More Than Just Baseball
Over many years, millions and millions of fans across the world have watched america's pastime, major league baseball. It has changed so much due to a certain player that stood up to the white league and overcame so many barriers when all he wanted to do was to be in the best league and play for the best organization. This great man has changed many different things in today's world that many people do not even realize.
The breaking of the color barrier in professional sports was a turning point in history. It happened in 1947, when Jackie Robinson, an African-American athlete, began playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers under the watchful eye of their owner, Branch Rickey. The man who broke this barrier was a hero in his own right, changing the world of baseball as well as aiding the Civil Rights Movement. But this was not his only heroic accomplishment. Robinson was a star athlete as a child, at the University of California, Los Angeles, and in Major League Baseball, later being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was in the military and served the United States in World War II. Robinson heavily contributed to the Civil Rights movement, and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. He was also, from all accounts, a tremendously loving and attentive father and husband. Jackie Robinson was a hero because of his rough upbringing, his outstanding talents, his military service, his participation in the Civil Rights Movement, his break into Major League Baseball, and his resilience as a player and a person.
“Hey Jackie, you should play baseball.” Jackie Robinson had no intention to play baseball. Jackie Robinson had to deal with many racial comments and put downs, but Jackie never gave up and ended up as a Major League hero. Jackie played many sports in high school and he was good at all of them. He lettered in every sport he played in high school. After high school, he didn’t have any intention to play sports anymore. Jackie actually enlisted in the army. He served two years and he ranked second lieutenant. Jackie’s army career ended really short compared to many other veterans. Jackie had to go to court for his objections against racial discrimination. After that jumble was done, Jackie came home and played For the Kansas City Monarchs, which is in the Negro League. He traveled the whole Midwest playing baseball with them. Jackie led the team in every offensive category and he only played one season. After his season with the Monarchs, Branch Rickey approached him about coming up and playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Major League had not had an African American since 1889, when baseball became segregated. Jackie accepted this offer. Jackie was the first to break the color barrier in the Major League. Jackie started his first game on April 15th, and that was only the start of Jackie’s legend of a career (Jackie Robinson , 2011).
There once was a legend and he went by the name of Jackie Roosevelt Robinson. “Jackie was born on January 31, 1919. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball. Jackie Robinson.” (“Jackie Robinson.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 14 Aug. 2017, Accessed 22 Sept. 2017 www.biography.com/people/jackie-robinson-9460813) Baseball isn’t the only thing Jackie accomplished throughout his life, for instance he went to college, had kids and did much more. But for Jackie it was harder because he had racial slurs thrown at him. Despite all of the discrimination and racism about Jackie Robinson and his family, he got passed it and became a star. Jackie was an outsider, he was the first African American to play Major league baseball, he used the haters to become an amazing ball player and a hero to other African Americans.
Jackie Robinson said “I 'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” Jackie Robinson was the first person of color to play major league baseball in 1947. He was on the Brooklyn Dodgers and played first base even though he was a second baseman. He was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. His number 42 is the only number to be retired by all major league baseball teams. When he started playing for the MLB the fans hated him and made death threats but now is remembered as a hero. Jackie Robinson was the first colored person to play in the MLB,through his suffering he allowed more colored people to play major league sports and he also abolished segregation.
Jackie Robinson was a professional baseball player in the 1940’s. By playing baseball, he stood up against racial inequality in sports. He led African Americans closer to racial integration. Jack “Jackie” Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo Georgia, 1919. He went to John Jackie grew up with four siblings; Edgar, Frank, Matthew (Mack) and Willa Mae. Jackie was good at various sports, such as; football, tennis, track, and baseball. There was one point where he went to Honolulu and played for the Honolulu Bears football team. Jackie is most known for “breaking the color barrier.” The “barrier” represented decades of segregated baseball. Throughout his entire life, Jackie was a crucial part of the civil rights movement. He did this by playing
Similar to Jenks, Jackie Robinson was also a very inspiring man. He was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia, the grandson of slaves. He was was young when him and his family moved to Pasadena, California. In 1940 he entered UCLA, where he practiced baseball, basketball, football and athletics, earning high reputation in the world of sports. The issue of racism, which unfortunately is still alive, was Jackie Robinson’s main challenge when entering the professional leauge. Robinson played for the Montreal Royals for some time, belonging to the International League (less competition), becoming the first black to do so. On a team trip to Florida, the fact that Jackie had to sleep in the house of a local black politician, because that state law did
Jackie Robinson played an important role in helping break the color barrier for all African Americans who had a dream to play major league baseball. Segregation was very high in the mid-1900s and there were separate areas for African Americans to eat, drink, and even use the bathroom. There was a separate baseball league that blacks had to play in and there were absolutely NO blacks in Major League Baseball. That all changed in 1947 when Jackie Robinson was signed to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. By signing this contract it gave Jackie the opportunity to do what he loved and help change the major leagues as well.
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers. He attended UCLA where he became the first athlete to receive varsity letters in 4 sports; baseball, basketball, football, and track. Jackie did not have enough money to afford college and was forced to drop out. He then decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. With very swift progress, after only two years Jackie earned the rank of lieutenant. Jackie’s career in the army was cut short when he was court-martialed in relation of objections to racial discrimination. No scene was made and Jackie received an honorable discharge when he decided to resign from the army. He took a stand when he was in the army and made changes against racial discrimination that stood until racial discrimination completely ended. Jackie stood up for what was right and was not afraid to voice his opinion. Jackie said, “A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives.” Jackie never knew what was coming when he gets recognized by Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson is a major cultural hero who affected our society in a major way. He was the first African-American in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier and paving the way for many other African-Americans in baseball and other sports all over.
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia to a family of sharecroppers. He was the youngest child, he had 4 siblings. In 1920 his father left the family, leaving his mother to take care of all 5 children.