Baseball executive Wesley Branch Rickey

Baseball executive Wesley Branch Rickey, who led the St. Louis Cardinals to two World Series victories, is perhaps best known for his courageous leadership in breaking the color barrier by signing Negro League rookie Jackie Robinson to the minor and major leagues in the mid-1940s. Rickey was also credited with being one of the first to encourage his teams to use helmets, batting cages, and pitching machines to improve their safety and playing skills (National Baseball Hall of Fame, 2014). In order to be the problem solver that he was, Rickey needed to be able to look through several different lenses. He had to be able to grasp subtleties in the political and social mores of the time and at the same time be visionary enough to take risks. He also proved himself to be well versed in the technical aspects of the game of baseball. Jackie Robinson went on to be an executive in the Chock Full O’Nuts coffee company. To do this job, he needed to demonstrate his problem-solving and decision-making abilities using what he had learned on the field. Problem solving and decision making are important skills for all leaders, including those in sport organizations. The types of problems sport leaders encounter are unique to the industry (e.g., trying to increase low attendance at a football game, firing a coach, drafting players). Decisions by owners and governing bodies such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Football League (NFL) have wide visibility and have come under close scrutiny by fans and the general public. It is important for the decision makers in sport to make sound decisions and attack problems with a well-honed skill set. Fortunately, problem-solving and decision-making models and frameworks have been developed that serve as a helpful foundation in developing these skillsets. National Baseball Hall of Fame. (n.d.). Branch Rickey July 18, 2015, Instructions For this Discussion, review the Learning Materials. Select and research one sport-related challenge may be in the course text (Scott, 2014, or elsewhere). Then, consider the sportsrelated challenge within the context of problem-solving models included in the course text. Include the category and intensity of sports problem you choose as discussed in the text and other learning materials.