I Never Had It Made And Feng Ru: A Life Changing Experiences

3. Melba Pattillo Beals life changed when she integrated an all-white high school. The events challenged Beals because she faced racism and because of this she built up confidence and character. In paragraph thirteen the text states, “Some of the white people looked totally horrified while others raised their fists

Jackie Robinson was an African-American who played for a “Negro League” for a team call the Kansas City Monarchs. Their team colors being white with thin red stripes going vertically down the uniform. But a manager from the MLB’s jaw dropped to the floor when he saw how great of a player Jackie was, and decided to do something that nobody ever thought would happen. “I had never seen a ball player,” stated the Dodgers manager. “quite like Jackie Robinson.” He drafted Jackie Robinson in to the MLB for a team called the Brooklyn Dodgers, but just because something good happens, doesn’t mean that there will a few obstacles along the way.

“Spring training in Florida was rough for Robinson due to segregation laws” (“Jackie” 2). This quote shows the MLB was segregated and Jackie did not care. “ Robinson’s arrival on the major league scene in 1947 prompted slew racially motivated actions” (“Jackie” 2). This quote shows that people were going to hate Jackie and he knew that people would.“ The St. Louis Cardinals threatened to go on strike” (“Jackie” 2). This quote shows teams were not going to play with Jackie in the league because they did not want him to play baseball. “ National League president Ford Frick threatened to ban all strikers from professional baseball” (“Jackie” 2). This quote shows that Ford Frick is willing to stand up for Jackie and people care about Jackie playing baseball. “ Pitchers often threw the ball directly at Jackie, baserunners tried to spike him” (“Jackie” 2). This quote shows that other pitchers and runners hated Jackie and tried to get him out of baseball. “In his first year, Jackie hit 12 home runs and helped the Dodgers win the National League pennant” (“Robinson” 3). This quote shows that Jackie would be a key part for the Dodgers. “That year, Robinson lead the National League in stolen bases and was selected Rookie of the Year” (“Robinson” 3). This shows that Jackie would be a star in the MLB. Next will be breaking the color

Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in the MLB. Back then many people's point of view about African Americans was that they had some things, but the things should be worse than what the things white people had, and because of that he was proud yet uneasy because he would get a lot of hate for playing, and he did. The thing is he didn’t only get hate, but he also got threats against him and his family to physically harm him,“The hate mail piled up. There were threats against me and my family and even out-and-out attempts at physical harm to me.” Being in the MLB was hard and he could’ve given up, but he didn’t. Jackie Robinson stayed strong and he changed our point of view about African Americans not doing things that only white people could do and he helped our country change for the better

First of all, Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player in the major leagues, setting an example so others could follow, integrating baseball forever. When he joined the major leagues, he “smashed the unwritten law that kept blacks out of the big leagues.”(Robinson) When he joined the Dodgers, he faced verbal and physical threats, angry and racist fans. Even with all these people hating him, he worked hard to be the best player he could be, not another NLB player. Robinson later said that Mr.Ricky “Chosen me as the person to lead the way.” When Jackie heard this, he responded by ignoring the bad things and focusing on the good things and people who gave him support.”I had become the first black player in the major leagues.”(Robinson) This shows that Jackie

Back in the 1940s, when African Americans faced discrimination and racism in baseball and everywhere else, there was man who took a stand and proved that he could play ball, no matter the color of his skin. This man’s name was none other than, Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was a great leader and civil right activist who just wanted to play baseball. In a quote by Robinson saying, “I 'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being”, he means that he is only a human too, and that he should not be treated poorly or disrespected based on the color of his skin.

Becoming the first African-American to break the racial barrier in a white supremacist sport like Major League Baseball during the 1940s when colored racism still occurred is an accomplishment like no other. Jackie Robinson faced numerous hardships and endured countless racial setbacks during his professional baseball career, but managed to set aside his frustrations and continue to emerge as a symbol of hope and unity for all. The makers of 42: The Jackie Robinson Story portray the story of his career as it demonstrates the struggle of race stereotyping during the 1940s and the interpersonal power struggles of being seen as an “equal”. “I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being” (Robinson) is a powerful message that I would like for you to keep in mind as you continue to read.

It has been said that real heroes risk their lives for others and Jackie Robinson has proven to be a hero. Robinson was “the first African American major league ballplayer of the twentieth century” (Scott 2) and has influenced many people on and off the field. When he “took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day, April 15, 1947, he forever changed the face of major league baseball (“Jackie Robinson - Changing Major League Baseball”, 0:06-0:16). Throughout his years of playing on the field, he became a “militant campaigner for civil rights” (Scott 6) to show how it is important to America's history. Robinson has made major contributions to the advancement of the Civil Rights Movement by showing his courage, confidence, and what he stands for.

