Introduction-
Prior to the 1940’s, professional sports rejected an entire race of people from joining their league. This seclusion of African-Americans prevented some of the greatest athletes to compete at the highest level. This was the way life was until Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to join the Major League of Baseball. During his 10 year tenure in the Majors, Jackie was awarded Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and eventually was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jackie’s exceptional play proved to people that black players are worthy of playing with whites. This breaking down of baseball’s color barrier spiraled into segregation of black and whites into all professional sports.
Robinson’s impact on sports was monumental. Looking back on sports today, every sport has had an African American in the records as one of the greatest at that sport of all time. For example, Michael Jordan is remembered as the greatest basketball player of all time. Tiger Woods dominates the PGA tour. And Muhammad Ali is remembered for his heroics in the boxing ring. Not only did Jackie Robinson pave the way for alter African-American athletes to shine, but he contributed extensively to the civil rights movement and his story gave hope to African-Americans that one day they will be treated as equals (1).
Early Life-
Jackie Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the son of a sharecropper and the youngest of 5 children. In 1920, Jackie’s father left his family and they moved to Pasadena, California where they were raised by their single mother. Jackie did as much as he could to help his mother support the family. He took jobs doing a paper route, cutting lawns, and running errands for people. Despite these efforts much of Jackie’s early childhood was spent in poverty and he joined a neighborhood gang called the Pepper Street Gang. Gang members were Asian, Mexican, and African American (2).
Robinson eventually left the gang life with the help of a friend named Carl Anderson. Carl aimed Jackie’s interest in the direction of sports. As Jackie began to take up sports, he became aware of his talents and from there on out escaped his tough home life by playing sports. Another inspiration of Jackie to continue excelling at sports was his brother, Matthew Robinson. Matthew competed in the Olympic games of 1936 and won a silver medal in the 200 meter finishing behind only Jesse Owens.
Rise to Stardom-
Robinson attended John Muir High School where he excelled in athletics. He earned letters in 4 varsity sports: baseball, basketball, track, and football. Besides these four sports, Robinson was also a member of the boys’ tennis team where he won a junior boys’ singles tournament in the Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament. After high school, Jackie enrolled in Pasadena Junior College for a year where he continued to succeed in all sports he played. After that, he enrolled in University of California Las Angeles. There, he became the first athlete to earn varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track. To this day, Robinson holds records in several of these sports (2).
With only one semester to go in his college career, Jackie withdrew from college to join the government’s National Youth Administration. During this time, Robinson played baseball with the Honolulu Bears. Robinson left Hawaii just 2 days before the horrific bombings of Pearl Harbor took place. A year after joining, Robinson was drafted by the army and assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas. While in the army, Robinson was accused of insulting a civilian woman while on a bus and was transferred to different battalions never getting to go to the front. Eventually in 1944, he was discharged (1).
In 1945, Robinson joined the Negro League and played for the Kansas City Monarchs. On the Monarchs, Robinson performed well at shortstop and hit for a .387 average. Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers became interested in Robinson’s abilities and assigned him to the Montreal Royals which was the Dodgers’ farm team. Rickey’s intention was to bring him up to the Dodgers. While on the Royals, Robinson posted a .297 batting average while hitting 12 home runs in his first season. He was awarded leagues Most Valuable Player. Although he had major success in the farm system, Robinson was still struck with racism and discrimination from the media and fans. Instead of retaliating, Robinson just stuck to his guns and used the animosity to motivate him to play better. Rickey selected Robinson to bring up to the Major Leagues because he felt that Robinson could withstand all of the racial jarring that he would face and be able to maintain control over himself. Days before the 1947 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers called up Robinson and on April 15, 1947 Jackie became the first African-American in the Major Leagues in over 60 years.
Breaking the Barrier-
Professional baseball itself was truly not in a position to make major changes in the chemistry of the league during the early 1940s. Many players and prospects were heading off to aid in WW2. Baseball was not a major concern. Therefore, many of the league’s top executives did not see the need in focusing on their team’s success. They were pooling together any players they could to fill a roster. Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers felt differently about how his team should be compiled. He increased the number of scouts under his payroll and sought out young kids (15 and 16 year olds) so by the time they were older, they would put his ball club in a good position to win games. (5)
Rickey, who invented the league’s farm system, felt it was time to bring in a player who would draw big crowds. Also, he wanted a player who would be able to play everyday so pitchers were out. He wanted to draft a black player and break the color barrier in professional baseball. He was well aware of the step he was trying to take for the good of the league. Rickey would need both a player who could handle the pressures of being in the eye of all sports fans and the support of the black community. Not to mention, Rickey would need the support of his team to embrace a black player. (5)
The Negro League, at this time, was filled with very talented players. Knowing this, Rickey investigated. Several different scouts all reported back to Rickey that Robinson was the best player to fill the position. The process to find Robinson cost Rickey thousands of dollars and three years. (6)
After playing with a farm team in Montreal, Robinson put up very impressive numbers. He led the league in batting average and field percentage. Rickey knew he had a spectacular talent who would not disappoint his team, baseball, or America. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played in his first Major League game. Many people at the game wore buttons that said, “I’m For Jackie.” (3)
Prior to Branch Rickey’s signing of Jackie Robinson, 3 other black players were promised tryouts with the Pittsburg Pirates. These promises never came through. Perhaps if Robinson did not finalize a contract with the Dodgers, it could have been decades more until a black player was integrated into the league. (5)
Although Major League baseball may not seem like a huge deal to the United States’ Legislation branch, it can be argued that this integration was what allowed nation-wide integration to go into effect. Sports are so glorified in the United States that it was guaranteed that millions of Americans would have learned of Robinson. In doing so, they could learn to love him and use him as a symbol for were they wanted the country to head.
