- 0:00:00 Backdrop of the 40’s
- Real-time footage of current events of the time period, including the conclusion of World War II and the return of some of the best players in the baseball.
- 0:01:21 Wendell Smith writing about African American service men
- More real-time footage of the segregation occurring in the country at the time. Describes the negro leagues and the success of black players in those leagues. Introduces Jackie Robinson as being the first African American to enter White Baseball. Dropping the number of white players from 400 in 1945 to 399 in 1946.
- 0:02:30 Brooklyn New York, Branch Rickey’s office
- Rickey is reading a newspaper and first states that he “will bring a negro player into baseball†to the astonishment of his colleagues. They speak of the code of baseball versus the fact that there is no explicit law against black players in baseball. Rickey brushes off the fact that he will be an outcast.
- 0:04:50 Birmingham, Alabama Negro League game
- First glimpse of Robinson in action with his signature unusual movement on the bases. He steals third, then steals home after being taunted by the catcher.
- 0:05:39 Monarchs’ bus driving through Missouri
- Pull into a gas station and the white attendant will not allow Robinson to use the bathroom. Robinson refuses to give into the racism, standing up for the injustice he sees in not allowing him to use the bathroom. White attendant gives in and allows him to. Dramatic, triumphant music ensues like he had just won a small battle.
- 0:07:21 Choosing which Negro League player to sign to the Dodgers
- Specific reference to Satchel Page is made, but Rickey refuses because he is too old, claiming “they need a player of the future, not the past.†The viewer then learns of Jackie’s time at UCLA and in the army where he was court martialed. Abruptly cuts to a scene of Robinson washing his face as Rickey discusses his temper and his resentment of segregation. Speaks of his Methodist background.
- 0:08:45 Robinson is “called up†to the Big Leagues
- Rickey’s man is sent to find Jackie and bring him to Brooklyn.
- 0:09:03 Rickey and Robinson meet for the first time
- Rickey lays out his plan to integrate baseball and asks Jackie if he is up for the challenge. Goes over the financial terms of the deal to Robinson’s astonishment. He explains the need for Jackie to control his temper towards the fans and especially the media. Rickey then says he wants someone “with the guts not to fight back.â€
- 0:12:50 Will you marry me?
- Jackie calls his girlfriend Rachel to let her know he has an offer to play for the Dodgers. Introduces Rachel as a key character in the film and shows that she is in this with him.
- 0:14:07 Post-wedding
- Jackie and Rachel talk outside of their hotel room about being happy. Rachel says she will follow Jackie anywhere, reaffirming the fact that she is a key component to the success of the integration of baseball.
- 0:15:38 Seat give-away in New Orleans
- On the way to spring training, Rachel sees her first “White Only†bathroom sign. She disregards the sign and goes in anyway. They then find out that their seats have been given to a white couple with the excuse that they have to lighten the plane because of storms. The flight attendant then threatens to call the police.
- 0:17:21 Arrival at spring training
- Wendell meets Jackie and Rachel at the bus stop where he explains his role as their “Boswell.†Jackie appears reluctant and suspicious even though Wendell is polite to the couple. They are taken to Joe and Duff Harris’s house, where he finds out that he was unable to stay in a hotel but that is staying here because it means something to the local community. Rachel finds out she is the only wife allowed at spring training.
- 0:19:39 First Dodger spring training
- Jackie shows his dislike for the media when Wendell asks him how he feels. Wendell prepares Jackie for some of the tough questions reporters are bound to ask him. The white reporters surround him as he is making his way towards the field, asking him similar questions to what Wendell said they will.
- 0:22:00 Jackie Meets Clay Hopper
- Rickey introduces the two and then cuts to a scene of Rickey asking Hop why he’s not playing Jackie at shortstop. Rickey wants to make sure the other guys treat Jackie the same way they would any other guy. Cuts to a scene of Jackie making a diving catch at second. Hop tells Rickey not to get carried away because he is black.
- 0:24:16 Sanford, Florida
- Mr. Brock proclaims Jackie to be a hero especially to the black children of the town. Jackie wants to be just a ball player, but he is something more.
