42

Factual error: In the scene on the bus after Jackie is hit in the head with the ball at the May 1947 Pittsburgh game, he is talking to Rachel and the cut on his forehead is visible. The cut is closed with two Steri Strips applied vertically. However, surgical tape wasn't invented until 1960 and Steri Strips not until 1962. (01:00:00)

Factual error: As Wendell and Jackie are driving in the car, Jackie turns the radio on to put a hiatus on their discussion. As soon as he turns it on, sound issues forth, but in the 40's radios used vacuum tubes, which required a warm-up period.

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Suggested correction: Once the tubes are warmed up, they will tend to stay warm for a period of time even if the radio is turned off. It's possible the radio had been turned on and warmed up before this scene.

Factual error: Near the beginning of the film, as the Kansas City Monarchs bus travels along a highway in 1945, a graphic displays "Interstate 24, Missouri." The Federal Interstate Highway System was not created until 1956. The highway referenced was likely supposed to be U. S. Highway 24 that runs through north central Missouri.

Factual error: As Jackie hits his home run, they announce the Dodgers have won the Pennant, indicating a walk off. But that can't be since they are not the home team.

Factual error: In the scene where Branch Rickey is talking on the telephone to the commissioner of baseball, there is a letter rack which contains a yellow post-it note. Post-it notes were not invented until 1968.

Factual error: In the scene where Jackie Robinson hits a home run at Forbes Field on 9/17/1947, the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus is shown in the background as he rounds third to home. The skyscraper was shown as having a light brown sandstone. There would have been extensive black staining on the sandstone in 1947.

Factual error: Fritz Ostermueller was in reality a left-handed pitcher, not a right-hander as depicted in the scene of the movie.

Factual error: In a post-game interview, Ben Chapman claims that when they play the Yankees, they call Joe DiMaggio a "w*p." But the Phillies, a National League team, don't play the American League Yankees.

Factual error: Fritz Ostermueller, the pitcher who hits Jackie Robinson, throws right-handed in the movie. Ostermueller actually threw left-handed.

Factual error: Jackie Robinson is playing a the 1947 New York Giants. But the Giants are wearing the wrong hats and uniforms for that era. The hats have the orange bill that was not used until 1972 with the San Francisco Giants and the uniform top was not used until the 1980's.

bobmcdow4984

Continuity mistake: In the bathroom after she feels sick, Jackie's wife is at the sink. After a brief conversation, another woman tells her she might be pregnant. She looks at the mirror with her mouth open as she thinks. It cuts to showing the mirror and her reflection shows her mouth closed.

Quantom X

More mistakes in 42

Branch Rickey: You think God likes baseball, Herb?
Herb Pennock: What -? What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Branch Rickey: It means someday you're gonna meet God, and when he inquires as to why you didn't take the field against Robinson in Philadelphia, and you answer that it's because he was a Negro, it may not be a sufficient reply.

More quotes from 42

Trivia: The woman that gets Leo banned was his actress Laraine Day. What happened was that she was married for five years (1942-1947) to a guy named Harry Hendricks. She went to Mexico on January 22.1947 and got a divorce and the next day in El Paso Texas married Leo. But when they retired to California she was told that both the Mexico divorce and the marriage to Leo were illegal. She was still married to Hendricks, she had to wait a year. She did marry Leo on Febuary 16,1948 and they were married for 12 years. Leo was also banned for his habit in LA and Las Vagas of hanging around with underworld types like gangster Mickey Cohn.

bobmcdow4984

More trivia for 42

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