Contributions to Civil Rights Movement-
Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers until retiring in his late thirties. Now, his image was changed from an athletic baseball player to a gray-haired business man. Immediately after he retired, Jackie Robinson found out that he had diabetes. Robinson once described his coping with diabetes similar to his coping of his major-league career. He had to deal with the prejudice, loneliness, and tough times. Robinson became a vice president of Chock Full O’Nuts. He found his new job allowed him to spend more time with his family. As a business man, Robinson was taken more seriously when discussing civil rights. (5)
Robinson received criticism from civil rights groups for supporting Richard Nixon over John Kennedy. He did this because he wanted to ensure black representation in both parties. (5)
Surprisingly, Jackie Robinson didn’t fully agree with what Dr. Martin Luther King stood for to achieve full civil equality. Robinson, being a sports star once said, “My reflexes aren’t conditioned to accept nonviolence in the face of violence-provoking attacks.” Still, Jackie thought very highly of Martin Luther King and understood his importance to the civil rights movement. (5)
Jackie did not get along with Malcolm X. Malcolm X accused Jackie of being a tool of white bosses. This public struggle became a set back for the civil rights movement. This struggle along with the death of his baseball manager, Branch Rickey, were difficulties Robinson had to deal with in his post-play career. (5)
Jackie and boxing champion Floyd Patterson went to Birmingham, Alabama to be the faces of a civil rights demonstration. Here he again stressed the importance of having black support in both political parties. He also discussed his disappointment of the bombing of Reverend A.D. King’s home. The bombers were never found. (5)
One of Jackie’s greatest contributions to the Civil Rights Movement was in 1972 during the World Series. He told reporters that he would like to someday see a black manager. This comment was criticized by some for they thought it was inappropriate for Robinson to use the World Series as a place to share his views on integration. (6)
In 1956, Robinson was awarded the Spingarn Medal presented to him from the NAACP. He award recognized Jackie for all he has done for the advancement of civil rights. The national attention he attracted was a positive step for putting the nation in a better situation. It would have been much harder for racial equality to have met without Jackie Robinson. (3)
Conclusion-
In conclusion, Jackie Robinson’s courageous baseball career and post-career work were some of the most influential events of the Civil Rights Movement. I think that without sports being integrated (baseball being one of the first major sports to do so) first, the United States would not be able to integrate. Baseball was a perfect tool for appealing to the potential for civil rights. Because baseball is known as America’s past-time, when Jackie was integrated into the league, it commented on America. The popularity of the sport got lots of people thinking of civil rights and what could come to be.
I believe many people overlook how difficult it must have been for Jackie Robinson to do what he did. Not to mention, he was completely alone in the beginning of his Major-league career. There was know one else who could possibly understand what he was going through.
The death of Branch Rickey, his mother, and his son were devastating events in his life. Unfortunately, being the national figure he was, he had to handle these tragedies with tremendous poise. He had to remain strong for the good of the black community. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of pressure and responsibility.
If Jackie had not been as talented in the game of baseball (ending with a career batting average of .311) he would have failed the black community. Many people said that blacks couldn’t handle the Major League. Who knows if black would have even received another chance to prove themselves if Jackie didn’t hold up.
With Jackie’s success came the integration of other sports including college basketball which had its first all black line-up in the mid 1950s at UTEP. This was another major piece to the civil rights puzzle that probably wouldn’t have happened if it were not for Jackie Robinson.
Jackie’s contribution to us today is a clear example of how one person can be courageous and open up others’ eyes. His success sparked the energy of many civil rights activists and other sporting institutions. To have touched as many people as Jackie Robinson did, even after he died, is truly remarkable. Our actions define the kind of people we become. Jackie Robinson has left the gift of courage to all of us by playing against the odds.
