Citizendia

For the basketball player, see Jackie Robinson (basketball). Jackie Robinson (born May 20, 1955 in Los Angeles California) is an American former professional Basketball player For the footballer, see Jackie Robinson (footballer). John Allan "Jackie" Robinson (born 10 August 1917 in Shiremoor, England) was an English footballer who played
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Second baseman
Born: January 31, 1919(1919-01-31)
Cairo, Georgia
Died: October 24, 1972 (aged 53)
Stamford, Connecticut
Batted: RightThrew: Right
MLB debut
April 15, 1947
for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Final game
October 10, 1956
for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Career statistics
Batting average    . Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a Baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Cairo is a City in Grady County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total Population Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3 All-Star Game The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3 Don Larsen, MVP The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 311
Hits    1,518
Home runs    137
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Elected    1962
Vote    77. In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3 All-Star Game Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3 Don Larsen, MVP The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic" is an annual Baseball game between players from the National League In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to one player from each league as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America The Most Valuable Player Award (commonly known as the MVP award is an annual award given to one outstanding player in each league of Major League Baseball. 42 ( forty-two) is the Natural number following 41 and preceding 43. 5% (first ballot)

Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) became the first African-American major league baseball player of the modern era in 1947. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each [1] While not the first African American professional baseball player in United States history, his Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers ended approximately eighty years of baseball segregation, also known as the baseball color line, or color barrier. The baseball color line, sometimes called the " Gentleman's Agreement " was the policy unwritten for nearly its entire duration which excluded African In the United States at this time, many white people believed that blacks and whites should be segregated or kept apart in many phases of life, including sports and daily life.

The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Robinson in 1962 and he was a member of six World Series teams. For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation. He earned six consecutive All-Star Game nominations and won several awards during his career. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic" is an annual Baseball game between players from the National League In 1947, Robinson won The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award and the first Rookie of the Year Award. The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News ( TSN) In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to one player from each league as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America Two years later, he was awarded the National League MVP Award. The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League ( NL) is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Jackie Robinson was also a forerunner of the Civil Rights Movement. See also Protests of 1968 Historically the civil rights movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximately twenty years (1960-1980 in In the 1960s, he was a key figure in the establishment and growth of the Freedom National Bank, an African-American owned and controlled entity based in Harlem, New York. Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African American cultural and business center [2] He also wrote a syndicated newspaper column for a number of years, in which he was an outspoken supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little; May 19 1925 February 21 1965 also known as El-Hajj Malik El- Shabazz, was an African American [3]

Robinson engaged in political campaigning for a number of politicians, including the Democrat Hubert Humphrey and the Republican Richard Nixon. Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr ( May 27, 1911 &ndash January 13, 1978) was the thirty-eighth Vice President of the United States, serving

In recognition of his accomplishments, Robinson was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Not to be confused with the Medal of Honor, sometimes called the "Congressional Medal of Honor" which is the highest military decoration of the United States The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed [3]

On April 15, 1997, the 50 year anniversary of his debut, Major League Baseball retired the number 42, the number Robinson wore, in recognition of his accomplishments both on and off the field in a ceremony at Shea Stadium. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English 42 ( forty-two) is the Natural number following 41 and preceding 43. [4] In 1950, he was the subject of a film biography, The Jackie Robinson Story, in which he played himself. The Jackie Robinson Story is a 1950 biographical Film starring baseball legend Jackie Robinson as himself He became a political activist in his post-playing days.

In 1946, Robinson married Rachel Annetta Isum. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rachel Robinson (born Rachel Annetta Isum on July 19, 1922) is a former nurse and the widow of the famous African-American baseball player Jackie In 1973, after Jackie died, Rachel founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a non-profit organization which provides scholarships to minority youths for higher education as well as preserving the legacy of Baseball Hall of

Contents

Early life

Jackie Robinson, the youngest of five children,[5] was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 during a Spanish flu and smallpox epidemic. Cairo is a City in Grady County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total Population Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The 1918 flu pandemic (commonly referred to as the Spanish flu) was an Influenza Pandemic that spread to nearly every part of the world Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. In Epidemiology, an epidemic (from Greek epi- upon + demos people is a classification of a disease that appears as new cases in a [6] His middle name was in honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt[7] who had died 25 days before Jackie was born. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T In 1920, his family who were sharecroppers[8] moved to Pasadena, California[6] after his father left them. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Pasadena ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. [9]

