[3] When the Dodgers signed Robinson, it heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. "[27], After Muir, Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College (PJC), where he continued his athletic career by participating in basketball, football, baseball, and track. [200], Robinson protested against the major leagues' ongoing lack of minority managers and central office personnel, and he turned down an invitation to appear in an old-timers' game at Yankee Stadium in 1969. [55] By that time, however, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had taken place, which drew the United States into World War II and ended Robinson's nascent football career. [75] Robinson took the former player's advice and wrote to Monarchs co-owner Thomas Baird. He was survived by his wife Delano, their three sons and three daughters, a son and daughter from previous marriages, twenty-five grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. [113][114][115] Since the Dodgers organization did not own a spring training facility,[116] scheduling was subject to the whim of area localities, several of which turned down any event involving Robinson or Johnny Wright, another black player whom Rickey had signed to the Dodgers' organization in January. Weary of constant disagreements with O'Malley, and with no hope of being re-appointed as President of the Dodgers, Rickey cashed out his one-quarter financial interest in the team, leaving O'Malley in full control of the franchise. [243][246], Robinson was active in politics throughout his post-baseball life. [212] He led the league in fielding among second basemen in 1950 and 1951. October 24, 1972 (aged 53) Stamford Connecticut. Jackie Robinson was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1962. [26] In late January 1937, the Pasadena Star-News newspaper reported that Robinson "for two years has been the outstanding athlete at Muir, starring in football, basketball, track, baseball and tennis. Washington, Strode, and Robinson made up three of the team's four backfield players. [66], Although his former unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, became the first black tank unit to see combat in World War II, Robinson's court-martial proceedings prohibited him from being deployed overseas; thus, he never saw combat action. Although the team enjoyed ultimate success, 1955 was the worst year of Robinson's individual career. While Robinson wore several different numbers during his UCLA career, the school chose 42 because it had become indelibly identified with him. "[93][95] After obtaining a commitment from Robinson to "turn the other cheek" to racial antagonism, Rickey agreed to sign him to a contract for $600 a month, equal to $9,031 today. [205], Robinson's career is generally considered to mark the beginning of the post"long ball" era in baseball, in which a reliance on raw power-hitting gave way to balanced offensive strategies that used footspeed to create runs through aggressive baserunning. I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays. [66][67][68] Robinson refused. They had three children, Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David Robinson. [162][204][207] Robinson was one of only two players during the span of 194756 to accumulate at least 125 steals while registering a slugging percentage over .425 (Minnie Mioso was the other). [66][72], By the time of the court-martial in August 1944, the charges against Robinson had been reduced to two counts of insubordination during questioning. The couple had three children, Jackie Robinson Jr., Sharon Robinson, and David Robinson. [52][110][111], In 1946, Robinson arrived at Daytona Beach, Florida, for spring training with the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League. His wife Rachel was present for the dedication on September 15. [267][268] The experience with his son's drug addiction turned Robinson Sr. into an avid anti-drug crusader toward the end of his life. [43][44] They went undefeated with four ties at 604. [288] In 1997, a $325,000 bronze sculpture (equal to $548,606 today) by artists Ralph Helmick, Stu Schecter, and John Outterbridge depicting oversized nine-foot busts of Robinson and his brother Mack was erected at Garfield Avenue, across from the main entrance of Pasadena City Hall; a granite footprint lists multiple donors to the commission project, which was organized by the Robinson Memorial Foundation and supported by members of the Robinson family. Mets owner Fred Wilpon announced that the Metsin conjunction with Citigroup and the Jackie Robinson Foundationwill created the Jackie Robinson Museum and Learning Center, located at the headquarters of the Jackie Robinson Foundation at One Hudson Square, along Canal Street in lower Manhattan. He identified himself as a political independent,[247][248] although he held conservative opinions on several issues, including the Vietnam War (he once wrote to Martin Luther King Jr. to defend the Johnson Administration's military policy). He come to beat ya. American baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919 - 1972) of the Brooklyn Dodgers. [2] Robinson broke the baseball color line when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. [51] He took a job as an assistant athletic director with the government's National Youth Administration (NYA) in Atascadero, California. [64][80] Robinson accepted a contract for $400 per month. Robinson's older brother was a silver medalist at the Olympics. [236], In his first year of eligibility for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962,[73] Robinson encouraged voters to consider only his on-field qualifications, rather than his cultural