Prior to the 1940’s, professional sports rejected an entire race of people from joining their league. This seclusion of African-Americans prevented some of the greatest athletes to compete at the highest level. This was the way life was until Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to join the Major League of Baseball. During his 10 year tenure in the Majors, Jackie was awarded Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and eventually was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jackie’s exceptional play proved to people that black players are worthy of playing with whites. This breaking down of baseball’s color barrier spiraled into segregation of black and whites into all professional sports.
Robinson’s impact on sports was monumental. Looking back on sports today, every sport has had an African American in the records as one of the greatest at that sport of all time. For example, Michael Jordan is remembered as the greatest basketball player of all time. Tiger Woods dominates the PGA tour. And Muhammad Ali is remembered for his heroics in the boxing ring. Not only did Jackie Robinson pave the way for alter African-American athletes to shine, but he contributed extensively to the civil rights movement and his story gave hope to African-Americans that one day they will be treated as equals (1).
Early Life-
Jackie Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the son of a sharecropper and the youngest of 5 children. In 1920, Jackie’s father left his family and they moved to Pasadena, California where they were raised by their single mother. Jackie did as much as he could to help his mother support the family. He took jobs doing a paper route, cutting lawns, and running errands for people. Despite these efforts much of Jackie’s early childhood was spent in poverty and he joined a neighborhood gang called the Pepper Street Gang. Gang members were Asian, Mexican, and African American (2).
Robinson eventually left the gang life with the help of a friend named Carl Anderson. Carl aimed Jackie’s interest in the direction of sports. As Jackie began to take up sports, he became aware of his talents and from there on out escaped his tough home life by playing sports. Another inspiration of Jackie to continue excelling at sports was his brother, Matthew Robinson. Matthew competed in the Olympic games of 1936 and won a silver medal in the 200 meter finishing behind only Jesse Owens.
Rise to Stardom-
Robinson attended John Muir High School where he excelled in athletics. He earned letters in 4 varsity sports: baseball, basketball, track, and football. Besides these four sports, Robinson was also a member of the boys’ tennis team where he won a junior boys’ singles tournament in the Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament. After high school, Jackie enrolled in Pasadena Junior College for a year where he continued to succeed in all sports he played. After that, he enrolled in University of California Las Angeles. There, he became the first athlete to earn varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track. To this day, Robinson holds records in several of these sports (2).
With only one semester to go in his college career, Jackie withdrew from college to join the government’s National Youth Administration. During this time, Robinson played baseball with the Honolulu Bears. Robinson left Hawaii just 2 days before the horrific bombings of Pearl Harbor took place. A year after joining, Robinson was drafted by the army and assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas. While in the army, Robinson was accused of insulting a civilian woman while on a bus and was transferred to different battalions never getting to go to the front. Eventually in 1944, he was discharged (1).
In 1945, Robinson joined the Negro League and played for the Kansas City Monarchs. On the Monarchs, Robinson performed well at shortstop and hit for a .387 average. Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers became interested in Robinson’s abilities and assigned him to the Montreal Royals which was the Dodgers’ farm team. Rickey’s intention was to bring him up to the Dodgers. While on the Royals, Robinson posted a .297 batting average while hitting 12 home runs in his first season. He was awarded leagues Most Valuable Player. Although he had major success in the farm system, Robinson was still struck with racism and discrimination from the media and fans. Instead of retaliating, Robinson just stuck to his guns and used the animosity to motivate him to play better. Rickey selected Robinson to bring up to the Major Leagues because he felt that Robinson could withstand all of the racial jarring that he would face and be able to maintain control over himself. Days before the 1947 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers called up Robinson and on April 15, 1947 Jackie became the first African-American in the Major Leagues in over 60 years.
Breaking the Barrier-
Professional baseball itself was truly not in a position to make major changes in the chemistry of the league during the early 1940s. Many players and prospects were heading off to aid in WW2. Baseball was not a major concern. Therefore, many of the league’s top executives did not see the need in focusing on their team’s success. They were pooling together any players they could to fill a roster. Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers felt differently about how his team should be compiled. He increased the number of scouts under his payroll and sought out young kids (15 and 16 year olds) so by the time they were older, they would put his ball club in a good position to win games. (5)
Rickey, who invented the league’s farm system, felt it was time to bring in a player who would draw big crowds. Also, he wanted a player who would be able to play everyday so pitchers were out. He wanted to draft a black player and break the color barrier in professional baseball. He was well aware of the step he was trying to take for the good of the league. Rickey would need both a player who could handle the pressures of being in the eye of all sports fans and the support of the black community. Not to mention, Rickey would need the support of his team to embrace a black player. (5)
The Negro League, at this time, was filled with very talented players. Knowing this, Rickey investigated. Several different scouts all reported back to Rickey that Robinson was the best player to fill the position. The process to find Robinson cost Rickey thousands of dollars and three years. (6)
After playing with a farm team in Montreal, Robinson put up very impressive numbers. He led the league in batting average and field percentage. Rickey knew he had a spectacular talent who would not disappoint his team, baseball, or America. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played in his first Major League game. Many people at the game wore buttons that said, “I’m For Jackie.” (3)
Prior to Branch Rickey’s signing of Jackie Robinson, 3 other black players were promised tryouts with the Pittsburg Pirates. These promises never came through. Perhaps if Robinson did not finalize a contract with the Dodgers, it could have been decades more until a black player was integrated into the league. (5)
Although Major League baseball may not seem like a huge deal to the United States’ Legislation branch, it can be argued that this integration was what allowed nation-wide integration to go into effect. Sports are so glorified in the United States that it was guaranteed that millions of Americans would have learned of Robinson. In doing so, they could learn to love him and use him as a symbol for were they wanted the country to head.