- 0:25:12 Brooklyn vs Montreal scrimmage
- Scene opens with a 10-year-old black child and his mother going into the game in the colored section. Jackie is announced as the next up to bat, to which the white fans boo and the black fans cheer. The boy prays for Jackie to have a hit. The scene continues after Jackie gets walked where he does his classic dance off the base before stealing second and third to the delight of the black fans and Rickey. Jackie gets into the Dodgers pitcher’s head before he balks and Jackie is able to go home. He “discombobulated the man.â€
- 0:31:38 Wendell and Mr. Brock on the porch
- Old white man comes and warns the two about a mob looking for Jackie. Refers to him as a “negro ballplayer†and tells them that the people of Sanford are not happy with him being there “playing ball with white boys.â€
- 0:33:46 The Great Escape
- Wendell wakes Jackie and has him pack up his things. Adhering to Rickey’s wishes, he does not tell him why he has woken him up late at night and made him pack up. Jackie is sulking in the car, thinking he has just been cut from the squad. Wendell drives like a maniac to get Jackie to Daytona Beach. Jack starts giggling and is relieved to find out he has not been cut.
- 0:35:22 Back to baseball (sort of)
- Jackie makes a great play, running over the catcher at the plate to score. In Deland, Florida, the police officer says it is against the law to for blacks to play with whites. Arrogantly proclaims he has to leave the field.
- 0:37:02 Not all whites are bad
- Jackie describes what happens at the field that day. The couple is approached by a white man who aggressively walks over to them. He instead praises Jackie for his efforts and tells him many in the community are pulling for him
- 0:37:57 Earning a spot
- Rickey tells Jackie he has made the team. Jackie is excited by the opportunity and is very grateful for the chance. He then questions Rickey’s intentions, where he says he is in the “baseball business†and wants to put together a team that can win the World Series. Jackie claims it doesn’t matter what he believes, just what he does.
- 0:40:06 Jackie, the Hero
- We see the true impact Jackie has on young black baseball players. He realizes he is a role model and tosses a young boy the ball, who then chases after the train.
- 0:41:30 Opening Day for the Robinson family
- Rachel realizes she is pregnant and then comes out to see Jackie hit a home run on his very first at bat. Which leads to Wendell typing away on his typewriter. Hop starts to come around and says, “he may be superhuman after all.â€
- 0:44:20 Jackie, Jr.
- The scene cuts to eight months later when the baby is born and the season is now over. Jackie describes some of his past like the fact his father left the family when he was only six months old. Saying he doesn’t remember anything, good or bad, about him. He tells his baby, “you will remember me.â€
- 0:45:25 Leo gets the call
- Manager Leo Durocher tells Rickey he doesn’t care about the fact that Robinson is black. He tells him he will play an elephant if he will help them win. Money is the only thing that matters, and winning is what makes the money.
- 0:46:52 Spring training 2nd Year
- Jackie says goodbye to his newborn and Rachel as he is ready to leave for spring training. Rachel gives him an extra urge of confidence.
- 0:48:19 The petition and a new position
- Cuts to a scene with Dodgers players complaining about being in Panama because there are large black crowds at the game. They then sign the “Brooklyn Dodger Declaration of Independence,†which is a petition to keep Jackie off the team. Some guys are not as into the petition as the others. Jackie then finds out he will be moved to first base.
- 0:49:45 Stank Denies the Petition
- More talk about the petition, but “Stank†(Eddie Stanky) refuses to sign.
- 0:50:10 Practicing at first as the petition continues
- Dodgers fielding coach teaches Jackie how to play first, helping him try to get used to the new glove. Cutting to scenes with guys signing the petition, as Jackie becomes more comfortable with playing first base.
- 0:52:07 Rickey speaks to Leo about the petition
- Leo proceeds to call a team meeting in the kitchen, where he lays into the guys about it. Tells them they can “wipe their asses with the petition.†Leo tells them he could care less what color Jackie is and tells them if he can play he will be on the team. Continues by saying more will follow his lead and are very talented.
- 0:54:48 Scolding by Rickey
- Rickey speaks with a player about not recanting his part in the petition. When Regan refuses and tells him his friends in Alabama will never forgive him. Rickey tells him he will accommodate him as long as he plays hard until the trade comes.
- 0:55:27 Wendell’s explanation
- Jackie is met by Wendell at the train station to his annoyance and refuses to speak to him in the car. Wendell explains to Jackie why he is not allowed in the press box and tells him he is not the only one with something on the line. Jackie tells Wendell he doesn’t like “needing someone†and he doesn’t want to rely on someone else for help.