impact on the game. [59], After receiving his commission, Robinson was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he joined the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion. [93][267] Robinson's funeral service on October 27, 1972, at Upper Manhattan's Riverside Church in Morningside Heights, attracted 2,500 mourners. [179] Rickey shortly thereafter became general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. His father left the family a year later. Robinson was reluctant to testify, but he eventually agreed to do so, fearing it might negatively affect his career if he declined. [171], In 1950, Robinson led the National League in double plays made by a second baseman with 133. [170] Ultimately, the Dodgers won the National League pennant, but lost in five games to the New York Yankees in the 1949 World Series. [93] Robinson made his debut in a Dodgers uniform wearing number 42 on April 11, 1947, in a preseason exhibition game against the New York Yankees at Ebbets Field with 24,237 in attendance. Dodgers sportscaster Vin Scully later noted that the incident showed "how much of a competitor Robinson was. In December 1956, the NAACP recognized him with the Spingarn Medal, which it awards annually for the highest achievement by an African-American. [243] He also served as the bank's first chairman of the board. Muchnick. That year, on the television show Youth Wants to Know, Robinson challenged the Yankees' general manager, George Weiss, on the racial record of his team, which had yet to sign a black player. The people were so welcoming and saw Jack as a player and as a man. In an interview with Dave Roberts, manager of the L.A. Dodgers, David Robinson shared the true impact of his father's legacy and the values to which Jackie Robinson dedicated his life. [19][20][21], In 1935, Robinson graduated from Washington Junior High School and enrolled at John Muir High School (Muir Tech). [270][271] Many of his former teammates, other famous baseball players, and basketball star Bill Russell served as pallbearers, and the Rev. [52][54] After a short season, Robinson returned to California in December 1941 to pursue a career as running back for the Los Angeles Bulldogs of the Pacific Coast Football League. He hit .256 and stole only 12 bases. Early Life. Jackie Robinson, byname of Jack Roosevelt Robinson, (born January 31, 1919, Cairo, Georgia, U.S.died October 24, 1972, Stamford, Connecticut), the first Black baseball player to play in the American major leagues during the 20th century. Robinson thus became the first black player to openly play for a minor league team against a major league team since the de facto baseball color line had been implemented in the 1880s. [135] Although he failed to get a base hit, he walked and scored a run in the Dodgers' 53 victory. The price was the highest ever paid for a post-World War II jersey.[340]. [161] In February 1948, he signed a $12,500 contract (equal to $140,980 today) with the Dodgers; while a significant amount, this was less than Robinson made in the off-season from a vaudeville tour, where he answered pre-set baseball questions and a speaking tour of the South. Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, into a family of sharecroppers in Cairo, Georgia. On October 24, 1972, Robinson died of a heart attack at his home on 95 Cascade Road in North Stamford, Connecticut; he was 53 years old. [211], Assessing himself, Robinson said, "I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me all I ask is that you respect me as a human being. Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. "[107], Rickey's offer allowed Robinson to leave behind the Monarchs and their grueling bus rides, and he went home to Pasadena. "[153] In 1947 or 1948, Reese is said to have put his arm around Robinson in response to fans who shouted racial slurs at Robinson before a game in Boston or Cincinnati. None of the latter were double steals (in which a player stealing home is assisted by a player stealing another base at the same time). Under the terms of the retirement, a grandfather clause allowed the handful of players who wore number 42 to continue doing so in tribute to Robinson, until such time as they subsequently changed teams or jersey numbers. His mother, Mallie Robinson, single-handedly raised Jackie and her four other children. Karl Downs. [322] The New York Public School system has named a middle school after Robinson,[323] and Dorsey High School plays at a Los Angeles football stadium named after him. [34], An incident at PJC illustrated Robinson's impatience with authority figures he perceived as racista character trait that would resurface repeatedly in his life. [317], A number of buildings have been named in Robinson's honor. [238] In 1966, Robinson was hired as general manager for the short-lived Brooklyn Dodgers of the Continental Football League. Jackie Jr Robinson- Jackie's oldest son, served in the Vietnam War, and played baseball like his father Sharon Robinson- Jackiest second child, and only daughter, wrote books supporting African rights David Robinson- Jackie's youngest son, was also into baseball as a child "[33] Also while at PJC, he was elected to the Lancers, a student-run police organization responsible for patrolling various school activities. [108] Later that off-season, he briefly toured South America with another barnstorming team, while his fiance Isum pursued nursing opportunities in New York City. We never had a threatening or unpleasant experience there. [162] Robinson's interests began to shift toward the prospect of managing a major league team. [84] In all, Robinson played 47 games at shortstop for the Monarchs, hitting .387 with