Contributions to Civil Rights Movement-
Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers until retiring in his late thirties. Now, his image was changed from an athletic baseball player to a gray-haired business man. Immediately after he retired, Jackie Robinson found out that he had diabetes. Robinson once described his coping with diabetes similar to his coping of his major-league career. He had to deal with the prejudice, loneliness, and tough times. Robinson became a vice president of Chock Full O’Nuts. He found his new job allowed him to spend more time with his family. As a business man, Robinson was taken more seriously when discussing civil rights. (5)
Robinson received criticism from civil rights groups for supporting Richard Nixon over John Kennedy. He did this because he wanted to ensure black representation in both parties. (5)
Surprisingly, Jackie Robinson didn’t fully agree with what Dr. Martin Luther King stood for to achieve full civil equality. Robinson, being a sports star once said, “My reflexes aren’t conditioned to accept nonviolence in the face of violence-provoking attacks.” Still, Jackie thought very highly of Martin Luther King and understood his importance to the civil rights movement. (5)
Jackie did not get along with Malcolm X. Malcolm X accused Jackie of being a tool of white bosses. This public struggle became a set back for the civil rights movement. This struggle along with the death of his baseball manager, Branch Rickey, were difficulties Robinson had to deal with in his post-play career. (5)
Jackie and boxing champion Floyd Patterson went to Birmingham, Alabama to be the faces of a civil rights demonstration. Here he again stressed the importance of having black support in both political parties. He also discussed his disappointment of the bombing of Reverend A.D. King’s home. The bombers were never found. (5)
One of Jackie’s greatest contributions to the Civil Rights Movement was in 1972 during the World Series. He told reporters that he would like to someday see a black manager. This comment was criticized by some for they thought it was inappropriate for Robinson to use the World Series as a place to share his views on integration. (6)
In 1956, Robinson was awarded the Spingarn Medal presented to him from the NAACP. He award recognized Jackie for all he has done for the advancement of civil rights. The national attention he attracted was a positive step for putting the nation in a better situation. It would have been much harder for racial equality to have met without Jackie Robinson. (3)
Conclusion-
In conclusion, Jackie Robinson’s courageous baseball career and post-career work were some of the most influential events of the Civil Rights Movement. I think that without sports being integrated (baseball being one of the first major sports to do so) first, the United States would not be able to integrate. Baseball was a perfect tool for appealing to the potential for civil rights. Because baseball is known as America’s past-time, when Jackie was integrated into the league, it commented on America. The popularity of the sport got lots of people thinking of civil rights and what could come to be.
I believe many people overlook how difficult it must have been for Jackie Robinson to do what he did. Not to mention, he was completely alone in the beginning of his Major-league career. There was know one else who could possibly understand what he was going through.
The death of Branch Rickey, his mother, and his son were devastating events in his life. Unfortunately, being the national figure he was, he had to handle these tragedies with tremendous poise. He had to remain strong for the good of the black community. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of pressure and responsibility.
If Jackie had not been as talented in the game of baseball (ending with a career batting average of .311) he would have failed the black community. Many people said that blacks couldn’t handle the Major League. Who knows if black would have even received another chance to prove themselves if Jackie didn’t hold up.
With Jackie’s success came the integration of other sports including college basketball which had its first all black line-up in the mid 1950s at UTEP. This was another major piece to the civil rights puzzle that probably wouldn’t have happened if it were not for Jackie Robinson.
Jackie’s contribution to us today is a clear example of how one person can be courageous and open up others’ eyes. His success sparked the energy of many civil rights activists and other sporting institutions. To have touched as many people as Jackie Robinson did, even after he died, is truly remarkable. Our actions define the kind of people we become. Jackie Robinson has left the gift of courage to all of us by playing against the odds.
