Jackie Robinson led by example. He showed his teammates that, despite all of the distractions, he could play well and be an important member of the team.
The captain of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Pee Wee Reese, also led by example. He was the first to go over and shake Jackie's hand his first day in the clubhouse, even though it was the first time the Kentucky native had ever shaken hands with a black man.
Jackie and Pee Wee had a mutual respect for each other. Pee Wee saw what Jackie was going through and tried to support him as much as he could. He would joke with him, offer to be his warm up partner, and let his actions show that Jackie should be treated just like any other teammate.
One day in Cinncinatti, near Pee Wee's home town, the crowd was being especially mean in hurling insults at Jackie. Pee Wee walked over to Jackie on first base and quietly put his arm around his shoulder. With this simple gesture, Pee Wee had shown everyone how he would stand up for Jackie.
There is a very good book about this moment in history called Teammates, written by Peter Golenbock. (See the Recommended Book List on the right to link to it.)
A statue of Jackie and Pee Wee was created which captures that moment. You can see it in front of the stadium where the minor league Brooklyn Cyclones now play in Coney Island. It is just a few miles from where Jackie and Pee Wee once played together.
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