- 0:58:08 Leo gets suspended
- Rickey is annoyed with what the reporters are writing about Robinson starting the season in Montreal. He then receives a call from the commissioner of baseball telling him that Leo will be suspended because of his affair with a married actress. The Catholic Youth Association will not attend games if he is not suspended. Rickey is beside himself about the news.
- 1:00:31 Search for a New Manager
- Rickey listens to a radio broadcast about the Dodgers search for a new manager.
- 1:01:02 Dodgers Contract
- Jackie receives a phone call to come into the office to sign a contract. Scene cuts to him in Rickey’s office signing the contract with the rest of the Dodgers front office watching. It ends with a shot of Jackie and Rachel overlooking the city proclaiming their love for each other.
- 1:02:49 Opening Day, April 15, 1947
- Passively enters the Dodgers locker room. Receives negative looks from many of the players but handshakes and welcomes from some others. Gets a makeshift locker since the equipment manager just found out about the arrival. Views his jersey number for the first time to a backdrop of triumphant / heroic music. As he enters the field the cheers from the colored section overpower the boos from the whites.
- 1:05:32 The national anthem
- Prior to the game, the national anthem is played in full. Showing various panoramas of the stands and more specifically Wendell and Rachel on separate occasions. Close up on Jackie at the conclusion of the tune.
- 1:06:59 A blank page
- Voice of the Dodgers Vin Scully opens the game with a backdrop of the previous season’s record. Makes a joke about Robinson’s skin color as he goes up to bat. Jackie is intentionally called out by the umpire, setting the stage for racism in all aspects of the sport.
- 1:08:23 New manager
- Cuts to Rickey’s office as he tries to get Burt Shotten to come out of retirement to manage the Dodgers. Pulls out all the stops to convince him and finally does after a lengthy conversation.
- 1:10:30 Introduction to the team
- Shotten introduces himself as the new manager. Has an awkward first speech and tells them he cannot hurt them but forgets who they are playing.
- 1:11:32 Press Box
- Jackie hits his first homerun. The writers make fun of the one prejudiced writer who claims that black players have a longer heel bone which will run the white man out of baseball.
- 1:12:30 Nanny scene
- Pointless scene where the nanny is a bit late to babysit so Rachel can attend the game.
- 1:13:06 Brotherly love
- Jackie’s first at bat sees Chapman, the Phillies manager, attack Jackie with racial slurs before throwing the first and second pitches at his head. Some of the Dodgers players react positively to the pitch. Jackie ignores the criticism and returns to the bench but with an angry and unsettled look. Scene continues with Jackie’s next at bat during which Chapman does the same thing. This time harassing some of the Dodgers players. Jackie eyes up Chapman with conflictive music playing but returns to the dugout instead of allowing for an altercation
- 1:18:09 Unleashing anger
- Goes into the tunnel with the bat and smashes it against the wall. This is the first time we see the true inner turmoil he is feeling because of all the stress caused by the racial tensions. Rickey comes into the scene and explains the perception in the media if he were to react to the brutal racism. Says Jackie is the only one who can handle this and the way to get back at them is to play well.
- 1:21:23 Stank sticks up for Jackie
- Jackie goes up for his third at bat and receives the same treatment from Chapman. Spider Jorgenson jogs over and tries to get Chapman to stop with the racist banter, saying he knows Jackie cannot fight back so he should pick on someone who can. The scene continues with Jackie hitting a single and doing his famed dance off the base before stealing second and reaching third on an error. He then scores the first run of the game on a single. Jackie returns to the dugout and thanks Stank for helping him, clearly surprised that he did so.
- 1:25:38 Chapman explains himself
- Chapman describes the tactics to reporters afterwards, acting like it is no big deal. Says he does it to Jewish and Italian players, listing specific examples and explains all is forgotten afterwards.
- 1:26:10 Never back down
- Scene begins with Jackie alone in the team shower. Cuts to him explaining to Rachel that he doesn’t want to make friends or even gain respect, he just doesn’t want them to beat him. Rachel shows her strong will and says they will never do so.
- 1:27:07 Hollering Harold
- Rickey laughs at the fact that Harold is so worked up over the way Chapman treated Jackie. Continues by explaining that the manager is helping him out by creating sympathy towards Robinson in the eyes of the public. Bragen comes into the office and asks to stay on the team because he now accepts Jackie as a teammate.
- 1:28:49 Trade to Pittsburgh
- Higby gets traded to Pittsburgh. Angrily says “this is not the America he knows, land of the free, home of the brave†while looking at Jackie.
