In a time when baseball was ruled by a strict color line, Jackie Robinson bravely agreed to be the first to integrate the major leagues. Although he faced hostility from white fans, baseball players, and even teammates, Robinson never buckled under the pressure. For nearly ten years he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and when he finally retired, he refused to remain silent on the issue of civil rights. Until the end of his life, Jackie Robinson never gave up his dream of equality for blacks.
Jackie Robinson’s Early Years
Jack (John) Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. In 1920, his family moved to Pasadena, California. After graduating from John Muir Technical High School, Robinson attended Pasadena Community College. He went on to transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1940. While at UCLA, Robinson played baseball, football, basketball, and track.In 1942, Robinson was drafted into the Army. He served in Kansas and Texas, and eventually became a second lieutenant. While serving in Fort Hood, Texas, Robinson refused to obey an order to move to the back of an army bus. Because this was a violation of Army regulations, a court martial heard the matter; Robinson was acquitted.
Robinson Plays in the Negro Leagues
When Robinson left the Army in 1944, he wanted to play baseball. At the time, baseball teams were segregated, and had been since 1887. Therefore, African American baseball players played in Latin America and in the Negro Leagues. Not unlike other African American players, Robinson also joined the Negro Leagues. He began playing for the Kansas City Monarchs.
Robinson is Recruited to the Minor Leagues
Robinson's career in the Negro Leagues was short. In 1945, Branch Rickey, the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, requested a meeting with Robinson. Rickey wanted to integrate the major leagues and was looking for a player who could withstand the hostility that would come. After determining that Robinson was the perfect candidate, he asked him to first play for the minor league team, the Montreal Royals. On October 23, 1945, it became official when Robinson signed a contract with the team.
Robinson Integrates Major League Baseball
Although Robinson had a successful year with the Royals, he was close to having a nervous breakdown by the end of the season. Notwithstanding his nerves, Robinson’s time with the Montreal Royals led to his April 1947 signing with the Dodgers. As expected, his entrance into the major leagues was not without controversy. Some white fans were hostile, while others were enthusiastic. Regardless of the reaction, Robinson excelled on the team. For the first few years he did not respond to the insults, but he began speaking out against racism in 1949. He attacked the Jim Crow laws in the South and spoke out in support of the desegregation of Southern hotels and ballparks.
Robinson’s Awards
In 1947, The Sporting News, which had initially been opposed to the integration of the major leagues, awarded him its first Rookie of the Year Award. Robinson was also the recipient of numerous other awards and honors; in 1949, he was also awarded the National League’s Most Valuable Player, he received the Spingarn Medal in 1956, and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Robinson Supports the Fight for Civil Rights
In 1957, Robinson retired. With his newfound freedom to speak out on behalf of African Americans, Robinson did not shy away from the public spotlight. He supported integration, was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and he was a participant in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.In addition to his activism, Robinson served as vice-president of personnel at Chock Full O' Nuts from 1957 to 1964. Robinson died of a heart attack in Stamford, Connecticut on October 24, 1972.
