Jackie’s debut in the Major League put an end to the baseball color line, which was a sixty-year period of segregation in professional baseball. He has fought for equality in many ways, including his professional success, and is recognized as a global legend. The post-long ball era in baseball is also credited to Robinson.
Early life
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in the city of Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919. He was named Roosevelt by President Theodore Roosevelt, who died in January 6, 1919. Jack was the last born in a family of five children and his parents they were Jerry and Mallie Robinson. In 1920, his father left the family, and his mother moved their children to Pasadena, California, where he did odd jobs while raising them. Jackie’s athletic ability was recognized during his high school years at John Muir High School. His older brothers Matthew (Mack), who was an established athlete, and Frank motivated him to pursue his passion for the sport.
Career
Robinson launched his professional baseball career in 1944. His first offer was a $ 400 contract with the Kansas City Monarchs, who played in the Black Leagues. He made his debut in the minor league on April 18, 1946, with the Montreal Royals and led the team for a 14-1 victory against the Jersey City Giants. In that year, Jackie led the International League and was awarded the title of Most Valuable Player. At the beginning of the 1947 season, the Dodgers called him into the Major series, and in his debut game, he led the team for a 5-3 victory. Robinson played in the senior league for ten seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers. During this time, he played in six All-Star Games, and his team participated in six World Series.
More contributions
Jackie Robinson is one of America’s most important civil rights figures. He is famous for being the first black baseball player to play in the International League. When he faced the color line in baseball, Jackie helped create a foundation for the civil rights movement. His success on the field was a great source of inspiration for black Americans who opened their eyes to endless possibilities. The Major League awarded him the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the 1947 season. Robbie was the most valuable player in the national league in the 1949 season and that year baseball fans voted him as the second starting point for the All-Star game. It was the first racially integrated All-star game.
The challenges
Jackie joined the Montreal Royals, a subsidiary of the Brooklyn Dodgers, on October 23, 1945, a time when black players were subjected to extreme racial violence. In an interview before his signing, the club president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey, asked him if he could resist racial discrimination without countering. Jackie suffered racial bias on several stories from his life, but managed to overcome the prejudice because of his talent and extraordinary field skills. His success has given him numerous death threats, but they do not distract him from baseball or dissuade him from publicly criticizing racial issues.
Death and inheritance
Jackie died of a heart attack in October 24, 1972, at the age of 53 at his home in North Stamford, Connecticut. Major League Baseball (MLB) withdrew Jackie’s jersey number, 42, throughout the major league of 1997 in honor of the athlete’s contributions to the sport. In 2004, the MLB also designated April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day, to commemorate Jackie’s debut in the league.
