"Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he 's losing; nobody wants you to quit when you 're ahead." Jackie Robinson
What a day! On April 15, 1947, Major League Baseball 's color line was broken when Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Born Jack Roosevelt Robinson in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919 to a family of sharecroppers, he was the youngest of three brothers and one sister. Jackie 's father left the family shortly after he was born and his mother , Mallie Robinson, was left to raise Jackie alone. Within a year after Jackie 's birth, the family departed Georgia for Pasadena, California. As the only black family on their block, the prejudice the Robinson family encountered only strengthened …show more content…
Rickey met with Robinson in a three-hour meeting. During the meeting, Rickey tried to incite and enrage the 26-year-old, Robinson...he succeeded, but only verbally in doing so. Rickey asked Robinson if he could face the racial insults from fans and players without reacting angrily (a genuine concern, given Robinson 's actions and subsequent legal complications while attending Pasadena City College and during his military service). Robinson 's response, "Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?" And, to which Rickey spoke the famous words that he needed a Negro player "with guts enough not to fight back," and someone who could "turn the other cheek" to racial antagonism. Robinson assured Rickey that he could do exactly that. With that, Rickey agreed to sign Robinson to a $600 a month contract, however, he was not permitted to speak of the agreement until a formal contract was signed before October 25 and a public announcement …show more content…
On April 15, 1947, he became the first African-American to play baseball in the major leagues....the very same year the Dodgers won the pennant and Jackie was named Rookie of the Year.
He proved himself to be an unparalleled base runner, despite ridicule and death threats, stealing home 19 times in his career and more than any ball player had since World War I.
As hitter, fielder and defensive player, Robinson was awarded Rookie of the Year in 1947 and Most Valuable Player in 1949 for the National League.
During the following ten years, Jackie Robinson was one of the best baseball players in the major leagues with a career batting average of .311, hit 137 home runs, and had 197 stolen bases. He was named to the All-Star team six times and was the National League MVP in 1949. 1956, his tenth season in the Major Leagues, was his last.
After his retirement, Robinson took a job as a Vice-President in Personnel for Chock-Full-O '-Nuts, he helped improve economic lives of employees. Until his death in 1972, Robinson continued to raise funds for the NAACP and lent his celebrity status to the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1962 Robinson was the first African-American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and he became a member of the All-Century
What a day! On April 15, 1947, Major League Baseball 's color line was broken when Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Born Jack Roosevelt Robinson in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919 to a family of sharecroppers, he was the youngest of three brothers and one sister. Jackie 's father left the family shortly after he was born and his mother , Mallie Robinson, was left to raise Jackie alone. Within a year after Jackie 's birth, the family departed Georgia for Pasadena, California. As the only black family on their block, the prejudice the Robinson family encountered only strengthened …show more content…
Rickey met with Robinson in a three-hour meeting. During the meeting, Rickey tried to incite and enrage the 26-year-old, Robinson...he succeeded, but only verbally in doing so. Rickey asked Robinson if he could face the racial insults from fans and players without reacting angrily (a genuine concern, given Robinson 's actions and subsequent legal complications while attending Pasadena City College and during his military service). Robinson 's response, "Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?" And, to which Rickey spoke the famous words that he needed a Negro player "with guts enough not to fight back," and someone who could "turn the other cheek" to racial antagonism. Robinson assured Rickey that he could do exactly that. With that, Rickey agreed to sign Robinson to a $600 a month contract, however, he was not permitted to speak of the agreement until a formal contract was signed before October 25 and a public announcement …show more content…
On April 15, 1947, he became the first African-American to play baseball in the major leagues....the very same year the Dodgers won the pennant and Jackie was named Rookie of the Year.
He proved himself to be an unparalleled base runner, despite ridicule and death threats, stealing home 19 times in his career and more than any ball player had since World War I.
As hitter, fielder and defensive player, Robinson was awarded Rookie of the Year in 1947 and Most Valuable Player in 1949 for the National League.
During the following ten years, Jackie Robinson was one of the best baseball players in the major leagues with a career batting average of .311, hit 137 home runs, and had 197 stolen bases. He was named to the All-Star team six times and was the National League MVP in 1949. 1956, his tenth season in the Major Leagues, was his last.
After his retirement, Robinson took a job as a Vice-President in Personnel for Chock-Full-O '-Nuts, he helped improve economic lives of employees. Until his death in 1972, Robinson continued to raise funds for the NAACP and lent his celebrity status to the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1962 Robinson was the first African-American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and he became a member of the All-Century