Transcript Document
• Became the 1st African-American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) • Started 1st base for Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947 • Played 10 seasons – – – – 6 World Series Dodgers World Champs in 1955 Selected for 6 consecutive All-Star Games 1949-1954 National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson • Born January 31, 1919 • Youngest of 5 • Middle name honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt (died 25 days before he was born) • Parents: Jerry and Mallie Robinson, dad left family in 1920 (1 year old) • Moved to Pasadena, California • Mom worked odd jobs to support family • Lived in poverty in an affluent area • Joined a neighborhood gang, but his friend got him to leave • Married Rachel Isum in 1946 – Met at UCLA • 3 Children – Jackie, Jr. (died at age 25) – Sharon – David High School • Was encourage to pursue sports by older brother Mack (silver medalist at 1936 Summer Olympics) • Lettered in 4 sports: football, basketball, track, and baseball College • 1st athlete to earn varsity letter in 4 sports • 1938, won region’s Most Valuable Player for baseball • Played football for semiprofessional Honolulu Bears • Drafted to a segregated Army cavalry unit in Fort rile, Kansas in 1942 • 1944 - Court martialed for refusing to sit in back of bus – Was acquitted by all white panel of officers – Prohibited him from being deployed overseas • Served as a coach for Army athletics • Honorable discharge in November 1944 • Was athletic director at Sam Huston College in Austin, TX • While at Sam Huston College was asked to play professional baseball in the Negro leagues – Contract $400 ($5,240 in 2014 dollars) per month • 1946 – Montreal Royals Class AAA International League (Dodgers affiliate team) • Very controversial in racial area like Florida – Not allowed to stay in team hotel – Some spring training events cancelled – Some games called off • 1947 – Called up to Dodgers at age 28 • Still racism – Some players sit out of games • Ended when Manager Leo Durocher stood up for him – Threatened to trade players if they did not play • Teams threatened to strike • Ford Frick, National League President – Said striking players would be suspended – Caused rough playing towards Robinson • 1957 - Retired from baseball at age 37 – Medical problems from diabetes (hard to control it in those days) • 1962 - Baseball Hall of Fame • 1966 – 1972 TV analyst and commentator – 1st African-American TV sports analyst • 1972 – Dodgers retired his uniform number 42 • Son, Jackie Robinson Jr. died June 17, 1971 – Automobile accident • Jackie Robinson died October 24, 1972 – Had heart disease, diabetes which made him almost blind by middle age – Died of heart attack • 1997 - #42 retired throughout MLB – 1st time a jersey retired throughout a sport Brookside park in Pasadena, California - #42 on center field wall Main entrance of New York Mets, Citi Field called “Jackie Robinson Rotunda” • April 15, 2004 – 1st “Jackie Robinson Day” – Initiated by Major League Baseball – An annual tradition – April 15 every player on every team wears #42 • Great at all sports • After retirement was vice president of personnel for a coffee company – 1st African-American VP of a major American corporation • Co-founded Freedom National Bank – black owned and operated bank in Harlem, NY • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson • http://www.jackierobinson.com/about/bio.ht ml • http://mentalfloss.com/article/50059/42facts-about-jackie-robinson • http://www.biography.com/people/jackierobinson-9460813 • http://www.history.com/topics/blackhistory/jackie-robinson