate was rising and the area was suffering economically. The character of the city fueled the “Bronx Zoo” and the rowdy fans during Jackson’s Yankee years. Even with the 1990’s economic resurgence in America, New York’s crime rate and unemployment rate remained high (Johnson). Jackson desired to play baseball in California again and signed with the California Angels in 1982. Los Angeles was also a place that struggled with drugs, gangs, and racism. The city was going through a devastating crack epidemic in the 1980’s. Just six years after Jackson played for the Angels, riots sparked by the Rodney King beating tore the city apart. The rioting caused extensive damage over the course of three days, “disorder killed 55 people, injured almost 2,000, led to 7,000 arrests, and caused nearly $1 billion in property damage” (History.com).
Despite being a dominant player on the field, racism off the field surrounded Jackson. Jackson wasn’t the number one overall pick in the 1966 draft because he was dating out of his race and the Mets wanted to avoid social problems. In Double-A ball, Jackson had to live in army barracks with the other black players because it was still dangerous in the South. Even with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Jackson claimed, “prejudice and de facto segregation persisted in many of the places I passed through” (Jackson 287). Jackson acknowledged the racism and anti-Semitism in New York, even among the Yankees organization. Even though Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier nearly twenty years before Jackson played professional baseball, life was still difficult for black players. The 1970’s were the peak years for black players in the MLB, in 1975 nearly 26% of players were black (Cafardo). That number has slowly declined over the years, today just 8% of MLB players are black (Cafardo). There are less black superstars in baseball, instead the best African-American athletes play football and basketball.
Despite being a dominant player on the field, racism off the field surrounded Jackson. Jackson wasn’t the number one overall pick in the 1966 draft because he was dating out of his race and the Mets wanted to avoid social problems. In Double-A ball, Jackson had to live in army barracks with the other black players because it was still dangerous in the South. Even with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Jackson claimed, “prejudice and de facto segregation persisted in many of the places I passed through” (Jackson 287). Jackson acknowledged the racism and anti-Semitism in New York, even among the Yankees organization. Even though Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier nearly twenty years before Jackson played professional baseball, life was still difficult for black players. The 1970’s were the peak years for black players in the MLB, in 1975 nearly 26% of players were black (Cafardo). That number has slowly declined over the years, today just 8% of MLB players are black (Cafardo). There are less black superstars in baseball, instead the best African-American athletes play football and basketball.