five home runs, and registering 13 stolen bases. David Robinson created Sweet Unity Farms, a group of 300 small farms in Tanzania. Ellis. On Jackie Robinson Day at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Aug. 28, 2020, Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates players wore No. [284] Robinson was among the 25 charter members of UCLA's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984. [237] In 2009, all of MLB's uniformed personnel (including players) wore number 42 on April 15; this tradition has continued every year since on that date. The celebration got off to an early start on Monday at Dodger Stadium. [265] After his discharge, he struggled with drug problems. Mack Robinson died at age 88 on March 12, 2000. [58] As a result, the applications of Robinson and his colleagues were delayed for several months. [243] President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Robinson the Presidential Medal of Freedom on March 26, 1984,[315] and on March 2, 2005, President George W. Bush gave Robinson's widow the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress; Robinson was only the second baseball player to receive the award, after Roberto Clemente. "[180][181][182], Before the 1951 season, O'Malley reportedly offered Robinson the job of manager of the Montreal Royals, effective at the end of Robinson's playing career. After Robinson left the army, Rickey, the then-GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers, saw Jackie play for the Kansas Monarchs. He died of heart attack at the age of 53, and his funeral was attended by thousands of people. [109] On February 10, 1946, Robinson and Isum were married by their old friend, the Rev. He was also a member of the tennis team. [123][124] Robinson made his Royals debut at Daytona Beach's City Island Ballpark on March 17, 1946, in an exhibition game against the team's parent club, the Dodgers. [4] Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.[5]. He lost the weight during training camp, but dieting left him weak at the plate. [161] Robinson had a batting average of .296 and 22 stolen bases for the season. [112], Robinson's presence was controversial in racially segregated Florida. [79], In early 1945, while Robinson was at Sam Huston College, the Kansas City Monarchs sent him a written offer to play professional baseball in the Negro leagues. [162] The year saw the release of a film biography of Robinson's life, The Jackie Robinson Story, in which Robinson played himself,[174] and actress Ruby Dee played Rachel "Rae" (Isum) Robinson. [140] According to a press report, the St. Louis Cardinals threatened to strike if Robinson played and spread the walkout across the entire National League. Jackie was the youngest of five children who grew up in a relatively poor section of Pasadena CA. [299] The tribute was continued in 2008, when, during games on April 15, all members of the Mets, Cardinals, Washington Nationals, and Tampa Bay Rays wore Robinson's number 42. On January 25, 1938, he was arrested after vocally disputing the detention of a black friend by police. [17] He played shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, quarterback on the football team, and guard on the basketball team. 42 in honor of the player who broke baseball's color barrier . [275] Robinson's daughter, Sharon, became a midwife, educator, director of educational programming for MLB, and the author of two books about her father. [244] Robinson also chaired the NAACP's million-dollar Freedom Fund Drive in 1957, and served on the organization's board until 1967. [148] On April 22, 1947, during a game between the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies players and manager Ben Chapman called Robinson a "nigger" from their dugout and yelled that he should "go back to the cotton fields". [8][9] Robinson also was the first black television analyst in MLB and the first black vice president of a major American corporation, Chock full o'Nuts. "[177], Robinson's Hollywood exploits, however, did not sit well with Dodgers co-owner Walter O'Malley, who referred to Robinson as "Rickey's prima donna". Jesse Simms, the grandson of Jackie Robinson, is carrying on his family's legacy through Minor League Baseball. [319] The stadium also unveiled a new mural of Robinson by Mike Sullivan on April 14, 2013. [90] He left the tryout humiliated,[87] and more than 14 years later, in July 1959, the Red Sox became the final major league team to integrate its roster. From gang member to world-famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson helped break down barriers for African American athletes, proving that they can not only compete, but excel, in a variety of sports. [283] Baseball writer Bill James, in The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, ranked Robinson as the 32nd greatest player of all time strictly on the basis of his performance on the field, noting that he was one of the top players in the league throughout his career. ", "Document Deep Dive: The Heartfelt Friendship Between Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey", "Jackie Robinson and baseball highlights, 1860s1960s", "It's Jackie Robinson Day on Wednesday. [106] Larry Doby, who broke the color line in the American League the same year as Robinson, said, "One of the things that was disappointing and disheartening to a lot of the black players at the time was that Jack was not the best player. The reporter, concerned about protecting Hyland's anonymity and job, in turn leaked it to his Tribune colleague and editor, Stanley Woodward, whose own subsequent reporting with other sources protected Hyland. 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