Baseball now hands out $300 million contracts to players who might change a franchise. In 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers offered Jackie Robinson a $3,500 signing bonus to help change the entire sport.

That same year, Brooklyn outfielder Dixie Walker earned $20,000. Two years later, Walker would help organize a petition to keep Robinson off the Dodgers. Baseball, it turns out, had no trouble rewarding established talent. Recognizing Black talent was another matter entirely.

On October 23, 1945, Robinson signed with the Montreal Royals, Brooklyn’s top minor-league affiliate. His deal included a $600 monthly salary for the 1946 season.

The $3,500 was a signing bonus, not an annual salary, so it doesn’t directly compare to Walker’s paycheck.…