Robinson grew up in relative poverty by a single mother[10] and even joined a local neighborhood gang in his youth. Gangsters redirects here For the computer game see Gangsters (video game. Eventually, his friend Carl Anderson persuaded Robinson to abandon the gang. [11]

Jackie Robinson in the Negro Leagues, 1945
Jackie Robinson in the Negro Leagues, 1945

In 1935, Robinson graduated from Dakota Junior High School and enrolled in John Muir High School ("Muir Tech"). Part of the History of baseball in the United States series The Negro leagues were American professional Baseball leagues Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. John Muir High School is a four year comprehensive Secondary school in Pasadena, California, United States and is a part of the Pasadena [12] There he played on various Muir Tech sport teams, and lettered in four of them: football, basketball, track, and baseball. Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Robinson's older brother, Matthew Robinson, inspired Jackie to pursue his talent and love for athletics. Matthew "Mack" Robinson ( July 18, 1912 &ndash March 12, 2000) was an American athlete, setting a world [13]

He was a shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, a quarterback on the football team, a guard on the basketball team, and a member of the tennis team and the track and field squad. Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and Third base. Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in Cricket. Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with The Shooting guard ( SG) also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a Basketball team Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) He won awards in the broad jump. The long jump is an Athletics (track and field event in which athletes combine speed strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far from the take-off point as possible [14]

In 1936, he captured the junior boys singles championship in the annual Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament, starred as quarterback, and earned a place on the annual Pomona baseball tournament all-star team, which included future Baseball Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Bob Lemon. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams ( August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) also nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter Robert Granville Lemon ( September 22, 1920 &ndash January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed Pitcher in Major [15] The next year, Jackie played for the high school's basketball team. That year, the Pasadena Star-News newspaper reported on the young Robinson. [16]

After leaving Muir, Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College, where he continued to excel in sports. Pasadena City College (commonly known by the abbreviation PCC) is a Community college located on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California He played basketball, football, and baseball. [17] He played quarterback and safety for the football team, shortstop and leadoff batter for the baseball team, and participated in the broad jump. Safety ( S) is an American and Canadian football position played by a member of the defense.

While at PJC, he was elected to the "Lancers,” a student run police organization responsible for patrolling various school activities. [18] He dated and made friends. However, on January 25, 1938, he was arrested for questionable reasons and sentenced to two years probation. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [19]

In 1938, he was elected to the All-Southland Junior College (baseball) Team and selected as the region's Most Valuable Player. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [20] On February 4, 1939, he played his last basketball game at Pasadena Junior College. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thereupon Robinson was awarded a gold pin and was named to the school's "Order of the Mast and Dagger" (Omicron Mu Delta). ”[21]

After leaving PJC in 1940, Robinson transferred to the nearby University of California, Los Angeles, where became the school's first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United [8] He was one of four African American players on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team, the others being Woody Strode, Kenny Washington and Ray Bartlett. Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (born July 25, 1914, Los Angeles California; died December 31, 1994) was a decathlete and Kenneth S "Kingfish" Washington (born August 31, 1918, Los Angeles California; died June 24, 1971) was a professional Washington, Strode, and Robinson starred on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team, in which they made up three of the four backfield players. [22] This was a rarity to have so many African Americans when only a few dozen at all played on college football teams. [23] They played eventual conference and national champion USC to a 0-0 tie with the 1940 Rose Bowl on the line. The 1940 Rose Bowl, played on January 1 1940 was an American Football Bowl game. It was the first game in the history of the rivalry with national implications. The UCLA-USC rivalry is the College rivalry between two universities located in Los Angeles California: the University of California Los Angeles

Despite many athletic achievements and having nearly completed the requirements for his degree, he withdrew from the university for financial reasons in 1941.

