Athletes drafted into World War II

The most decorated and costly war in American history was World War II. Everyone understands the atomic bomb, Hitler rise to power, but many people do not know some American history during the war. The history of our sport world, it changed how people viewed and watched it. During the war many people were drafted into the war to help fight, like the fittest and strongest of athletes. Since many players were disbanded from their major sports like Jackie Robison or Del Bork, it changed how people look at this era in sports.

Number 42 is the famous Jackie Robinson played in major league and broke the color barrier in baseball. Many people do not know but Robison served in the United State Army in 1942-1944. He played football with the Honolulu Bears but the season was cut short when the United States enter the war. During Robison training period he was arrested for not sitting in the back of the bus with his segregated color. His courage and moral objection to segregation was very important to the way he handled and impacted major league baseball (“About Jackie Robison"). Due to his hard attitude Robison became the most famous African American to play ever in the white man game of baseball during this time. Robison became the highest paid player ever, won World Series, and inducted into baseball hall of fame. People believe the war helped him in his career because he could still be playing football with the Bears. Even during the wartime, he did not believe he should be segregated, so people weren’t able to segregate him in a game called baseball (“About Jackie Robison").

Del Bork was an Oregon hall of famer because of what he did at Oregon by his playing in the East-West Shrine Game. He also played in the 10th Collegiate- Pro Clas...

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...merican showed itself during the war by not letting the war destroy their fun time at home. American lives were different but never gave up on anything; including the sport war. Even though many famous athletes left, the sport would never be forgotten of the wartime area.

Works Cited

"About Jackie Robinson." The Jackie Robinson Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

"Baseball Goes To War: The National Pastime In World War II." American Veteran Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.

Lesko. "League History." League History. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

"Oregon Sports Hall of Fame." Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

"People & Events." American Experience / The Fight / People & Events / PBS. N.p., 22 Sept. 2004. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.

"Wartime Baseball-Not That Bad." Wartime Baseball-Not That Bad. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.