Jackie Robinson First Black Baseball Player
Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. He was the first African-American to play major league baseball. After his decade long Career with the Brooklyn dodgers, he thought it was important to be a part of he civil rights for black athletes. Being youngest of five children, Robinson was raised in relative poverty by a single mother. He attended John Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College, where he was an excellent athlete and played four sports: football, basketball, track, and baseball. After college from 1942 to 1944, Robinson served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He never saw combat, however; Robinson was arrested and court-martialed during boot camp after he refused to move to the back of a segregated bus during training. His courage and moral objection to segregation impacted Robinson to play in major league baseball. After being discharged from the army in 1944 he decided to play baseball professionally. Unfortunately at the time baseball was a segregated sport. He began to play on the negro league but, but he was soon chosen by Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, to help integrate major league baseball.
Rickey knew there would be difficult times ahead for the young athlete, and made Robinson promise to not fight back when confronted with racism. But, on April 15, 1947, marked the first time an African-American athlete played in the major leagues. During the season many players on other teams threatened not to play against the Dodgers. Even his own teammates threatened to sit out. But as the season got better his teammates respected him more and more. During a game while fans harassed Robinson from the stands, one of Robinsons teammates walked over and put his arm around his Robinson, a gesture that has become legendary in baseball history. As racism got worse he served on the board of the NAACP until 1967 and was the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1972, the Dodgers retired his uniform number of 42. Later, he died from heart problems and diabetes complications on October 24, 1972, in Stamford, Connecticut.
In my opinion Jackie Robinson was a brave, strong headed man who went through a lot, but he did what he loved. He is a historical icon that is still talked about to this day. He changed history during the Civil Rights Movement though baseball. Even though Robinson was the first black baseball player he was much more that. He didn’t let the racism bother him, he was out there to play on the field and have fun. But, after all he was the first negro to break the color barrier in major league baseball. That’s a big thing to do in front of America. That day in history makes it important because, he changed the way people viewed black people. They could do much more than people actually thought. Overall, Jackie Robinson showed courage through everything that happened in his life he is a true historical icon.
Rickey knew there would be difficult times ahead for the young athlete, and made Robinson promise to not fight back when confronted with racism. But, on April 15, 1947, marked the first time an African-American athlete played in the major leagues. During the season many players on other teams threatened not to play against the Dodgers. Even his own teammates threatened to sit out. But as the season got better his teammates respected him more and more. During a game while fans harassed Robinson from the stands, one of Robinsons teammates walked over and put his arm around his Robinson, a gesture that has become legendary in baseball history. As racism got worse he served on the board of the NAACP until 1967 and was the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1972, the Dodgers retired his uniform number of 42. Later, he died from heart problems and diabetes complications on October 24, 1972, in Stamford, Connecticut.
In my opinion Jackie Robinson was a brave, strong headed man who went through a lot, but he did what he loved. He is a historical icon that is still talked about to this day. He changed history during the Civil Rights Movement though baseball. Even though Robinson was the first black baseball player he was much more that. He didn’t let the racism bother him, he was out there to play on the field and have fun. But, after all he was the first negro to break the color barrier in major league baseball. That’s a big thing to do in front of America. That day in history makes it important because, he changed the way people viewed black people. They could do much more than people actually thought. Overall, Jackie Robinson showed courage through everything that happened in his life he is a true historical icon.
"Jackie Robinson Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/people/jackie-robinson-9460813>.