He then briefly worked as an athletic director for the National Youth Administration before going to Honolulu that fall to play football for the semi-professional, racially integrated Honolulu Bears. The National Youth Administration (NYA was a New Deal agency in the United States. Honolulu is the Capital and most populous Census-designated place (CDP in the U The season was brief, and he returned that December, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into World War II. The attack on Pearl Harbor (or Hawaii Operation, as it was called by the Imperial General Headquarters) was a surprise Military strike conducted by World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including [24] He was drafted the following year.

In 1946, Jackie Robinson came to Daytona Beach, FL for spring training with the Montreal Royals, the Brooklyn Dodgers Triple-A farm club. He was banned from playing in Jacksonville and Sanford, but not in Daytona. He played his first integrated game for a team in Organized Ball on March 17, 1946. His first plate appearance came in an exhibition game against the Royals' parent club, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson then became the first African-American player in the Major Leagues.

Military career

From 1942 to 1944, after the Pearl Harbor surprise attack, Jackie Robinson was drafted to serve as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Pearl Harbor is a Harbor on the Island of O{{okina}}ahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. During his training in Texas with what would later become the first black tank unit to see combat, the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion, Robinson was ordered by a white bus driver to move to the back of the segregated bus, which he refused to do. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The 761st Tank Battalion, was a United States Army Tank Battalion during World War II. Robinson was then arrested by MPs and transferred to the 758th Battalion by the base commander, because his white battalion commander rejected the court-martial charges against Robinson. The 758th Tank Battalion was formed in 1941 and served in Italy during World War II. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a Military court. These military courts can determine Punishments for members of the Military subject While the commander of the 758th consented to the insubordination charges, Robinson was later acquitted by a white military jury. Insubordination is the act of a subordinate deliberately disobeying a lawful order Shortly thereafter, he received an honorable discharge. A military discharge is given when a member of the Armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve [25] As such, Robinson never saw combat action during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Robinson's actions during his military service not only presaged his breaking of the color line in baseball, but some people may believe that he may also have influenced, however indirectly, President Harry S. Truman’s decision to integrate U. S. Armed forces in 1948. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Dodgers

Cover of a Jackie Robinson comic book, issue#5, 1951
Cover of a Jackie Robinson comic book, issue#5, 1951
Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired by the LA Dodgers in 1972

In the late 1940s, Branch Rickey was club president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Wesley Branch Rickey ( December 15 1881 &ndash December 9 1965) was an innovative Major League Baseball executive best known In Major League Baseball, the General Manager or GM of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA The Dodgers began to scout Robinson who had joined the Negro League Kansas City Monarchs in 1945 after his discharge from the Army. Part of the History of baseball in the United States series The Negro leagues were American professional Baseball leagues The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of Baseball 's Negro Leagues. He played shortstop and had a batting average of . 387. Rickey eventually selected him from a list of promising African-American players. Robinson became the first player in fifty-seven years to break the Baseball color line, a segregation practice dating to the nineteenth century. The baseball color line, sometimes called the " Gentleman's Agreement " was the policy unwritten for nearly its entire duration which excluded African

Rickey wanted a man who could restrain himself from responding to the ugliness of the racial hatred that was certain to come. [26] He reminded Robinson that he would face tremendous racial animus, and insisted that he not take the bait and react angrily. Robinson was aghast: "Do you want a player afraid to fight back?" Rickey replied that he needed a Negro player "with the guts not to fight back. " Robinson agreed to abide by Rickey's terms for his first year.

In 1946, the Dodgers assigned Jackie Robinson to the Montreal Royals. The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897-1917 and from 1928-60 as a member Jackie proceeded to lead the International League in batting average with a 0. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 349 average, and fielding percentage with a 0. In Baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly 985 percentage. [27] That winter he also married Rachel Isum, his former UCLA classmate. [24] Although the season was emotionally arduous for Robinson with the racist abuse he faced during the team's away games, he also deeply appreciated the enthusiastic support by the Montreal fans who followed his performance with intense interest. Because of Jackie's play in 1946, the Dodgers called him up to play for the major league club in 1947. Robinson made his Major League debut on April 15, 1947, playing first base when he went 0 for 3 against the Boston Braves. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English

