Jackie Robinson is one of the most famous people in the history of baseball. That’s why a movie, 42, was made about his life story.
But, how true to life was the movie? Keep reading to learn about the accuracy of theJackie Robinson movie 42.
Minor Inconsistencies In The Movie
There are some inaccuracies in 42 that don’t really impact the accuracy of Jackie Robinson’s story itself but might be annoying for some viewers.
For example, one graphic in the movie mentions Interstate 24. The interstate highway system didn’t exist at the time the movie was made – the road would’ve been U.S. Route 24.
Spring training for the Dodgers in 1947 is portrayed in the film as having been held in Panama but was actually held in Cuba. The film also shows the pitcherFritz Ostermueller pitching right-handed, but the actual pitcher was left-handed.
Major Inaccuracies
However, there are things presented as facts in 42 that are incorrect.Wendell Smith is portrayed as the first black writer to join theBaseball Writers’ Association of America, but Sam Lacy was the true first writer.
Also, there’s a scene in the movie that portrays Jackie Robinson snapping his baseball bat. The director of the film,Brian Helgeland, acknowledges that this never happened, but said that he believed that with all the pressure Robinson was under, he must have snapped at least once, and he wanted to portray that in the film.
Missing Pieces in 42
There are some parts of Jackie Robinson’s story that the film adaptation doesn’t reflect. The film doesn’t mention the season Robinson spent playing for the Montreal Expos. It also doesn’t mention an unsuccessful tryout Robinson had with the Boston Red Sox.
The film doesn’t mentionDan Bankhead, baseball’s first Black pitcher and Robinson’s roommate. The film also omits Larry Doby, who was the first Black American League player.
Robinson is shown to be the only Black player atMontreal Royals spring training, which isn’t true of life— John Wright, a pitcher, would’ve also been there in 1946.
The film also plays with the timeline of Robinson’s relationship with his wife, Rachel. The film shows him proposing after he signs his contract with the Dodgers. However, the Robinsons actually got engaged several years prior, when he was serving in the military.
Also, the suspension of Leo Durocher isn’t exactly as portrayed in the movie. The movie shows the reason for his suspension to be his affair, but in real life his association with gambling paid a larger role.
Jackie Robinson’s iconic story is part of why he’s one of the most valuable pinsout there. So, if you’re inspired to learn more about his life, don’t just rely on 42 as a source.
Watch the Jackie Robinson Movie 42 Today
Clearly, there are different issues with theJackie Robinson movie 42. But, as a whole, it’s mostly accurate about the story of Jackie Robinson. So, look into your 42 movie streaming options.
Are you looking for more information about pop culture and more? Take a look at a few of the other helpful posts on this website today.
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FAQs
Missing Pieces in 42
How accurate is the Jackie Robinson movie 42? ›
You don't need me to tell you the story of Jackie Robinson. That's especially true if you've seen this movie because, based on some research I did, it's extremely accurate to history. If it was a memorable line or moment from the movie, it almost certainly happened in real life.
Is 42 appropriate for an 11 year old? ›
It's rated PG-13. That means some parts of the movie may not be suitable for kids younger than 13. I'll admit that the film has some bad language, but “42” tells an important story that kids should know and talk about with their parents and grandparents. One more thing: “42” is a terrific baseball movie.
Why is everyone wearing number 42 today? ›
Jackie Robinson Day: Honoring Jackie's Legacy with a number
On April 15, everyone who wears an MLB uniform – that's players, managers and coaches – wears number 42. That's been true every year since 2009.
Did Enos slaughter Spike Jackie Robinson? ›
August 20, 1947: Cardinals beat Dodgers in extras; Enos Slaughter spikes Jackie Robinson.
How true is the story of 42? ›
[1] Following interviews with Pee Wee Reese, Eddie Stanky and Rachael Robinson the stories included in the film portrayed is historically accurate.
Does 42 get the story of Jackie Robinson right? ›
On the few liberties taken with the story
[In the film] Robinson tosses him a baseball, and he puts his ear to the train tracks as Robinson's train goes away. And Ed Charles himself [said]: Well, that wasn't true, but everything else was true. I was deeply inspired by Robinson.
Is there swearing in 42? ›
Profanity (2)
Racial slurs are said throughout the film. 43 uses of the n-word, one use of "kike", one use of "wop", about two uses of "sh_t", four GD words, a few uses of "b_tch" and some other milder language.
Is the 100 ok for 11 year olds? ›
Teenagers below 14 and especially children shouldn't watch this. The story and lore are very engaging but the show doesn't miss shocking scenes like torture, prolonged executions, being burnt alive and surgeries without anesthesia.
Can a 9 year old watch a 12? ›
The 12A requires an adult to accompany any child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. This is enforced by cinema staff and a cinema may lose its license if adult accompaniment is not enforced for children under 12 admitted to a 12A film.
In 1997, Major League Baseball honored Jackie Robinson by making his No. 42 the first uniform number to be retired across the sport. That said, players who were wearing No. 42 at the time could choose to continue wearing it until they retired.
Why is 42 blue? ›
Major League Baseball has found a new way to honor the legend Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier for professional baseball. The news: MLB players, managers, coaches and umpires will all wear Robinson's jersey number, No. 42, today, which has happened every year since 2009, per the Associated Press.
Why was Mariano Rivera allowed to wear 42? ›
In April 1997, MLB retired the uniform number 42 league-wide to honor the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the baseball color line, although Rivera was among 13 players allowed to keep the number per a grandfather clause.
Did Jackie Robinson really hit a homerun in his first at bat? ›
Although Sandel induced Robinson to ground out at his first at bat, Robinson ended up with four hits in his five at bats; his first hit was a three-run home run in the game's third inning.
What did Slaughter do to Jackie? ›
Slaughter was reported at the time as being one of the leaders in racial taunting against the first black major league player, Jackie Robinson, and was accused of conspiring with teammate Terry Moore in an attempt to get the Cardinals to refuse to play Brooklyn with Robinson on the field.
Did Ben Chapman like Jackie Robinson? ›
Chapman's accomplishments as a player were overshadowed by the role he played in 1947 as manager of the Phillies, antagonizing Jackie Robinson by shouting racist epithets and opposing his presence on a major league team on the basis of Robinson's race with unsportsmanlike conduct that was an embarrassment for his team.
How accurate is the movie Jackie? ›
But this is no "comfort-blanket biopic", says Ann Hornaday in the Washington Post, who describes the film as "a combination of rigorously detailed historical recreation, real-life archival footage and purely speculative fantasy".
How old would Jackie Robinson be if he was still alive? ›
If baseball legend Jackie Robinson was still alive, how old would he be? If he were still alive today, January 28, 2024, he would be 105 years old. He was born on January 31, 1919.
What did Anderson say about Jackie Robinson? ›
“I kind of feel like today's Jackie Robinson,” Anderson said in the interview, referencing his desire to break the “have-fun barrier” in baseball. “That's huge to say. But it's cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I'm getting to a point to where I need to change the game.”
What was true about Jackie Robinson? ›
Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the United States during the 20th century. On April 15, 1947, he broke the decades-old “colour line” of Major League Baseball when he appeared on the field for the National League Brooklyn Dodgers in a game against the Boston Braves.
