Jackie Robinson Baseball Hero

Civil rights was an important American issue through the late 40s through the 60s. During this time period Baseball was “America’s Pastime, “and a major social get together for white Americans. However in 1947 both of these event were combined when the Brooklyn Dodgers gave Jackie Robinson a chance to play professional baseball. Jackie Robinson is the target of my biography. Robinson not only was the first African American baseball player, but he also had a hall of fame career, and eventually had his number retired by all of Major League Baseball. It is important to know about him because he helped accelerate the civil rights movement in America. Although his entrance was brutal with the abuse he received and the obscenities that were yelled at him. He helped the transition to not only make African Americans accepted in professional sports, but also to help the acceptance of African Americans in the civil rights movement.

He walks into the stadium...hopeful...yet aware of the prejudice exiting in the minds of the ignorant... in the minds of those who do not realize his journey will empower the victims of unjustified hate and he will change history. Jackie Robinson shattered the color barrier in the MLB despite racism that permeated throughout the league and in society in the 1940 's. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball. He is a model or courage and fortitude for everyone, and has left a huge legacy in the baseball world and in the whole entire sports world. He was signed by the brooklyn Dodgers in April 15, 1947. This is when history was made. This paper will explain Jackie Robinson 's life before his career as a dodger, how he played, the person behind the signing of Jackie, and most importantly how the fans treated him and how he was even a leader/what his legacy even was.

When Robinson was selected to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, by the “General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey” (McBirney 3), he knew it was going to be a bumpy ride. Attempting to break the “color barrier” or let alone play for the Major League takes courage. Despite his fame and how he played on the field, Robinson received “explicit and persuasive death threats” (Scott 2). He also took racism within the stands and even “faced discrimination from a few of his own team members, who threatened to sit out games if he was allowed to play” (McBirney 5). During the games he got things thrown at him like trash, tomatoes, rocks, watermelon slices, and Sambo dolls. But Robinson still showed his courage to continue

Teddy Roosevelt was an inspiration for a lot of people, so much that (25 days after his death) , Jerry and Mallie Robinson named their 5th child after him. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was an American Professional Baseball Player, who played second base for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first African American to play in the MLB. Jackie Robinson is one of the best known baseball players for going against the status quo of his time. Jackie Robinson took a stand against American segregation and helped to change America's wrongful acceptance of discrimination.

Robinson was outstanding and bold athlete, breaking the barriers of early racism in Major League Baseball, through adroitness and determination. This quote, “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me.. all I ask is that you respect me as a human being,” was the response given by Robinson, to counter the racial slurs, and threats of the racist watchers and players of MLB. His composed and affirmative reply exhibits his personality perfectly. While he was resentful of the treatment of his race, he chose to display his vexation by not causing another problem, but instead trying to find a peaceful resolution for equality. Jackie’s quote, “There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free,” digs deeper into his view on equality between all. He believes that as Americans we are united as one no matter the way you look. When Robinson says this he addresses all Americans, including the racists that threatened him, the teammates that taunted him, the coaches that looked down on him, because he believes we have good in us and that we all deserve the same rights. In Jackie Robinson Breaks the Color Barrier by Bo Smolka she restates Jackie’s quote, “The way I figured it, I was even baseball and baseball with me. The game had done much for me and I had done much for it.” This quote shows that baseball was his key principal to facing racism. He looks at baseball as more than

He liked Robinson’s family life off the field and how he dealt with adversity. Rickey’s main fear was the harsh discrimination Jackie would get, so Branch held a historic meeting with Jackie, and said the harshest things to him to see if Jackie could withstand it, and on October 23, 1945, Robinson signed his first contract. Rickey thought Jackie would be more comfortable playing in Canada for the Dodgers minor league team, the Montreal Royals. Turns out, Rickey was right. Jackie gained tons of fans in Canada, and at the end of the season, Jackie led the minor leagues in batting and runs scored. The Royals also won the minor league pennant that year.

Jackie was thefirst African American to play modern major league baseball.Jackie's teammates got up a petition to keep him off the ball club. Histeammates would also disrespect him and call him foul names. Some of the ‘fans’would send him death threats. The team jockeys would holler at him to carry theirbags and shine their shoes. There were base runners who dug their spikes into hisshin.Some of his famous quotes are “A life is not important except in the impactit has on other lives.” Also “I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... AllI ask is that you respect me as a human being.” And my favorite one is “Baseball islike a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he's losing; nobody wants you toquit when you're ahead.”Jackie Robinson had a normal size family. He had his mother named MallieRobinson and a father named Jerry Robinson. He had four siblings by the name ofMack Robinson, Willa Mae Robinson, Edgar Robinson, and Frank Robinson. Hethen went off and married a lady by the name of Rachel Robinson. They then hadthree children named David Robinson, Sharon Robinson, and Jackie Robinson Jr.Jackie died on October 24th, 1972. The cause of his death was from heartproblems and diabetes complications which occurred in Stamford,

