Jackie
Robinson
Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. This was not the best time period for colored people because of discrimination. Jackie's mother, Mallie moved to Pasadena with Jackie and his siblings. When Jackie was a little boy, he was inspired to play sports by his brother. He loved every sport there was. He won the Junior Boys tennis tournament in the Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament.
When he was a teen, Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College. Jackie played multiple sports here. He was successful in baseball, track, basketball, football and track. On the football team Jackie played quarterback and safety and be the star of the team. As baseball season came around, Jackie played shortstop and batted first in the lineup. On the track team, Jack broke the broad jump record recently held by his brother, Mack. Jackie hurt his ankle severely in football, which would set back his draft to enter the US Army. In 1938, Jackie was voted All-Southland Junior College for baseball and was voted the region MVP.
January 25, 1938 Jackie was arrested for arguing with a police officer about protesting his African-American friends detention sentence. A little bit later, his brother, Mack died in a motorcycle accident. This incident really made him not take anything for granite anymore and accomplish more things. Jackie transferred to UCLA after you went to school at Pasadena Junior College. At UCLA, Jackie "stepped his game up" with sports. He was the first person and African American to be successful at football,baseball,basketball,and track. He was one of few people on the UCLA football that were black. Other white people on the team would treat them poorly and with no respect.
Jackie got drafted into the US army during the war. He was assigned to Fort Riley,Texas, a segregated unit of army soldiers. Thankfully, Jackie survived the war and came back to the US and joined his childhood football team just for fun. Jackie got offered a contract to play in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs. The negro leagues was basically the MLB, but for the discriminated black people. His contract was $400 per month, which was average for back then. His first year he hit .387 and was elected to play in the Negro League All-Star game. This was a great honor to Jackie because he had taken baseball and other sports off for so long. In August of 1945, The Brooklyn Dodgers offered Jackie Robinson a contract for their minor league system for $600 a month. It took days and weeks for them to come up with a negotiation. In 1947, Jackie made his debut with the Brooklyn dodgers playing second base.
Jackie was treated awfully in the league because of his race. He was called names and was threatened by opposing teams and even the fans. For example, in Jackie's first year, he was threatened by the St.Louis Cardinals that if he played, they would hurt him and strike him so he couldn't. Jackie was just strong enough to shake off the hatred and do what his job was. He was hurt multiple times by getting broken bones and stitches on his face from getting hit in the face with the baseball. A teammate of Jackie's, Pee Wee Reese encouraged him to keep playing even if he didn't want to. Pee Wee was always there for Jackie.
Later that year, Jackie won the "Rookie of the Year Award". This award was given to the best rookie that played in the MLB their first year. After Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the MLB, so did other black people like Satchel Paige and Larry Dobby that we successful in the MLB. As his years went on in the MLB he was incredible hitting in the .300's and batting leadoff for the team. Late in his career, Jackie won his first World Series vs. the New York Yankees. Of course Jackie was hated on and threatened, but he kept on playing. He would later retire in 1957. Jackie was in peanut and crack jack business serving the MLB after his retirement. He was inducted into the Hall of fame and will always to remembered as one of the greatest baseball players that ever lived.
Moral Courage:
Jackie Robinson showed great moral courage by breaking the color barrier in the MLB by being the first black person to ever play. The death of his brother Mack really motivated Jack to follow up his talents in baseball and other sports. Also the Negro Leagues really drove him to get back to the ways in college after the war. Jackie wanted to have equal rights and be able to play competitive sports just as other African Americans did. Pee Wee Reese really drove Jackie to keep playing baseball for the Dodgers even though he was treated awfully and discouraged. He wanted to do the right thing and start a new era for the major leagues and show that black people have just the same right to play baseball as white people. People treated Jackie like he was nothing. They was intentionally peg him with the baseball and he would have gashes under his eyes from it. He responded like a warrior though. He kept playing and didn't bother to fight back because he knew that they were just jealous of his skills in baseball. Jackie impacted baseball forever. When he entered the MLB and broke the color barrier for the first time, it influenced other African American people to do the same and follow their dreams. Even today, people think and recognize Jackie of a role model and example of a talented baseball player. When he made the Hall of Fame, it was a huge landmark in the MLB. He was the first African American inducted into the Hall of Fame. His legacy will always be remembered as a great act of moral courage.
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January 31, 1919- Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia
1920- Jackie's mom, Mallie decided to move to Pasadena, Cali. where Jackie would spend his early days
1937- Jackie decided to go to college at Pasadena Junior College
1938- He was selected the All-Southland MVP and was the regional MVP too.
January 25, 1938- He was arrested for speaking vocally nabout prostesting his friends detention to the police
1939- Jackie would later transfer to UCLA and become the schools first four letter-man.
1941- Jackie became successful in baseball,basketball,track and football.
1942- Jackie was drafted into the US Army into a segregated unit in Fort Riley, Kansas
January 1943- He was reassigned to 2nd lieutenant and moved to Fort Hood, Texas.
1944- Jackie was discharged from the military and joined his childhood football club for fun.
Early 1945- He was offered a contract to play for the Kansas City Monarchs, a negro league team. The contract was for $400 a month which was a huge money deal for him at the time.
August 28, 1945- The Brooklyn Dodgers offered Jackie a deal for $600 to play for the team.
April 15, 1947- Jackie made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and broke the color barrier in the MLB for the first time.
1954- Jackie had nearly the best season of his life by hitting a .311 batting average and beating the New York Yankess in the 1955 World Series.
1957- He retired from the MLB but still was involved with the system and was working with Chock full O'nuts, a baseball brand.
1969- Jackie turned down to play in the old-timers game at Yankee Stadium for 1969.
October 24, 1972- Jackie unfortunately died of a heart attack in his home of Stamford,CT when he was at the age of 53.