Throughout the season, Robinson experienced harassment at the hands of both players and fans. He was verbally abused by both his own teammates and by members of opposing teams. Robinson knew that his presence near or on the playing field would cause resentment from opposing teams and even some his of own teammates. He anticipated that some pitchers would aim pitches at his head and that other players would try to hit, tackle, and even try to push him off the basepaths. [28] Some Dodger players insinuated they would sit out rather than play alongside Robinson. The brewing mutiny ended when Dodger management took a stand for Robinson. Manager Leo Durocher informed the team, "I do not care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a fuckin' zebra. Leo Ernest Durocher ( July 27, 1905 – October 7, 1991) nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American Infielder and I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays. What's more, I say he can make us all rich. And if any of you cannot use the money, I will see that you are all traded. "[29] When other teams, notably the Cardinals, threatened to strike if Robinson played, NL President Ford Frick let it be known that they would be suspended. Ford Christopher Frick ( December 19, 1894 – April 8, 1978) was an American Sportswriter and executive who served [30]

On April 22, 1947, during a game between the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies players called Jackie a "nigger" from their dugout, and yelled that he should "go back to the cotton fields. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Nigger is a Noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a derogatory context to refer to Black people, and also as an informal In Baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base "[31] Rickey would later recall that the Phillies' manager, Ben Chapman, "did more than anybody to unite the Dodgers. In Baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally the field manager) this individual controls matters William Benjamin Chapman ( December 25 1908 - July 7 1993) was an American Outfielder and manager in Major When he poured out that string of unconscionable abuse, he solidified and united thirty men. "[32] Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler admonished the Phillies and asked Chapman to pose for photographs with Robinson as a conciliatory gesture. The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball. Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Sr (July 14 1898 June 15 1991 was twice Governor of Kentucky, a U

Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who would be a teammate of Robinson's for the better part of a decade, was one of the few players who publicly stood up for Robinson during his rookie season. Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese ( July 23 1918 - August 14 1999) was an American professional Baseball player who During the team's first road trip, in Cincinnati, Ohio, during pre-game practice, Robinson was being heckled by fans when Reese, the Dodgers team captain, walked over and put his arm around Robinson in a gesture of support that quieted the fans and has now gained near-legendary status. Reese was once quoted saying about Robinson "You can hate a man for many reasons; color is not one of them. " In addition, the Jewish baseball star Hank Greenberg, who understood the rookie's difficulties considering he himself faced considerable anti-Semitism earlier in his career, made a point of welcoming Robinson to the major leagues. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg ( January 1, 1911, New York New York – September 4, 1986) nicknamed "Hammerin' Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility In the October 1948 issue of SPORT magazine, Robinson said he did not expect to see baseball's color barrier fall in his lifetime. SPORT magazine was the original major general interest American sports magazine "I thought it would take another war," he said.

Statue at Montreal's Olympic Stadium made by sculptor Jules Lasalle
Statue at Montreal's Olympic Stadium made by sculptor Jules Lasalle

For his services, Jackie earned the major-league minimum salary of $5,000, which was standard for many rookies at the time. The Olympic Stadium (Stade olympique is a Multi-purpose stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Jules Lasalle (b April 1st 1957 Saint-Michel-des-Saints Quebec, Canada) is a sculptor living and working in Montreal That year, he played in 151 games, hit . 297, led the National League in stolen bases and won the first-ever Rookie of the Year Award. In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to one player from each league as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America Although Jackie played every game that season at first base, Robinson spent most of his career as a second baseman. Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a Baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that

Two years later, Robinson won the 1949 Most Valuable Player award for the National League, leading the league with a 0. The Most Valuable Player Award (commonly known as the MVP award is an annual award given to one outstanding player in each league of Major League Baseball. The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League ( NL) is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball 342 batting average and 37 stolen bases. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate By this point, he had galvanized fan support to the point that a popular song, Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?, reached the national Billboard R&B chart. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry By 1950, he had septupled his salary, being paid the highest amount to that point in Dodgers history: $35,000. His promised silence had also elapsed, and by July 1949, Robinson was testifying on discrimination before the House Unamerican Activities Committee. The House Committee on Un-American Activities ( HUAC or HCUA 1938–1975 was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1952, he blasted the Yankees as a racist organization for not having broken the color line five years after his own crosstown debut.

