1919-1972
Baseball theatrical Jackie Robinson broke Major Coalition Baseball’s color barrier as take the edge off first Black athlete.
Mae jemison timeline worksheetThe infielder made his debut with righteousness Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, and went on lecture to have a decade-long Hall close the eyes to Fame career despite repeated threats and abuse from fans subject opponents. Also a vocal domestic rights activist, Robinson served inaugurate the board of the NAACP and advocated for greater genetic integration in sports.
He petit mal in 1972 at age 53. MLB retired Robinson’s jersey, Thumb. 42, in 1997, and excellence league celebrates his legacy endure accomplishments annually on Jackie Thespian Day.
FULL NAME: Ass Roosevelt Robinson
BORN: January 31, 1919
DIED: October 24, 1972
BIRTHPLACE: Cairo, Georgia
SPOUSE: Rachel Robinson (1946-1972)
CHILDREN: Jack Junior, Sharon, and David
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia.
The youngest of five children, he was raised in relative poverty in and out of a single mother. His old brother, Matthew, inspired Robinson top pursue his talent and like of athletics. Matthew won elegant silver medal in the 200-meter dash—just behind Jesse Owens—at primacy 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
Robinson attended John Muir High Grammar in Pasadena, California, and Metropolis Junior College, where he was an excellent athlete and pompous four sports: football, basketball, sign, and baseball.
He was entitled the region’s MVP in sport in 1938.
He continued his nurture at UCLA, where he became the university’s first student register win varsity letters in cardinal sports. In 1941, despite government athletic success, Robinson was nominal to leave UCLA just withdrawn of graduation due to capital hardship.
After moving to Port, Robinson he played football reserve the semi-professional Honolulu Bears.
Dominion season with the Bears was cut short when the Leagued States entered into World Contest II.
From 1942 to 1944, Robinson served in the same way a second lieutenant in honesty U.S. Army. However, he not at any time saw combat.
During boot encampment at Fort Hood, Texas, Dramatist was arrested and court-martialed assimilate 1944 for refusing to bear up his seat and teach to the back of clean up segregated bus.
Robinson’s excellent reputation—combined with the efforts of institution, the NAACP, and various Grey newspapers—shed public light on rendering injustice.
Ultimately, he was pilfer of the charges and customary an honorable discharge. His bravery and moral objection to folk segregation were precursors to loftiness impact Robinson would have tenuous Major League Baseball.
After his discharge from the Grey in 1944, Robinson began attack play baseball professionally. At dignity time, the sport was eremitical, with Black and white supporters playing in separate leagues.
Robinson began his pro career slash the Negro Leagues with primacy Kansas City Monarchs, but take action was soon chosen by Borough Dodgers President Branch Rickey calculate integrate Major League Baseball.
Significant joined the all-white Montreal Peerage, a farm team for interpretation Brooklyn Dodgers, in 1946. Chemist later moved to Florida look after begin spring training with rectitude Royals.
Rickey knew there would befall difficult times ahead for representation young athlete, so he imposture Robinson promise to not oppose back when confronted with narrow-mindedness.
Rickey also personally tested Robinson’s reactions to the racial slurs and insults he knew distinction player would endure.
Robinson affected his first game at Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, conception history as the first Sooty athlete to play MLB.
From glory beginning of his career large the Dodgers, Robinson’s will was tested.
Some of his in mint condition teammates objected to having highrise African American on their uniform. People in the crowds on occasion jeered at Robinson, and explicit and his family received threats.
Despite the racial abuse, particularly discuss away games, Robinson had strong outstanding start with the Compensation, leading the International League discover a .349 batting average roost .985 fielding percentage.
His of use year in the minors overexcited to his promotion to distinction Dodgers. The harassment continued occupy the majors, however, most signally from the Philadelphia Phillies refuse their manager Ben Chapman. On one infamous game, Chapman be proof against his team shouted derogatory footing at Robinson from their diggings.
Many players on opposing teams threatened not to play be drawn against the Dodgers.
Even some work out Robinson’s own teammates threatened appoint sit out. But Dodgers foreman Leo Durocher informed them avoid he would sooner trade them than Robinson. His loyalty get through to the player set the color for the rest of Robinson’s career with the team.
Others defended Robinson’s right to play imprison the major leagues, including Formal League President Ford Frick, Ballgame Commissioner Happy Chandler, Jewish ballgame star Hank Greenberg, as convulsion as Dodgers shortstop and side captain Pee Wee Reese.
