42 Faith

Ed Henry

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9780718089054

Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey, and the hidden hand of God that changed history

Journalist and baseball lover Ed Henry reveals for the first time the backstory of faith that guided Jackie Robinson into not only the baseball record books but the annals of civil rights advancement as well. Through recently discovered sermons, interviews with Robinson's family and friends, and even an unpublished book by the player himself, Henry details a side of Jackie's humanity that few have taken the time to see.

Branch Rickey, the famed owner who risked it all by signing Jackie to his first contract, is also shown as a complex individual who wanted nothing more than to make his God-fearing mother proud of him. Few know the level at which Rickey struggled with his decision, only moving forward after a private meeting with a minister he'd just met. It turns out Rickey was not as certain about signing Robinson as historians have always assumed.

With many baseball stories to enthrall even the most ardent enthusiast, 42 Faith also digs deep into why Jackie was the man he was and what both drove him and challenged him after his retirement. From his early years before baseball, to his time with Rickey and the Dodgers, to his failing health in his final years, we see a man of faith that few have recognized.

This book will add a whole new dimension to Robinson's already awe-inspiring legacy. Yes, Jackie and Branch are both still heroes long after their deaths. Now, we learn more fully than ever before, there was an assist from God too.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Foreword by Larry King
• Introduction by Juan Williams
• Prologue
• 1. “I’m Taking a Chance Here”
• 2. Jackie in Winter
• 3. Rickey Had a Secret
• 4. Jackie on a Train
• 5. “God Will Have to Keep His Eye on You”
• 6. “I Resolved Not to Be a Doormat”
• 7. Branch Finds God
• 8. Jackie Meets Mr. Rickey
• 9. No Doubting Thomas
• 10. “All Heaven Will Rejoice”
• 11. The Conversion of Clay Hopper
• 12. No Sleep Till Brooklyn
• 13. “Goose Pimples” at Ebbets Field
• 14. Prayers for Jackie
• 15. Uneasy Alliance with Campy
• 16. Losing Rickey
• 17. “The Giants Win the Pennant!”
• 18. “How Do You Like That Garbage?!”
• 19. Robinson Traded to the . . . Giants?
• 20. Their Belief in God’s Spirit
• 21. “My Son Deserved Better”
• 22. “Carl, I Pray for You Every Day”
• 23. The Last Hurrah
• Acknowledgments
• A Note on Unpublished Sources
• Notes
• About the Author