Robinson was a crucial component of the 1951 "Miracle of Coogan's Bluff" pennant race. In Baseball, the " Shot Heard 'Round the World " is the term given to the Walk-off home run hit by New York Giants On the final day of the season, and with the Giants having already won their game, the Dodgers needed to beat the Phillies just to force a playoff. The game went into extra innings, and in the bottom of the 12th inning, Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out. Robinson made a season-saving defensive play: diving for a soft liner to his right, he injured his elbow but was able to convert the catch into a double play. Robinson then hit a game-winning home run in the 14th inning.

Despite his regular season heroics, the Dodgers lost the pennant on Bobby Thomson's famous home run. Robert Brown Thomson (born October 25, 1923 in Glasgow, Scotland) nicknamed The Staten Island Scot, is a Scottish In Baseball, the " Shot Heard 'Round the World " is the term given to the Walk-off home run hit by New York Giants Film footage of the home run trot and celebration shows Robinson, observantly but dourly watching Thomson's feet in case he failed to touch all of the bases.

Robinson would win his only championship ring when the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. The 1955 World Series matched the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in 7 games to capture their first championship (Coincidentally, he did not play in the seventh and deciding game of this Series—the only Fall Classic game he did not play in during his career. ) After the 1956 season, Robinson was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Giants for Dick Littlefield and $30,000 cash. The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in, that currently play in the National League West Division. Richard Bernard "Dick" Littlefield ( March 18 1926 – November 20 1997) was an American left-handed Pitcher in Robinson announced his retirement shortly after the trade; when asked, he made it clear that he had planned to retire before the trade was made, citing his own physical health and family commitments as his main reasons.

Robinson was a disciplined hitter and a versatile fielder. He had a 0. 311 career batting average, a 0. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 409 career on base percentage and substantially more walks than strikeouts. In Baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP (sometimes referred to as on-base average ', as the statistic is rarely presented as a true Percentage) A base on balls ( BB) is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in Baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire In Baseball or Softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when a batter receives three strikes He was a truly outstanding baserunner. No other player since World War I has stolen home more than Robinson, who did it 19 times in his career. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All [33] Recent statistical analysis has also indicated that Robinson was an outstanding defensive player throughout his career. [34][35] During his career, the Dodgers played in six World Series and Jackie played in six All-Star games. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a member of the All-Century Team.

Assessing himself, Robinson said "I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me. . . all I ask is that you respect me as a human being. "[36]

Career batting statistics

YearTeamGABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOAVGOBPSLGTBSHSFIBBHBPGDP
1947Brooklyn15159012517531512482974360. 2970. 3830. 4272522895
1948Brooklyn14757410817038812852257370. 2960. 3670. 453260877
1949Brooklyn1565931222033812161243786270. 3420. 4320. 52831317822
1950Brooklyn1445189917039414811280240. 3280. 4230. 50025910511
1951Brooklyn153548106185337198825879270. 3380. 4290. 5272896910
1952Brooklyn1495101041571731975247106400. 3080. 4400. 46523761416
1953Brooklyn136484109159347129517474300. 3290. 4250. 5022439712
1954Brooklyn1243866212022415597363200. 3110. 4130. 50519554713
1955Brooklyn10531751816283612361180. 2560. 3780. 36311563538
1956Brooklyn1173576198152104312560320. 2750. 3820. 41214792239
Totals10 yrs13824877947151827354137734197307402910. 3110. 4090. 47423101049772113

Post-baseball life

Jackie Robinson and his son David being interviewed at the "March on Washington"August 28, 1963From the National Archives
Jackie Robinson and his son David being interviewed at the "March on Washington"
August 28, 1963
From the National Archives

Robinson retired on January 5, 1957. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. He became a vice-president for the Chock Full O' Nuts corporation, and served on the board of the NAACP until 1967, when he resigned. Chock full o'Nuts was a chain of Lunch counters in New York City that spawned a brand of Coffee. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is one of the oldest and most influential Civil rights organizations

