This past Tuesday, April 15th marked the anniversary of Jackie Robinson Day. Why is Jackie Robinson Day on the 15th? April 15, 1947 was the historic day when Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and became the first player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, making him the first African American player on a Major League Baseball team. Learn more about Jackie Robinson below!
Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Georgia. Robinson’s mother, Mallie took him to Pasadena, California along with his five siblings after his father left. Encouraged by his older brothers, Mack and Frank, Jackie took up sports. In 1937, Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College where he played Basketball, Football, Track and Baseball. Jackie broke his brother Mack’s record in board jumping a year later. Also in 1938, Jackie was arrested for disputing the detention of his friend by police. Towards the end of his time at Pasadena Junior College, Jackie befriended a pastor, Rev. Karl Downs, who became a mentor to Jackie. Reverend Downs encouraged Jackie to start attending church regularly. Jackie ended up going to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) after his brother Frank’s death so he could be closer to Frank’s family.
At UCLA, Jackie won varsity letters in four different sports(baseball, basketball, football and track). Jackie led the punt return record in 1939 and 1940, as well as the record for the long jump in 1940. Jackie left UCLA before graduating and took a job with the National Youth Administration as an athletic assistant director despite his mother and girlfriend telling him to graduate. In 1942, Jackie was drafted into the Army in a segregated unit. After he finished his OSC training, he was placed in the 76th Battalion also known as the Black Panthers. Jackie was not in the army long because in 1944, a white bus driver told him to sit in the back of the bus even though it was desegregated. When Jackie refused, the bus driver called the military police. Jackie spoke out again against the racist questioning from the white officers, resulting in Jackie getting court-martialed. However, Jackie’s commanding officer refused to sign the papers and sent him to the 758 Battalion. Once with the 758 Battalion, that commanding officer falsely charged Jackie to get rid of him. Jackie was acquitted by an all white panel. Shortly after that, he was honorably discharged from the military.
Shortly after his discharge from the military, Jackie began his baseball career with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. While playing for the Monarchs, Jackie tried to get tryouts for the Major League teams. He was offered a tryout with the Boston Red Sox but he and the other black ball players were racially targeted and the tryout was quickly discovered to be a farce. The Boston Sox were the last team to integrate in 1959. Jackie’s chance to play for a Major League came in 1945, after Branch Rickey invited him to join the Brooklyn Dodgers on their Montreal Royals, an all-white farm team. Two years later on April 15th 1947, Jackie appeared on Ebbets Field to play his first Major League Game with the Dodgers. He helped the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 5-3. However, many players on the team said they would sit out rather than play with a black man. Manager, Leo Durocher said that he picks the players and anyone who refused to play with Robinson would be traded. The St. Louis Cardinals and other Major League teams were planning to strike if Jackie kept playing. However, the strike plan was released to the New York Herald Tribune’s Rod Rennie who was a friend to the Cardinals’ physician. The article made national headlines, leading to National League President Ford Frick and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler announcing that all players in the League that went on strike would be let go. The Cardinals tried to deny that they were planning on striking. Players on the Cardinals were especially rough on Jackie. Enos Slaughter, made a seven inch gash in Jackie’s leg. Philadelphia Phillies manager called out racial slurs during games. Many ball players came to Jackie’s defense including Phillies’s Lee Handley, Hank Greenberg, Larry Doby, and Pee Wee Reese. Reese during some games put his arm around Jackie after crowds yelled insults. When his first season ended, Jackie played 151 games and scored 125 runs. He was given the inaugural Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award. That year, the Dodgers played the New York Yankees in the World Series and Jackie played in all seven games. When Jackie left the Dodgers, his record included a .311 batting average, 137 home runs and 197 stolen bases. He was also an important player when the Dodgers won their first World Series in 1955. Jackie Robinson became the first Black player inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In addition to Jackie Robinson’s illustrious career with the Dodgers, Jackie spent his time fighting for equal rights during the Civil Rights Movement. As an active member of the Dodgers, Jackie was able to use his new status to speak at rallies. After he retired, Jackie continued fighting Civil Rights and took a job at Chock Full O’Nuts, where he was the Vice President for Personnel. At the company, Jackie helped improve the working conditions for all employees. Jackie was a contributing writer to the New York Post and the New York Amsterdam newspapers, he wrote about the civil rights movement, sports and other personal topics that he wanted to draw more attention to. An emphasis on his writings was to always encourage people in his communities, and for others to be involved in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1964, Jackie co-founded the Freedom National Bank of Harlem which aided Black communities all across the country. Six years later in 1970, he founded the Jackie Robinson Construction Company that provided housing for low income families.
In 1972, Jackie Robinson died after a long battle with diabetes. After his death, his widow Rachel, became the President of the company and renamed it the Jackie Robinson Development Corporation. The company built 1,600 units that focused on low to moderate housing. Mrs. Robinson, established the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The foundation provides scholarships to students with financial difficulties. Jackie Robinson’s achievements has been honored by three United States Presidents. President Regan posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Clinton led a ceremony with Major League Baseball to honor his jersey number 42 in perpetuity. President Bush awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal.
Movies on Jackie Robinson
42 (2013) directed by Brian Helgeland starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford
Jackie Robinson, documentary by Ken Burns
Books on Jackie Robinson
Who was Jackie Robinson by Gail Herman
I am Jackie Robinson by
I never had it made by Jackie Robinson
Beyond home plate: Jackie Robinson on life after baseball by Jackie Robinson
First class citizenship: the civil rights letters of Jackie Robinson by Jackie Robinson
True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson by Kostya Kennedy
Integrated Life by J. Christopher Schutz
Promises to Keep: how Jackie Robinson changed America by Sharon Robinson
42 is not just a number by Dorren Rappaport
Recent Comments