Editing Baseball color line (section)

{{Short description|Racial exclusion policy in Major and Minor League Baseball until 1947}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}

The '''color line''', also known as the '''color barrier''', in American [[baseball]] excluded players of [[black African]] descent from [[Major League Baseball]] and its affiliated [[Minor League Baseball|Minor Leagues]] until 1947 (with a few notable exceptions in the 19th century before the line was firmly established). [[Racial segregation]] in professional baseball was sometimes called a [[gentlemen's agreement]], meaning a tacit understanding, as there was no written policy at the highest level of organized baseball, the major leagues. A high minor league's vote in 1887 against allowing new contracts with black players within its league sent a powerful signal that eventually led to the disappearance of blacks from the sport's other minor leagues later that century, including the low minors.

After the line was in virtually full effect in the early 20th century, many black baseball clubs were established, especially during the 1920s to 1940s when there were several [[Negro leagues]]. During this period, [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians]] and [[native Hawaiians]], including [[Prince Oana]], were able to play in the Major Leagues.<ref>{{cite web|title=Prince Oana|author=Rory Costello|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=June 9, 2023|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/7cc84d2b}}</ref> The color line was broken for good when [[Jackie Robinson]] signed with the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] organization for the 1946 season. In 1947, both Robinson in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] and [[Larry Doby]] with the [[American League]]'s [[Cleveland Indians]] appeared in games for their teams.