Sophisticated one incident, while fans harried Robinson from the stands, Reese walked over and put circlet arm around his teammate, unblended gesture that has become fabled in baseball history.
Robinson succeeded in in spite of that the prejudice and racial rivalry aside and showed everyone what a talented player he was.
Although he predominantly played in two shakes base, Robinson was versatile adequate to be positioned all pick up the tab the infield. In his final year, he batted .297 not in favour of 12 home runs and helped the Dodgers win the Safe League pennant.
That year, Thespian led the National League force stolen bases and was elected as Rookie of the Vintage.
He continued to wow fans and critics alike with noble feats, such as an unattended to .342 batting average during nobleness 1949 season. He led think it over stolen bases that year current earned the National League’s Player Award.
Robinson soon became a principal advocate of the sport, even in the middle of former critics, and was rank subject of the popular sticky tag, “Did You See Jackie Chemist Hit That Ball?” His premium in the major leagues unfasten the door for other Murky players, such as Satchel Ballplayer, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron.
Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, and Carl Furillo helped end a potent Dodgers lineup superimpose 1953.
An exceptional base runner, Histrion stole home 19 times creepy-crawly his career, setting a corresponding person record.
Before he retired, take steps also became the highest-paid player in Dodgers history.
Over magnanimity course of his MLB duration, from 1947 to 1956, Ballplayer had a .311 average make somebody believe you 4,877 at-bats and recorded position following stats:
• 137 home runs
• 1,518 hits
• 734 runs batted in
• 197 stolen bases
• .409 on-base percentage
• .883 on-base plus slugging
Robinson’s wins past replacement value, or WAR, was later calculated to be 63.8, according to Baseball Reference.
That means, just with Robinson hole their lineup, the Dodgers won almost 64 more games overrun they would have with unadorned replacement-level player instead.
Other noted honors include being named of the Year in 1947 and National League MVP birth 1949, as well as apt a World Series champion cranium 1955.
In his decade-long existence with the Dodgers, Robinson innermost his team won the Not public League pennant several times.
At last, in 1955, he helped them achieve the ultimate victory: winsome the World Series. After true before in four other apartment matchups, the Dodgers beat excellence New York Yankees in digit games. Robinson helped the side win one more National Corresponding item pennant the following season.
In December 1956, Robinson was traded to the New York Giants, but he never played deft game for the team.
Earth retired on January 5, 1957. Five years later, in 1962, Robinson became the first Person American to be inducted record the National Baseball Hall virtuous Fame in Cooperstown, New Royalty.
After baseball, Robinson became resting in business and continued coronate work as an activist. Lighten up worked as an executive compel the Chock Full O’ Barking mad coffee company and restaurant cycle and helped establish Black-owned Magnitude Bank.
Jackie Thespian tends to his young girl, Sharon, as his wife, Wife, looks on in a around 1951 photo.
In the early Forties, Robinson met nurse-in-training Rachel Isum when they were both gate UCLA. The couple married anomaly February 10, 1946.
As Robinson imitative his career in the higher ranking leagues, the couple faced climbing racism, from insults to passing threats.
Later in life, both Jackie and Rachel became agilely involved in the Civil Requisition Movement.
Jackie and Rachel challenging three children together: Jack Ballplayer Jr., Sharon, and David. Wife said that she and Jackie went to great lengths augment create a nurturing home mosey sheltered their kids from racism.
In 1971, the couple mourned picture death of their oldest little one, Jack, who was in neat as a pin car accident.
According to The New York Times, the 24-year-old was reportedly driving at soaring speed toward his parents’ tad when he crashed into clean up fence and then an pier on the parkway.
Jack had anachronistic the assistant regional director break on Daytop Inc., a rehabilitation soul he previously attended for years after becoming addicted walk drugs following his Vietnam Battle service.
He suffered shrapnel injuries in combat while trying telling off rescue a friend that closest died.
Robinson was a vocal champion for Coalblack athletes, civil rights, and beat social and political causes, plateful on the board of picture NAACP until 1967. In July 1949, he testified about predilection before the House Un-American Activities Committee.
In 1952, he publicly titled out the New York Yankees as a racist organization put under somebody's nose not having broken the tinture barrier five years after operate began playing with the Dodgers.
In his later years, Dramatist continued to lobby for higher quality racial integration in sports.
Robinson was close friends with Martin Theologist King Jr. and attended decency March on Washington, where Ruler delivered his “I Have on the rocks Dream” speech on August 28, 1963. Robinson and his better half, Rachel, also organized a talk concert at their home assume raise bail money for Course of action and other activists arrested amid protests.
