Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) was an American baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born in Georgia and raised in California, where he excelled in various sports in high school and college. After serving in the US Army during World War II, Robinson played in the Negro Leagues before being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, becoming the first Black player in MLB since the 1880s.
Robinson faced intense racism and discrimination from fans, players, and even some teammates during his career. Despite this, he became an excellent player and helped lead the Dodgers to six National League pennants and one World Series championship. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1947 and was named National League MVP in 1949.
Off the field, Robinson was a prominent civil rights activist and advocate for racial equality. He worked with the NAACP and spoke out against segregation and discrimination in sports and society. After retiring from baseball in 1957, Robinson became a successful businessman and continued to be involved in civil rights causes. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 and his number, 42, was retired by all MLB teams in 1997.
Jackie Robinson plaque0
What about Jackie Robinson Interesting Facts? Let’s take a look at these 50 interesting facts about Jackie Robinson
- Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia.
- His full name was Jack Roosevelt Robinson.
- His middle name was in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt, whom Robinson’s mother greatly admired.
- Robinson was the youngest of five children.
- His father left the family when Robinson was just six months old.
- His mother moved the family to Pasadena, California when Robinson was a child.
- Robinson attended UCLA, where he was the first student-athlete to letter in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track.
- Robinson’s older brother, Matthew, was also a star athlete and Olympic silver medalist in track and field.
- Robinson briefly played semi-professional football for the Honolulu Bears in Hawaii.
- Robinson was drafted into the US Army in 1942 and served as a second lieutenant.
- Robinson was court-martialed and acquitted after refusing to give up his seat on a military bus, nine years before Rosa Parks’ similar action in Montgomery, Alabama.
- Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues before being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945.
- Robinson debuted with the Dodgers on April 15, 1947, becoming the first Black player in MLB since the 1880s.
- Robinson wore uniform number 42 throughout his career with the Dodgers.
- Robinson faced intense racism and discrimination from fans, players, and even some teammates during his career.
- Robinson won the Rookie of the Year award in 1947.
- Robinson was named National League MVP in 1949.
- Robinson was part of the Dodgers team that won the World Series in 1955.
- Robinson had a career batting average of .311 and stole 197 bases.
- Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
- Robinson was also a skilled tennis player and won the National Negro Championships in 1946.
- Robinson was a vocal advocate for civil rights and worked with the NAACP and other organizations to fight against segregation and discrimination.
- Robinson wrote a regular column for the New York Post from 1959 to 1960.
- Robinson was an early supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. and helped organize the March on Washington in 1963.
- Robinson was a Republican and supported Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election.
- Robinson retired from baseball in 1957 and became a businessman.
- Robinson was the first Black television analyst for Major League Baseball.
- Robinson was the first Black vice president of a major American corporation, Chock full o’Nuts.
- Robinson owned a chain of dry cleaning stores.
- Robinson was a friend and advisor to civil rights activist Malcolm X.
- Robinson appeared in the film “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which was released in 1950 and starred Robinson as himself.
- Robinson was also portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the 2013 film “42.”
- Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
- Robinson’s number, 42, was retired by all MLB teams in 1997.
- The first annual Jackie Robinson Day was held on April 15, 2004, to commemorate the 57th anniversary of Robinson’s MLB debut.
- Robinson’s childhood home in Pasadena, California, is now a National Historic Landmark.
- The Jackie Robinson Foundation was established in 1973 to provide scholarships and leadership development opportunities for minority students.
- Robinson’s daughter, Sharon Robinson, is an author and educational consultant who has written several books about her father and the Civil Rights Movement.
- Robinson’s son, Jackie Robinson Jr., was a standout athlete in high school and college, but died in a car accident in 1971.
- Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2003.
- Robinson was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
- Robinson’s college jersey number, 42, was also retired by UCLA.
- Robinson’s major league debut was the first time he had ever played in a fully integrated game.
- Robinson’s success in breaking the color barrier in baseball paved the way for other Black athletes to enter professional sports.
- Robinson was known for his aggressive style of play, both on offense and defense.
- Robinson’s signature steal of home plate in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series is considered one of the greatest moments in baseball history.
- Robinson was the subject of a US postage stamp in 1982.
- Robinson’s autobiography, “I Never Had It Made,” was published in 1972, shortly before his death.
- Robinson’s high school alma mater, John Muir High School, named its football stadium after him.
- Robinson’s legacy as a civil rights icon and trailblazing athlete continues to inspire people around the world to this day.
Jackie Robinson was not only a remarkable athlete but also a courageous civil rights pioneer who broke down barriers and paved the way for generations of Black athletes and Americans. He faced immense discrimination and hatred throughout his career, but he persevered with grace and dignity, showing the world what true strength looks like. Robinson’s legacy as a baseball legend and civil rights icon has continued to inspire people around the world, and his impact on American society will never be forgotten.