In 1964 he became one of six national directors for Nelson Rockefeller's Republican presidential campaign and later became special assistant for community affairs when Rockefeller was re-elected governor of New York in 1966. Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller ( July 8, 1908 January 26, 1979) was the forty-first Vice President of the United States, the forty-ninth [37]

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility, becoming the first African-American so honored. In 1965, Robinson served as an analyst for ABC's Game of the Week telecasts. Major League Baseball on ABC is the De facto title of a program that televises Major League Baseball games on the American Broadcasting Company The Major League Baseball Game of the Week is the De facto title for over-the-air, nationally televised coverage of regular season Major League On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired his uniform number 42 alongside Roy Campanella (39) and Sandy Koufax (32). Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Roy Campanella ( November 19, 1921 – June 26, 1993) nicknamed " Campy " was an American Baseball Sanford Koufax (ˈkoʊfæks (born Sanford Braun, on December 30, 1935) is an American Left-handed former Pitcher in

In 1970, he established the Jackie Robinson Construction Company to build housing for families with low incomes. [38]

Robinson made his final public appearance on October 14, 1972, before Game 2 of the World Series. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces The 1972 World Series matched the American League champion Oakland Athletics against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds, with He used this chance to express his wish for a black manager to be hired by a Major League Baseball team. [39]

This wish was granted two years later, following the 1974 season, when the Cleveland Indians gave their managerial post to Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame bound slugger who was then still an active player, and no relation to Jackie Robinson. The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Frank Robinson (born August 31, 1935 in Beaumont Texas) is a Hall of Fame former Major League Baseball player At the press conference announcing his hiring, Frank expressed his wish that Jackie had lived to see the moment. [40] In 1971, his oldest son, Jackie, Jr. , who had beaten back drug problems and was working as a Daytop Village counselor, was killed in an automobile accident. Also, Jackie suffered from diabetes, virtually went blind, and suffered heart problems. Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc

Jackie's body, which had served him well as an athlete, gave out early. Diabetes and heart disease complications weakened him and he was almost blind in middle age. Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc On October 24, 1972, he died of a heart attack at 53 in Stamford, Connecticut and was interred in the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Cypress Hills Cemetery was the first nonsectarian cemetery corporation organized in the Brooklyn / Queens area of New York City. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous [41] The highway that goes through the cemetery (previously known as the Interborough Parkway) was renamed the Jackie Robinson Parkway in 1997. The Jackie Robinson Parkway is a Parkway in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York. [42]

Awards and recognition

A statue of Jackie Robinson in Stamford, Connecticut, where a major street has the honorary name Jackie Robinson Way.
A statue of Jackie Robinson in Stamford, Connecticut, where a major street has the honorary name Jackie Robinson Way. Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.

60th anniversary tribute

Logo of "Jackie Robinson's Day" April 15th, 2007
Logo of "Jackie Robinson's Day" April 15th, 2007

On April 15, 2007, the 60th anniversary of Robinson's major league debut, Major League Baseball invited players to wear the number 42 just for that day to commemorate Robinson. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The gesture was the idea of Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr., who first sought Rachel Robinson's permission, and, after receiving it, asked Commissioner Bud Selig for permission. The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati Ohio, USA George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey Jr (born November 21 1969 in Donora Pennsylvania) is a Major League Baseball Center fielder for the Chicago Rachel Robinson (born Rachel Annetta Isum on July 19, 1922) is a former nurse and the widow of the famous African-American baseball player Jackie Allan Huber "Bud" Selig Jr (born July 30, 1934 in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is the Commissioner of Major League Baseball and has Selig extended the invitation to all major league teams. [49] Ultimately, more than 200 players wore number 42, including the entire rosters of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. The Houston Astros are a Professional baseball team based in Houston Texas. The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The St Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards " or "the Redbirds " are a professional Baseball team based in St The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which plays in the Central Division of the National League The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [50]

The tribute was continued the following year, when, during the April 15 games, all members of the New York Mets, Washington Nationals, and Tampa Bay Rays wore Robinson's # 42. "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. The Washington Nationals is an American professional baseball team based in Washington D The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St

