42 is a moving, powerful biopic of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, but he isn’t the only successful baseball player portrayed in the film. The movie chronicles Robinson’s journey to becoming the first African-American player to a Major League Baseball team in the modern era, and all the adversity he faced along the way. Chadwick Boseman stars in 42 as Robinson, giving one of the finest performances of his career. The movie was written and directed by Brian Helgeland of L.A. Confidential fame and is named after Robinson’s jersey number, which was retired across all of Major League Baseball in 1997.
Jackie Robinson is just one of many historical figures from the baseball world to be depicted in 42. The film focuses on Robinson’s mentor-mentee relationship with Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, himself a former player. The ensemble of 42 features both players who were ive of Robinson, like Pee Wee Reese, and players who tried to sabotage his career, like Dixie Walker and Ben Chapman. From Eddie Stanky to Dutch Leonard, plenty of great baseball players appear in the cast of characters of 42.
12 Clay Hopper
Clay Hopper is played by Brett Cullen in 42. Hopper was a minor league baseball player from 1926 to 1941 and continued managing until 1956. He was notable for being Jackie Robinson’s first manager in integrated baseball. Hopper was named manager of the year twice: in 1946 for his work with the Montreal Royals and in 1953 for his work with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. In 2009, he earned a spot in the International League Hall of Fame.
11 Leo Durocher
Christopher Meloni plays baseball manager and former player Leo Durocher in 42. Nicknamed “Leo the Lip,” Durocher played for such teams as the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals and hit a career total of 24 home runs. As a manager, Durocher earned a spot among the most successful major league managers of all time with 2,008 victories. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
10 Fritz Ostermueller
Pitcher Fritz Ostermueller is played by Linc Hand in 42. Between 1934 and 1948, Ostermueller played for such teams as the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Browns, the Brooklyn Dodgers (as depicted in 42), and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Throughout his career, Ostermueller pitched 774 strikeouts and had an earned run average of 3.99. With a .234 batting average, Ostermueller was a better hitter than the average pitcher. Although he never hit a home run, he did have 60 runs, 62 RBIs, and 35 bases on balls.
9 Branch Rickey
One of Harrison Ford’s best roles is Branch Rickey in 42. As the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Rickey recruits Jackie Robinson at the start of the movie. Although he played for such teams as the St. Louis Browns and the New York Highlanders, Rickey’s biggest contributions to baseball were as an executive. He introduced the batting helmet and pioneered the minor league farm system, and his g of Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier.
8 Dixie Walker
Dixie Walker, played by Ryan Merriman in 42, was a five-time All-Star selection. As a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he won a National League batting championship in 1944 and an RBI championship in 1945. Throughout his career, he had a .310 batting average and hit 105 home runs, and his popularity with fans at Ebbets Field earned him the nickname “The People’s Cherce.” However, Walker’s accomplishments are largely overshadowed by his notorious attempt to keep Jackie Robinson off the team.
7 Kirby Higbe
In 42, Brad Beyer plays starting pitcher Kirby Higbe, a two-time All-Star in the National League. Higbe played in the major leagues from 1937 to 1950, during which time he racked up 971 strikeouts with an earned run average of 3.69. Higbe is best known for his tenure with the Dodgers, but he also played for the Chicago Cubs, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Giants.
6 Ben Chapman
Ben Chapman is played by Alan Tudyk in a rare live-action role in 42. From 1926 to 1943, Chapman held the record for the most stolen bases of any player in the American League. During his tenure, he batted .302 and led the American League in assists and double plays. However, in 1947, Chapman’s reputation was soured by unsportsmanlike behavior when, as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, he taunted and antagonized Jackie Robinson.
5 Herb Pennock
Mark Harelik plays Herb Pennock in the 42 cast. Pennock was a pitcher best known for his time with the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s. During his tenure on the team, the Yankees won four World Series championships. Pennock began his regular playing career with the Boston Red Sox after returning from military service in 1919. Throughout his career, he amassed 1,227 strikeouts and an impressive win-loss record of 241-162. Pennock has been inducted into both the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
4 Ralph Branca
Ralph Branca is played by Hamish Linklater in 42. From 1944 to 1956, Branca played 12 seasons in the major leagues. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Yankees. Branca was a three-time All-Star with an 88-68 win-loss record and a career total of 829 strikeouts. Branca was the pitcher of Bobby Thomson’s famous “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” walk-off home run.
3 Eddie Stanky
Eddie Stanky is played by Jesse Luken in 42. Eight years into his career, at the age of 27, Stanky finally made it to the major leagues. From 1943 to 1953, he played for the Chicago Cubs, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Boston Braves, the New York Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals. According to James S. Hirsch’s book Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend, Durocher famously said of Stanky that he “can’t hit, can’t run, can’t field, [but] he just knows how to win.”
