Overcoming Challenges

Have you ever faced a turning point or a life-changing experience that impacted society? A turning point can be described as a life-changing event that teaches someone about themselves or the world around him/her. People who endure a life-changing event respond positively or negatively. The autobiography “I Never Had It Made”, by Jackie Robinson, the memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry”, from Melba Pattillo Beals, and the article “The Father of Chinese Aviation”, by Rebecca Maksel, each of the individuals faced turning points. Jackie Robinson, Melba Pattillo Beals, and Feng Ru faced life-changing experiences that altered both their lives and their countries.

2. Jackie Robinson’s life changed when he became the first black man to play in the world series and Major League Baseball (MLB) during a time of segregation in America. These life-changing events challenged him because he had to face racially tense crowds and endured threats from teammates, opponents, and bigoted fans. For example in paragraph three, the text states, “Some of my own teammates refused to accept me because I was black.” This quote explains a negative portraying event that comes upon Jackie Robinson. Also in paragraph three the text states, “There were threats against me and my family and even out-and-out attempts and physical harm to me.” This explains how Jackie felt uneasy about how the whites were trying to put Jackie down. Despite the racism he faced, Robinson learned to have pride in his accomplishments and appreciate the courage, support, and love shown by his supporters. For example, in paragraph eleven, the text states, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that small, shrill voice of a tiny white kid, in the midst of a racially tense atmosphere during an early game in a Dixie town, cried out, “Attaboy, Jackie.” This explains how because of one his supporters was cheering him on he felt he had to succeed even if most people wouldn’t accept him. Jackie’s challenges made him a popular name to remember in the Major Leagues today.

Life has many different challenges and can lead to turning points that can impact a person. “Warriors Don’t Cry” (Beals), “I Never Had It Made” (Robinson), and “The Father of Chinese Aviation” (Maskel) are about people who are examples of people that experienced turning points in history. Jackie Robinson, Feng Ru, and Melba Beals faced life-changing events, and those events affected their countries in the process.

Have you ever faced a crucial turning point that impacted yourself and others? Melba Pattillo Beals from the memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry”, Jackie Robinson from the autobiography “I Never Had It Made”, and Feng Ru from the article “  The Father of Chinese Aviation” by Rebecca Maskel all faced life-changing events. During those turning points, they overcame difficult challenges. Melba Pattillo Beals, Jackie Robinson, and Feng Ru overcame challenges, faced turning points and had an impact on themselves and their countries.

What would you do if you were in Jackie Robinson’s shoes when he was getting hate for being in the MLB? How about if you were in Melba Pattillo Beals’s shoes when she was going to Central High? Or Brian Robeson when he crash-landed onto the lake with no supplies? Your reaction could be the same or it could be different from theirs.The reactions they had changed them and us. Jackie Robinson and Melba Pattillo Beals both helped us change our views about African-Americans having unfair rights, and Brian Robeson changed our point of view of surviving in the wilderness. Jackie Robinson, Melba Pattillo Beals, and Brian Robeson had helped us change our point of views.

veryone in this world has a turning point, big or small. But three people named Jackie Robinson, Feng Ru, and Melba Beals all had life changing experiences that changed their whole country.Jackie Robinson from the autobiography I Never Had It Made was the first black in the major leagues, while Melba Pattillo Beals from the book Warriors Don’t Cry was one of the first African-Americans to go to an all-white high school. Feng Ru from the biography by Rebecca Maksel “The Father Of Chinese Aviation” was the one who elevated the field aviation. These people put a lot of things to risks like their family, friends, house, and even their lives, but was determined to do it, and in doing so, changed our country.

faced turning points, Jackie Robinson, Melba Pattillo Beals, and Feng Ru all faced life-changing experiences that changed both their lives and their country.

Jackie Robinson’s life changed when he became the first black man to play in the World Series and Major League Baseball during a time of segregation in the United States. These life-changing events challenged him because he had to face racially tense crowds and endured threats from teammates, opponents and bigoted fan. According to paragraph three of the text, Robinson states, “Some of my teammates refused to accept me because I was black. I had been forced to live with snubs, rebuffs, and rejections. “ This quote explains that Robinson had faced the rejections from some of his teammates because he looked different from them. Despite the racism he faced, these life-changing events caused Robinson to grow and develop by making him proud of his accomplishments and appreciate the support, courage, and love shown by his supporters. In paragraph four, Robinson states, “Black people supported me with total loyalty. They supported me morally: they came to sit in a hostile audience in unprecedented numbers to make the turnstiles hum as they never had before at ballparks all over the nation. Money is America's God, and business people can dig black power if it coincides with green power, so these fans were important to the success of Mr. Rickey's ‘Noble Experiment’.” This quote stated the idea of the blacks were trying to fight through their excitement and nervousness that they felt since they had not been

