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)
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.
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.
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.
Continuity mistake: In one scene when Harrison Ford and the baseball player are talking on the field, Ford points out to his right with his cigar. It cuts to a different angle and it shows him repeat this action.
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.
Other mistake: When Ben Chapman is yelling racial slurs at Jackie Robinson, his socks don't match the other Phillies players' uniforms. He is actually wearing the socks from the Boston Brave (Atlanta Braves now).
Continuity mistake: When Jackie is being harassed by the opposing player, he gets a base hit and gets to first. The next batter comes to the plate and is left handed. The pitcher throws over, then on the next pitch throws home. Jackie steals and makes it to 3rd base, while the batter swings and misses. A new right handed batter is introduced on the next pitch.
Factual error: The Empire State Building is shown with its large transmitter antennae. The ESB didn't have a large antennae until 1951.
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.
