Jackie Robinson's Role In Modern Major League Baseball

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Jackie Robinson was an amazing baseball player and the very first African American to play in modern major league baseball. He was an amazing hero/symbol of hope to all African Americans. Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. When he was young Jackie moved to California and there he starred in a lot of athletic activities such as football, basketball, baseball, and track in high school and also Pasadena Junior College. He was clearly an amazing athlete and loved sports. Jackie then transferred over to UCLA which is the University of California at Los Angeles. He also played the same four sports. But he later had to drop out of UCLA to support his mother by working at a youth camp. Afterwards he played minor league football and semi-professional football. From the years 1942-1944, he served in the United States army during World War 2. He was discharged from the army as a second lieutenant in 1944 for disobeying a bus driver …show more content…

Jackie states in his journal, “Yesterday was the best day of my life. I was called in by Branch Rickey. I thought that he wanted me to play for a negro team sponsored by the Brooklyn Dodgers, little did I know he wanted me to play on the Dodgers! After he told me this I was, of course, excited. But after Mr. Rickey told me this he spent three hours telling me what my future would be like. He acted like the hostile teammate, the abusive opponent, the insulting fan, and the obstinate hotel clerk. It was extremely hard for me to just stand there and take it. I was holding my hands behind my back in a chain-like grip. After a while I said, “ Mr. Rickey do you want a ballplayer who won’t fight back?” His response was I want a player with the guts not to fight back.” Then it all came clear to me, Mr Rickey wanted me to say I have another

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