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

Jules Tygiel, a sports historian and author once said, “Upon Robinson’s husky, inexperienced shoulders rested the fate of desegregation in baseball”(Tygiel 4). Jackie Robinson was not just the first black man to play in the MLB. Jackie Robinson opened up the door for all black baseball players, and athletes of all different sports. America needed a black man to show them that it was okay for blacks and whites to be together, to play baseball together. Jackie did exactly that. Although Jackie loved the professional baseball, professional baseball did not always love him. Jackie and the MLB did not always go well. Many teams didn’t like a negro sharing a field with them, in fact, the St. Louis Cardinals even went on strike for a short time(“Jackie Robinson”). Jackie’s presence made some teams forfeit games. However, the Dodgers did not care, they were just trying to win baseball games. Jackie knew when he came into the league it was going to be a struggle. He knew it was going to be hard, not only to help the Dodgers win games, but to stay level headed and not let off-field distractions affect his game. Jackie was once quoted saying “I think I am the right man for the test. There is no possible chance that I will flunk it or quit before the end for any other reason other than that I am not a good enough ballplayer.”(“Jackie Robinson”) It was going to take a special man to break the color barrier, and Jackie knew

Have you ever faced a life changing experience that not only affected you, but also the society around you? Life changing experiences are turning points where someone's life changes “direction.” Some people who have been in major life changing experiences are, Melba Beals who wrote Warriors don’t cry, Jackie Robinson who wrote, I Never Had it Made and Feng Ru starring in the article “Father of Chinese Aviation” by Rebecca Maskel. Melba Pattillo Beals, Jackie Robinson and Feng Ru all faced life changing experiences that not only impacted their lives, but also their countries.

Jackie Robinson was soon to be scouted by a white man, his name was Branch Rickey. He was the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers and he was in the white leagues. Soon later, Jackie Robinson first played for the Montreal Monarchs an all-white team then moved and became a new player to the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was the first black player to compete in the major leagues and first black player to be on the team too. For Jackie being the first African American to play in this major leagues, “Robinson was the target of racial epithets and flying cleats, of hate letters and death threats, of pitchers throwing at his head and legs, and catchers spitting on his shoes.” Jackie Robinson would get racial slurs from the crowd and from other teams. Jackie and his family would receive threats. He though was scared for himself and his family, but he knew that this was not an option to quit. Jackie did not give up, he will fight back with his talents in baseball. Throughout all his games, Jackie Robinson had the guts to play baseball through any adversity. He was able to overcome his fears and the hatred he had to hold back from the segregation and discrimination. The talent he had “Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues in 1947, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949 and a World Series champ in 1955.” Through the course of the years, Jackie Robinson was able to achieve a lot. He knew just by playing his heart out there and giving his all would lead him to goals not a lot of baseball players can get to. Through any circumstance, Jackie was able to show the ones that doubted, made fun of him, and threatened him that he has never given up and he was able to do it and achieve it. From when Branch Rickey picked up Jackie Robinson, Jackie being the first and only black baseball player at this time, it is a huge

Born on January 31, 1919 in Georgia, Jackie was he emerged with an extraordinary gift. Mr. Robinson was treated unfairly (LY), with a lack of respect, from Caucasians both on and off the field. This however did not detour him off the path from becoming one of baseball’s greatest at stealing bases and turning double plays. Moreover, Jackie’s determination and perseverance inspired many African Americans to pursue their dreams and endure the social injustices they witnessed everyday in their quest to achieve personal freedom. (5) When (CL) Mr. Robinson earned himself the reputation as one of the toughest and most talented (QA) athletes with the rarest flair in history, he was soon recognized as an amazing person by everyone including Caucasians. However, Jackie Robinson was not the only man fighting against racism.

Robinson had was persistence. Whether he’s playing in a game or practicing, Jackie never gave up on his dreams, even when he wasn’t being supported by his team-mates and friends. He had many obstacles in his way by breaking the ‘colour barrier’ in 1947. He persevered through them and never stopped while he was being mistreated. For Jackie, it was really hard to support his family financially in the early years. He wasn’t paid very well as black baseball player. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson helped the Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League baseball team in Brooklyn), and in return he was treated poorly. Fans of the Dodgers and opponents were yelling racist comments and spitting on him. Usually teammates were supportive of a player on the team, but not Jackie’s. They even signed a petition protesting against playing on the same field as Jackie because of his skin colour. Even though he was poorly treated, he kept playing despite what others thought about

Everyday life for him was having to stay at different hotels, or eat at different restaurants than his teammates. These things put his family at risk, whether it be receiving harsh language, or finding an equitable place to sleep. He knew these segregating laws were not fair, and the risks of safety were high, and still put up with the harsh treatments to prove his point of equality. Despite these things, he knew what he was doing would eventually lead to the full integration of sports. When the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers gave Robinson the chance to break the unwritten color barrier, he gladly accepted. He would have given anything to show that a black man was just as competent as a white. And he did. In 1981, his wish came true with an estimated 19% of Major League baseball players being African American, a startling change from the previous years.(mlblogs.com) Now, nearly 70 years later, all sports are integrated without a thought to color or race. This accomplishment made a huge difference to the black members of society and to our history in general. Jackie Robinson got his wish, even though he didn't live long enough to see it happen all the way through. Because of him, black players now have an equal opportunity to play and take part in the sports they