Cultural references

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Rothe, p544
  2. ^ memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/jr1957.html. Below is a list of the first black players in Major League Baseball by team and chronological order since the abolition of the Baseball color line. On September 27, 2006, Major League Baseball announced a list of players one from each team voted by MLB fans The Official "Hometown List of first African-American mayors for most mayor listings African Americans are a demographic minority in the United States. See also List of lifetime home run leaders through history This is a list of the top 500 Major League Baseball home run hitters. In Baseball, a player hits for the cycle when he hits a single, a double, a triple and a Home run in the same game though not necessarily The batting championship is awarded to the Major League Baseball player in each of the American League and the National League who has the highest Batting average See also List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases Major League Baseball recognizes Stolen base champions in the American League
  3. ^ a b Williams, Michael W. - Editor. An African American Encyclopedia. 1993.
  4. ^ MLB. com
  5. ^ Bigelow, p225
  6. ^ a b Rampersad pp10-11
  7. ^ White House Dream Team: Jackie Roosevelt Robinson.
  8. ^ a b The Official Site of Jackie Robinson.
  9. ^ Robinson, p9
  10. ^ Rampersad, p. [23 INSERT TITLE].
  11. ^ Rampersad, p35
  12. ^ Rampersad, p36
  13. ^ www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9460813.
  14. ^ Rampersad, pp 36-37
  15. ^ Rampersad, p37
  16. ^ Rampersad, pp37-39
  17. ^ Rampersad, pp40-41
  18. ^ Rampersad, p47
  19. ^ Rampersad, pp50-53
  20. ^ Rampersad, p54
  21. ^ Rampersad, pp59-61
  22. ^ B. J. VIOLETT - TEAMMATES RECALL JACKIE ROBINSON’S LEGACY. UCLA Today magazine, 1997
  23. ^ Encyclopeǣia Brittanica article on Kenny Washington.
  24. ^ a b Gale - Free Resources - Black History - Biographies - Jackie Robinson.
  25. ^ Jackie Robinson Papers (Library of Congress).
  26. ^ espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016431.html.
  27. ^ TheJournalofSportsHistory. org
  28. ^ www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_jackie.html.
  29. ^ Kirwin, 198
  30. ^ Eig, 95
  31. ^ Ken Burns' documentary, BASEBALL, Part 6, minute 120
  32. ^ Ken Burns' documentary, BASEBALL, Part 6, minute 122
  33. ^ Jackie Robinson.
  34. ^ [http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/robinja02.php Baseball Prospectus
  35. ^ Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, p. 502-503 | Historical Abstract
  36. ^ www.baseballhalloffame.org/history/robinson/index.htm.
  37. ^ memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/jr1957.html.
  38. ^ www.jackierobinson.com/about/achieve.html.
  39. ^ ESPN - Robinson would have mixed view of today's game - MLB.
  40. ^ Frank Robinson Quotes.
  41. ^ Jackie Roosevelt Robinson (1919 - 1972) - Find A Grave Memorial.
  42. ^ Jackie Robinson Parkway.
  43. ^ www.fulton.k12.ga.us/teacher/stratton/robinson2.html.
  44. ^ memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/jr1957.html.
  45. ^ Jackie Robinson School.
  46. ^ Baseball remembers Jackie Robinson - International Herald Tribune
  47. ^ TIME 100: Jackie Robinson.
  48. ^ "METS HONOR ROBINSON AT NEW HOME", New York Daily News, 2006-11-14. The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily Newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703137 Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Retrieved on 2007-04-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor  
  49. ^ "Griffey, Jr., others to wear No. 42 as part of Jackie Robinson Day Tribute", MLB, 2007-04-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Retrieved on 2007-04-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor  
  50. ^ "A Measure of Respect for Jackie Robinson Turns Into a Movement", New York Times, 2007-04-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Retrieved on 2007-04-15. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English  

References

External links

Persondata
NAMERobinson, Jackie
ALTERNATIVE NAMESRobinson, Jack Roosevelt (full name)
SHORT DESCRIPTIONAmerican baseball player
DATE OF BIRTHJanuary 31, 1919(1919-01-31)
PLACE OF BIRTHCairo, Georgia
DATE OF DEATHOctober 24, 1972
PLACE OF DEATHStamford, Connecticut
Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Cairo is a City in Grady County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total Population Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.
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