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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Rich Tenorio

The forgotten story of the US soldiers who integrated baseball before Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson Baseball Bob Kendrick Peter Dreier Adolf Hitler Branch Rickey GI Josh Gibson Major League Baseball the Negro Leagues
Willard Brown during his time with the St Louis Browns – during the second world war he starred in the GI World Series.
Willard Brown during his time with the St Louis Browns – during the second world war he starred in the GI World Series. Photograph: FPG/Getty Images

Far from the diamonds of America, a little-known chapter of the journey toward integrating baseball was taking place in war-ravaged Europe just over 80 years ago.

It took place at a tournament held to entertain soldiers in the months after the end of the second world war. The team who won the GI World Series in September 1945 were unlike any of the other competitors: they had an integrated roster, including two stars from the Negro Leagues: Willard Brown and Leon Day.

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