Not long after, Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, noticed Jackie’s talents and his incredible character. Rickey saw that Jackie had the potential to not only excel on the team, but he saw something else in Robinson. He saw his ability to become a leader in order to make a change that needed to be done. Rickey told Robinson once, “Jackie, we’ve got no army. There’s virtually nobody on our side. No owner, no umpires, very few newspapermen. And I’m afraid that many fans may be hostile. We’ll be in a tough position. We can win only if we can convince the world that I am doing this because you’re a great ballplayer, and a fine gentleman.” (Jackie). Rickey saw in Robinson the courage to not lash out when criticized, and the ability to turn the other cheek when taunted.

Robinson’s issues kept going. The team Robinson was facing that day, the Philadelphia Phillies and their manager, Ben Chapman. (“Jackie Robinson”). While facing each other, Ben and his team shouted inappropriate terms at Robinson from their dugout. The players of Philadelphia and some of his own teammates threatened to not play against Robinson’s team, but Leo Durocher, the Dodgers’ manager, said that he would choose Robinson over anyone on the team. It was more than just Leo who stood up for Jackie. Including President Ford Frick, Baseballl Commissioner Happy Chandler, even Pee Wee

A quote from baseball stars Jackie Robinson. “which means that they never want to quit when they are losing and nobody wants to quit when your ahead”(Robinson Page #12 ).The topic of Jackie Robinson change the course of history for racial people and sports for being the first black baseball player. He was the very first African American baseball player, and

The first man to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball in the 20th century, Jackie Robinson is, to this day, one of the most celebrated baseball players in history. It is only a few times in one’s life that they have the chance to know of someone who’s character could be digested in simply a sentence. Especially a complex person, a complex athelte. Although there aren’t many people like Jackie Robinson. "A life is not important," he said, "except in the impact it has on other lives." With that said, there are a small number of people, and zero athlete’s who have influenced more lifes. Due to being the first African American man to play in the MLB, Jackie recieved a ton of critism and negative attention all through his career. However, Robinson managed to turn his cheek to all things negative, and went on to chage the face of America’s favorite past time forever. Jakcie signed with the Dodgers, August 28, 1945 “’Launching the experiment in Montreal was more then fortuitous. It was destiny in some ways. The security and respect shown towards us allowed Jackie to perform at the peak of his ability’” Mrs. Robinson claimed. Soon enough, Newspapers reffered to Jackie as the “colored comet” or “the dark destroyer.” Still he disreguarded all racial slurs, it helped that he signed a conteact prohibitting him from responding. On March 17th, 1946 he played his first professional game in Daytona. “’He was impatient and a fighter for change,’” Mrs. Robinson stated, “and

Jackie Robinson did not let the hardships of isolation and oppression break him, he held strong and put his ambition to the test. “Robinson allowed that hatred strike him as it would a lightning rod, channeling it down into the rugged earth of himself. All that America saw was that iron as upright as a steeple, never bending. But inside, the strain slowed his body, whitened his hair, thickened his circulation, aggravated his diabetes, and rendered him slow and blind. He was dead by the age of fifty three---a martyr” (Simon 3) The constant threats and wear on robinson led him to a fairly early retirement from baseball, after ten years he had retired. “The first baseball player to break the color barrier in 60 years, he paved the way for many future african American and minority athletes.” (Mc. Birney 10) The restraint and silent activism had also made a statement for the activists yet to come. Jackie Robinson had set the bar high for his colleagues on and off the

Jackie Robinson was the first Black to play in the “Major Leagues” and he was the one to break the color barrier and was the perfect person to do so. First, Jackie Robinson was a very good baseball player. This was perfect because 1 they couldn’t use any random person to be on their team because if they are bad at baseball the person would get a lot more hate then if they were good. Secondly, that was their main goal, to find someone (a black person) who is good at baseball, so they could show that black people are good at baseball/sports and should be given a chance. “The scouts told Mr. Rickey that during his season with the Negro League team the Kansas City Monarchs, Jackie Robinson played shortstop. He hit .387, perfected his skill at stealing

In 1947 when the Dodgers started him, people of color could not play. By playing, Jackie ended the racial segregation that had relegated blacks to play in the Negro leagues since 1880’s. His humbleness challenged traditional segregations which marked other aspects of American life. He made an impact on the culture and contribution to the civil rights movement. In the 1960’s

The Brooklyn Dodgers were looking for players in the Negro League and watched Jackie. Jackie