Blog 7 Hey Batta, Batta, Batta Tina Radstone

In the play Fences, by August Wilson, big-league baseball plays an important role. It is important because in 1957 Major League baseball segregated African American players from all the other players so thus forming the Negro League. Troy Maxson is a player in the Negro League and misses the opportunity to play in the Major League baseball because he is too old. African Americans were recruited into the league during the time that Troy becomes too old (40 years old) to be a player that is considered viable. Troy misses his mark for playing in a big league because he "came along to early". Troy's wife Rose clearly tells him that, "Times have changed since you was playing baseball, Troy. That was before the war. Times have changed a lot since then" (1.1.70). This implies that changes weren’t made to the Major League until after he comes “to old” and then retires from the Negro League. Troy undoubtedly is angry and argues back:

There ought not never have been no time called too early! ... I done seen a hundred niggers play baseball better than Jackie Robinson. Hell, I know
some teams Jackie Robinson couldn't even make! What you talking about
Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson wasn't nobody. I'm talking about if you
could play ball then they ought to have let you play. Don't care what color
you were. Come telling me I come along too early. If you could play ...
then they ought to have let you play. (1.1.74 &78).

Troy is merely trying to get his point across that he didn't come to early, that he is a good player and he knows that there are many other good players that are better than Jackie Robinson who shouldn’t be discriminated against because of the color of their skin.

Troy's connection with baseball is that he was an outstanding baseball player in the Negro League. Another connection that Troy has with baseball is how he uses it in conversation to reveal and justify his actions. I never understand why he would bring up baseball but then it became clear that he doesn't know how to effectively communicate so he uses "baseball" talk to express himself. A great example of this is after he admits to his wife Rose that he has been unfaithful to her, he tries to give her an explanation and says, "Rose, I done tried all my life to live decent...to be a good husband to you...you born with two strikes on you before you come to the plate...You got to guard it closely... always looking for the curve ball on the inside corner" (2.1.104).

Josh Gibson was known as the best batter for the Negro League and like Troy Maxson, Gibson never made it to Major League baseball. Troy knows of him because he and Josh Gibson have the same outcomes of never getting the chance to play in the Major League. Troy feels as though baseball didn't get him anywhere and he says that to his friend Bono, "What it ever get me? Ain't got a pot to piss in or a window to throw out of" (1.1.69). He also feels that it didn't get Josh Gibson anywhere as well because he comments on Gibson's daughter's shoes, "I saw Josh Gibson's daughter yesterday. She walking around with raggedy shoes on her feet" (1.1.76). Josh Gibson's career represent symbols of winning and losing. He is remembered for being discriminated against (losing) and for his own personal achievement as the best batter in the Negro League (winning). Like Josh Gibson, Troy ends up dying as well maybe even from alcoholism. Both men were great at baseball but were never given the chance to make it big at the next level and both had voids in their hearts because they weren't able to live the dream.