In the biography Jackie Robinson and the American Dilemma by John R. M. Wilson, it tells the story of racial injustice done after world war II and explains how Jackie Robinson was pioneer of better race relations in the United States. The obstacles Jackie Robinson overcame were amazing, he had the responsibility to convert the institutions, customs, and attitudes that had defined race relations in the United States. Seldom has history ever placed so much of a strain on one person. I am addressing the importance of Jackie Robinson’s trials and triumphs to American racial dynamics in the post war period to show how Robinson was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement and brought baseball fans together regardless of race.

To the average person, in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that, but to see the real Jackie Robinson, you must de-emphasize him as a ball player and emphasize him as a civil rights leader. That part drops out, that which people forget. From his early army days, until well after his baseball days, Robinson had fought to achieve equality among whites and blacks. "Jackie acted out the philosophy of nonviolence of Martin Luther King Jr., before the future civil rights leader had thought of applying it to the problem of segregation in America"(Weidhorn 93). Robinson was an avid

Everyday, Jackie Robinson would step onto the field to bear the taunts and threats yelled by the crowd. Scott Simon wrote, “[T]he strain slowed his body, whitened his hair, thickened his circulation, aggravated his diabetes, and rendered him slow and blind.” Simon also wrote, “Jackie Robinson gave his life for something great; heroes do.” Jackie Robinson was a hero. He decided to “bear the daily, bloody trial of standing up to beanballs and cleats launched into his shins, chest, and chin and the race-baiting taunts raining down from the stands” (Simon) to enable African Americans to play sports and fight discrimination.

Since the abolition of slavery in the USA in 1883 and through the first half of the 20th Century, African Americans had been in a constant struggle to try and gain an equal footing in society. Like many aspects of American life, black sportsmen were segregated, and no African American had played professional baseball since 1884. For this reason, the integration of Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first African American to play Major League baseball in the modern era had a grand impact on the entire country. From the moment that Dodgers owner, Branch Rickey decided that Robinson would break the colour lone, the history of sport and the history of African Americans would not be the same again. The importance of his integration and the effect it had on civil rights can be looked at in many different ways. It had great effect on the African American community, instilling pride and belief once again in the American Dream for many who had once thought it impossible. It also had significant importance for civil rights groups, and brought about a figure who would fight his peoples quest for equal rights until the day he died. It was a significant risk taken by both Rickey and Robinson, professionally and personally. But it was a risk that both in the short term for African American sport, and in the long run for African American civil rights, was ultimately well worth taking.

Robinson lived with “snubs and rebuffs and rejections.” (Robinson) It was difficult to convince Jackie’s teammates to accept him, but after “they realized I was a good ballplayer who could be helpful in their earning a few thousand more dollars in world series money,” (Robinson) Jackie Robinson was a "welcomed" player within his team, but the other teams and team owners were against him. Jackie’s teammates only accepted him because he could earn money for them. Many people considered Branch Rickey as a demagogue, but Mr. Rickey did not pay attention to them. Jackie Robinson ignored the threats and worked hard to become “the hurricane eye of a significant breakthrough and to be used to prove that a sport can’t be called national if blacks are barred from it.” (Robinson) Being able to gain this position made Jackie proud and tough, because of all he had to go through. Jackie Robinson was able to break the color barrier, and he became the “victorious black man as a symbol” (Robinson) for the black community, changing the world to be more fair and

Clearly Jackie Robinson displayed moral courage by fighting racism and playing Major League Baseball as the first african-american player to do so. Jackie had to constantly avoid resorting to violence; he had to take everyone’s abuse, and in order to achieve his overall goal. African-Americans would have joined Major League Baseball at some point in time, however Jackie pioneered the progression of this idea which allowed for African-Americans to join the League sooner than people initially

Jackie Robinson was chosen to integrate into Major League Baseball during a time in history when blacks were not a part of the major leagues. On his path to becoming the first black player in the major leagues, he had to endure many challenges, such as, racism expressed as insults, physical harm and pressure from his teammates, other baseball owners, and fans. In paragraph three of the text, Robinson states, “Some of my own teammates refused to accept me because I was black.” This quote shows that Robinson had to deal with racial tensions because his skin was black. He was often separated from the rest of his teammates, and was rejected by them because of his skin color. Despite the racism he faced, he grew and developed through the support, encouragement, and love shown to him by his supporters- the children and black fans.