In Jackie Robinson’s autobiography, “I Never Had it Made” in 1972, published the year of his death, Robinson wrote, “A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives.” On April 15th, 1947, he made an impact in baseball that changed the way the game was played. Robinson being the first African-American to play Major League baseball, it made his life difficult with major distractions like death threats, balls thrown at his head, name-calling, being spat on. However, through all of it he still performed so well on the field that he won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947 and later, in 1949 was named the league’s MVP. Jackie Robinson started a movement and breaking the color barrier by being the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball.
Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia (“Jackie Robinson,” 2009). He was the fifth child of Mallie and Jerry Robinson. Jackie’s parents had a troubled marriage and his father left the family shortly after he was born. Jackie and his family then moved to Pasadena, California with his mother Mallie in 1920. Robinson grew up watching his older brother Matthew excel in track on the Pasadena Junior College team. Matthew Robinson later earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and finished second in the 200-meter race at the 1936 games in Berlin. This inspired Jackie to pursue his talent and love for athletics. Robinson soon enrolled at Pasadena Junior College, where he was an extraordinary athlete like his brother Matthew, and played four sports: baseball, football, basketball and track.
Jackie was named the region’s Most Valuable Player in baseball in 1938 batting .417 with 43 runs scored and 25 stolen bases in just 24 games. The baseball field at Pasadena City College is now named Jackie Robinson Memorial Field at Brookside Park after his success in Major League Baseball. In football Jackie was the first 1,000 yard rusher at Pasadena City College. The football stadium is named after Jackie and older brother Matthew (“Jackie Robinson,” 2009).
In 1939 Jackie enrolls at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and became the first student ever to earn letters in for different sports: Baseball, Football, Basketball and, Track and Field. He was very successful in sports in college because of his will to not give up. Robinson was an impressive running back on the football team and was called the “greatest ball carrier” in the game by Sports News. He was named to the All-American football team in 1941. In track, he won the NCAA broad jump title in 1940. In basketball, he was the leading scorer in the Pacific Coast Conference (“The 50th Anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Revolution”, 1997). Jackie was forced to leave UCLA just short of graduation due to limited financial funds. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he played football for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears. Jackie Robinson’s season with the Bears was cut short when the United States went to war. He was drafted into the army in 1942 for World War II, like many athletes of his era. From 1942 to 1944 Robinson served as a second lieutenant, but never saw combat. While at fort Hood, Texas, Jackie faced court martial after refusing to move to the back of the bus. He was acquitted and later received an honorable discharge. In 1945 Jackie joins the Negro Baseball League and played for the Kansas City Monarchs as a shortstop.
Jackie Robinson began playing in the Negro Leagues for only one season until he was selected by Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey found Robinson in October 1945, scouting him at one of his games in the Negro League. Jackie joined the all-white Montreal Royals, a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. Rickey knowing this was “the great experiment”, knew that life would get difficult for the young athlete. Rickey knew Jackies background of being a college student and military background knew he could handle what lies ahead of Robinson’s career. 1946, Jackie plays his first professional baseball game for the Montreal Royals at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey. Robinson had an outstanding performance with a 14-1 win with having four hits in five times up-a homerun with two men on base and three singles and stole two bases. The Montreal Royals go to win the Little World Series. Jackie finished the year as the International League batting champion, composed a .349 batting average and .985 fielding percentage in 124 games (“Jackie Robinson,” 2009). His outstanding year led to his promotion to the Dodgers. April 10, 1947 The Brooklyn Dodgers announce the purchase of the contract of Jackie Roosevelt Robinson from the farm team Montreal Royals. After Jackie signing the historical contract, Robinson shakes hands with Dodger General Manager Branch Rickey. Following the signing Robinson said, “I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am the first member of my race in organized ball. I realize how much it means to me, to my race, and to baseball. I can only say that I’ll do my very best to come through in every manner.” April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson at the age of 28, breaks the color barrier. Robinson makes his big league debut against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. After joining the Dodgers, Robinson had to face multiple acts of racism and open resentment from players and fans alike. Some of Jackie’s teammates even signed a petition against him after joining the team. There was many death threats but one in particular surfaced before a game in 1951 in Cincinnati. Harold Pee Wee Reese, a captain on Jackie’s team, came out of the dugout and onto the infield to Robinson as the harassment from the fans and opposing team, Harold puts his arm around Robinson and changed the perspective of the people in the stadium. Jackie had life was tough but his wife Rachel was his inspiration through all his struggles in life all the way through his career in baseball.
Jackie Robinson was a big voice for African-American athletes along with civil rights. After baseball, Jackie became active in business and resumed the role for social change. He was a spokesman for the civil rights and had a radio show and newspaper column. Robinson served on the board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAAP) Jackie met Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. at a Civil Rights Movement. They became good friends and respected each other. Robinson was a large figure in the Civil Rights Movement around the 1960s. In 1962, Jackie was inducted into the Hall of Fame (“The 50th Anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Revolution”, 1997). A decade later, the Dodgers retired Robinson’s jersey number of 42. Jackie continued to fight for equality not just in sports, but in the society until he passed away from heart problems months after his jersey was retired by the Dodgers. Jackie’s wife, Rachel, created a foundation to help young people in need by giving scholarships and mentoring programs called the “Jackie Robinson Foundation” to honor his life and work. In 1997, Major League Baseball (MLB), retired Robinson’s number, 42, among all of the major league teams which made him the first pro athlete in any sport to receive that honor. The Major League Baseball association made a holiday called “Jackie Robinson Day” on April 15, 2004. When Jackie Robinson became the first African-American in major league baseball when he played his first game on that day with the Dodgers in 1947.
Jackie Robinson lived his life to make an impact in society and sports in a positive way by being the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. Robinson had the will to never give up and fight for what he believes in without using violence to solve the the answer of racial discrimination.