- 1:29:34 Herb speaks to Rickey
- The owner of the Phillies calls and tells him that Jackie is not allowed to play in Philly. Will not even refer to Jackie by name and instead refers to him by “that nigger.†Rickey angrily responds to him with a religious metaphor before hanging up on him.
- 1:30:58 Not welcome in the Philly hotel
- The hotel manager refuses the entire team from staying in the hotel. After one of the guys takes a shot at Jackie, he angrily responds explaining he has no control over the situation. The team gets into an argument over the fact they are being denied. There are clearly some deeper issues amongst the players that need to be worked out.
- 1:33:13 Herb scolds Chapman
- The Phillies owner reads an article to Chapman that was written proclaiming that he is an enemy to this country. Herb makes him apologize to Jackie on the field before the game later that evening.
- 1:34:03 The apology picture
- Scene opens with Harold explaining that Chapman wants to take a photo with Jackie before the game for the media. This will be an “example that even the most hardened men can change.†Jackie wants to do it on the field so everyone can see it. Jackie has them hold a bat for the picture -- “that way we don’t have to touch skin†he says.
- 1:36:15 Boom headshot
- Ostermueller beans Jackie in the head with a pitch. A fight breaks out with him proclaiming Jackie does not belong in the major leagues. This is the first time the entire team sticks up for Jackie after an ugly play that was racially driven.
- 1:37:12 Rachel is not happy
- Jackie must console Rachel on the way home from the stadium. She says, “if they knew you they would be ashamed,†as she thinks back to what happened during the game
- 1:37:42 Pee Wee Gets a Letter
- Pee Wee Reese shows Rickey a piece of hate mail he received from someone in his home state of Kentucky. Rickey laughs at his inquiry and pulls out multiple folders filled with hate mail to Jackie. Says he should be proud that he has stuck up for Jackie. Pee Wee says he just wants to play ball, and Rickey responds that Jackie just wants to play baseball as well.
- 1:40:25 Pee Wee hugs Jackie
- Scene opens with a young white boy yelling racial slurs at Jackie. It continues with Pee Wee embracing Jackie in front of the whole stadium. He realizes he can be a voice of change for his home town and wants them to see that he has accepted Jackie as an equal. It concludes by Pee Wee saying, “one day maybe we will all wear 42 so they can’t tell us apart.â€
- 1:43:04 Lets shower together
- Comedic relief, following a meaningful scene where Rocco invites Jackie to shower with the rest of the team. Heroic music leads him into the shower where he receives surprised looks from the rest of the team.
- 1:44:54 Race for the pennant
- Huge game versus the Cardinals where Jackie is purposely spiked by a runner trying to beat out a ground ball. Jackie refuses retaliation, wants them to simply get him out because the game is too important to win.
- 1:46:35 Why I love baseball
- They attempt to put words in Jackie’s mouth in order to create a story. Rickey forces them all to leave yelling as he enters the training room. Rickey then tells Jackie a story of a white boy he saw playing baseball who was pretending he was Jackie. Shows that Jackie is a role model to children of both races. Jackie questions Rickey’s motives for bringing him onto the Dodgers, and Rickey explains his love for the game. He hates the unfairness of the game and that men can be broken because of the color of their skin. Jackie is the reason he loves baseball again.
- 1:50:11 Last road trip of the year
- Jackie and Rachel have a back and forth about the importance of the upcoming games. Ends in a loving embrace.
- 1:51:19 Wendell’s story
- Wendell narrates over scenes of Jackie making great plays. He explains that the quality of the team that surrounds Jackie as well as the skill of his play has been the reason for their success. Sets the stage for the rest of the movie as the Dodgers are in the midst of the race for the pennant.
- 1:52:24 Sweeping Cincy
- Harold reports back to Rickey to tell him they have swept the Reds. Rickey responds that they need only one more win to clinch. The scene ends with the audience finding out Ostermueller will be pitching for the Pirates in the next day’s game.
- 1:52:39 We Going to the Ship
- Scene opens with Ostermueller pitching against Jackie. The Dodgers announcer claims he may be pitching around Jackie because of his hitting stats. After a 3-0 count, Jackie hits a homerun on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. This hit helps them win the game and sends the Dodgers to the World Series. The scene continues as Jackie rounds the bases to an orchestra and a number of short clips of headlines and him running home to Rachel.
- 1:57:51 The End
- Biographical notes on the main characters of the film.