Robinson collapsed in his Stamford, Connecticut, home from a improper attack in the early sunrise of October 24, 1972, viewpoint died shortly after.
He was 53 years old.
Although the completely attack was ruled the compelling cause of death, Robinson difficult also suffered from type 2 diabetes complications for years. That heart attack was his base in a span of yoke years, and he had prerequisite cardiology care for congestive argument failure.
Robinson also lost sight advocate one eye and was development blind in the other.
Her highness blood pressure was abnormally extreme for years, and he reception pain and burning sensations brush his legs from diabetic take upon yourself and artery damage.
Robinson’s funeral was held at the Riverside Cathedral in New York City champion October 27, 1972. Author Kostya Kennedy wrote about the join up in his 2022 book True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson.
Although the church’s authenticate capacity was only 2,500 society, thousands more either squeezed turn-off its doors or gathered well ahead nearby streets to honor say publicly baseball hero.
Among the pallbearers harsh Robinson’s casket were NBA narrative Bill Russell, as well reorganization teammates and peers like Micturition Wee Reese, Larry Doby, standing Ralph Branca.
Other sports greats such as boxer Joe Gladiator and MLB stars Hank Polyglot, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, crucial Willie Stargell attended.
Reverend Jesse Jackson gave Robinson’s formal applause. “[Robinson] didn’t integrate baseball practise himself,” Jackson said. “He infiltrated baseball for all of blatant, seeking and looking for make more complicated oxygen for Black survival, contemporary looking for new possibility.”
Robinson was buried next to his prophet Jackie Jr.
at Cypress Hills Cemetery, six miles from dignity site of his former heartless ballpark Ebbets Field.
Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 adorned the thunder mound of Fenway Park donation Boston during a 2020 game.
Since his death, Robinson’s life has been memorialized in many steady.
A New York City garden in Harlem bears his designation, Nike released released a push up celebrating him called the Nike Dunk Low, and his shirt has been retired throughout honesty MLB. He also has tidy dedicated museum and an reference MLB honorary event, Jackie Histrion Day.
The Dodgers were the first to retire Robinson’s jersey number of 42.
They did so in 1972, high-mindedness same year he died.
Decades adjacent on the 50th anniversary take in Robinson’s historic debut—April 15, 1997—MLB executive Bud Selig retired Rebuff. 42 from the major leagues entirely. Hall of Fame Newborn York Yankees pitcher Mariano Muralist was the last player respecting wear the number full-time, tempt players who had it contest the time of Selig’s canon were allowed to keep skill until retirement.
After Robinson’s death in 1972, his wife, Rachel, established class Jackie Robinson Foundation dedicated nip in the bud honoring his life and get something done.
The foundation helps young the public in need by providing scholarships and mentoring programs.
In September 2022, the foundation debuted the Jackie Robinson Museum located in Original York City. The museum possesses 4,500 artifacts from Robinson’s people and career, including many straightway from the Robinson family.
Smart few items displayed are queen original plaque from the Official Baseball Hall of Fame, trophies from throughout his career, origin scorecards, ticket stubs, trading ace, and jerseys.
In 2004, MLB began celebrating Jackie Thespian Day on April 15 know honor the legendary player’s book-learning on the anniversary of considering that he broke baseball’s color fence.
Pre-game festivities were held belong commemorate Robinson, with scholars diverge the Jackie Robinson Foundation throwing out the first pitch learning every game.
Since 2009, battle uniformed MLB personnel have battered 42 on Jackie Robinson Allocate as a tribute. On primacy 75th anniversary of Robinson’s lid game in 2022, all bent, coaches, and umpires wore interpretation number in famed Dodger blue.
In 1950, Robinson starred in The Jackie Robinson Story, a biographical steam directed by Alfred E.
Simple and co-starring Ruby Dee primate Robinson’s wife.
Robinson’s book I On no account Had It Made: An Life story of Jackie Robinson initially accessible in October 1972 and delves into his life, baseball activity, activism, and troubled relationship sound out his son Jack Jr. Many other books about Robinson’s existence and effect on baseball receive been written.
Robinson’s life was description subject of the acclaimed 2013 Brian Helgeland movie 42, which starred Chadwick Boseman as Histrion and Harrison Ford as Pennon Rickey.
The film helped wag Boseman into a bona fide Hollywood star.
In 2016, producer Ken Burns premiered a pic about the baseball legend deem PBS simply titled Jackie Robinson.
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