Jackie Robinson: Pride of Baseball, Pride of the USA

Photo: newberry.k12.sc.us

Why is every 15th of April a special day in Major League Baseball? Why does every player use the number 42 on his jersey that day? Why can you see a memorable ceremony before the games are played that day? The answer to these questions is very short, but it's full of impact for baseball fans and American History: On April 15, 1947, a player changed the baseball history, ending a traditional discrimination in this sport that had been practiced since 1869, when the Major Leagues were created. That day in 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first black player to play in a Major League team.

He was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, and then moved to California. His family wasn't extremely poor, but he grew up resisting and combating a sordid and racist society. Jackie never felt ashamed of being part of the black race in a segregated country and was eager and anxious to try to give the blacks the same rights as whites.

He went to high school and then to the University of California where he played basketball, baseball, football and ran. Unfortunately, he quit studying in 1941 because he had a meager amount of money so he couldn't afford to finish his studies. That was a miserable part of Jackie's life.

Due to this last situation, Robinson joined the Army, an organization that discriminated the blacks. He had a unforgettable experience when the soldiers asked him to move to the back of a bus. He didn't feel depressed, so he didn't allow them to deceive about his color and he also didn't complain about their insults. Consequently, his experience in the intolerant Army helped him to overcome it and get ready to go into the baseball world.

In 1944 he was able to go back to college at the Sam Huston College, and he assumed two roles on the basketball team because he was playing and coaching at the same time. Then, in 1945 Jackie's destiny changed because he received a letter from the Kansas City Monarchs asking him to play baseball.

He debuted in 1945 on that team, which wasn't a member of the Major Leagues. It was part of the Negro Leagues, an exclusive league for African-American players. His performance interested Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers president, who signed him to the Montreal Royals, an affiliate team in the AAA.

Then, in 1946, Robinson reached an important goal: He played for the first time on a professional team. The Montreal Royals gave him the chance and he resisted hearing the crowd racist screams. Robinson's numbers beat the insults and the debut for him in the Majors was close.

He was finally called to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. On April 15th of 1947, at the age of 28, he broke the racial barrier in the Majors. It was hard in the beginning because not only didn't the fans accept him, but also his teammates. He was used to challenging adversity and kept persevering. He never switched to another activity because he appreciated the challenge. He was opposed to the prohibition of black players and he became a memorable player.

His 10 year career finished and he had one World Series title, an MVP award and six All Star Game appearances. He deserved to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and his name was finally written in Cooperstown in 1962. Furthermore, the number that he used, 42, was retired to remember him as an eternal legend.

His fight against racism wasn't only in the field, he insisted on working hard in favor of black's rights and supported Martin Luther King's ideas creating the Freedom National Bank of Harlem and the Jackie Robinson Construction Corporation. He decided to find money for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NCAAP) and King's organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

He always looked forward to building a tolerant country. He didn't only leave his legacy in baseball. In 1972 the United States lost an important activist.

Sources

Enders, Eric. Jackie Robinson, College Basketball Coach. Austin American-Statesman. April 15, 1997. http://www.ericenders.com/jackieaustin.htm

Jackie Robinson Biography.
http://www.biography.com/articles/Jackie-Robinson-9460813

The Jackie Robinson Story. A Student Resource Guide. http://www.jackierobinson.org/pdf/Student%20Guide.pdf

Let's go Yankees!
¡Por la lucha XXVIII! ¡Todos a portar el 28!