Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) became the first African American Major League Baseball player of the modern era in 1947. Robinson’s achievement has been recognized by the retirement by each Major League team of his uniform number, 42.

Contents

1 Before the Major League
2 The Dodgers
3 Post Dodgers

Before the Major League

Born in Cairo, Georgia, Robinson moved with his mother and siblings to Pasadena, California in 1920, after his father deserted the family. At the University of California, Los Angeles, he was a football, basketball, track, and baseball star where he played with Kenny Washington, who would become one of the first black players in the National Football League since the early 1930s. His brother Matthew “Mack” Robinson (1912-2000) competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics, finishing second in the 200-meter sprint behind Jesse Owens.

After leaving UCLA without a degree in 1942, Robinson enlisted in the US Army during World War II. He trained with the segregated U.S. 761st Tank Battalion. Initially refused entry to Officer Candidate School, he fought for it and eventually was accepted, graduating as a second lieutenant. While training at Fort Hood, Texas, Robinson refused to go to the back of a bus, knowing that the practice had recently been outlawed on military vehicles. He was court-martialed for insubordination, and never shipped out to Europe with his unit. He received an honorable discharge in 1944, after being exonerated at a trial with all charges dismissed.

Jackie played baseball in 1944 for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League where he caught the eye of Clyde Sukeforth, a scout working for Branch Rickey.

The Dodgers

Branch Rickey was the club president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and had the secret goal of signing the Negro Leagues’ top players to the team. Although there was no official ban on blacks in organized baseball, previous attempts at signing black ballplayers had been thwarted by league officials and rival clubs in the past, and so Rickey operated undercover. His scouts were told that they were seeking players for a new all-black league Rickey was forming; not even the scouts knew his true objective.

Robinson drew national attention when Rickey selected him from a list of promising candidates and signed him. In 1946, Robinson was assigned to play for the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate in Montreal, the Montreal Royals. Although that season was very tiring emotionally for Robinson, it was also a spectacular success in a city that treated him with all the wild fan support that made the Canadian city a welcome refuge from the hateful harassment he experienced elsewhere.

Robinson was a slightly curious candidate to be the first black Major Leaguer in sixty years (see Moses Fleetwood Walker). Not only was he 27 (relatively old for a prospect), he also had a fiery temperament. While some felt his more laid-back future teammate Roy Campanella might have been a better candidate to face the expected abuse, Rickey chose Robinson knowing that Jackie’s outspoken nature would, in the long run, be more beneficial for their cause than Campanella’s relative docility.

Robinson’s debut at first base with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947 (he batted 0 for 3) was one of the most eagerly-awaited events in baseball history, and one of the most profound in the history of the U.S. civil rights movement. Although he played his entire rookie year at first base, Robinson spent most of his career as a second baseman. He also played many games at third base and in the outfield.

During that first season, the abuse to which Robinson was subjected made him come close to losing his patience more than once. Many Dodgers were initially resistant to his presence. A group of Dodger players, mostly Southerners led by Dixie Walker, suggested they would strike rather than play alongside Robinson, but the mutiny was ended when Dodger management informed the players they were welcome to find employment elsewhere. He did have the support of Kentucky-born shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who proved to be his closest comrade on the team. The pair became a very effective defensive combination as a result. Pittsburgh Pirate Hank Greenberg, the first major Jewish baseball star who experienced anti-semitic abuse, also gave Robinson encouragement.

During the season, Robinson experienced considerable harassment from both players and fans. The Philadelphia Phillies – encouraged by manager Ben Chapman- were particularly abusive. In their April 22 game against the Dodgers, they barracked him continually, calling him a “nigger” from the bench, telling him to “go back to the jungle.” Rickey would later recall that “Chapman did more than anybody to unite the Dodgers.

When he poured out that string of unconscionable abuse, he solidified and united 30 men.” Baseball Commissioner Albert “Happy” Chandler admonished the Phillies but asked Robinson to pose for photographs with Chapman as a conciliatory gesture. Robinson didn’t refuse, but the ensuing session was likely difficult for both participants.

During Robinson’s rookie season, he earned the major-league minimum salary of $5000. He played in 151 games, hit .297, and was the league leader in stolen bases with 29.

Robinson was awarded the Rookie of the Year award in 1947, and the Most Valuable Player award for the National League in 1949. He not only contributed to Brooklyn pennants in both years, but his determination and hustle kept the Dodgers in pennant races in 1950 and 1951 when they might otherwise have been eliminated much sooner.

Robinson’s Major League career was fairly short. He did not enter the majors until he was 28, was often injured as he aged, and he retired at age 37. But in his prime, he was respected by every opposing team in the league. By the time of his retirement, he was disillusioned with the Dodgers, and in particular Walter O’Malley (who had forced Rickey out as General Manager) and manager Walter Alston.

Robinson was an exceptionally talented and disciplined hitter, with a career average of .311 and substantially more walks than strikeouts. He played several defensive positions extremely well and was the most aggressive and successful baserunner of his era; he was among the few players to “steal home” frequently[1]. By his talent and physical presence, he disrupted the concentration of pitchers, catchers and middle infielders. Robinson’s overall talent was such that he is often cited as among the best players of his era. It is also frequently claimed that Robinson was one of the most intelligent baseball players ever, a claim that is well supported by his home plate discipline and defensive prowess. Robinson was regarded as a fierce competitor in the truest sense: he never gave up on a game if his team was losing, to the point that he would try everything to avoid being the last man out for his side.

Post Dodgers

Jackie Robinson and his son David
Being Interviewed at the “March on Washington”
August 28, 1963
From the National Archives

Robinson retired from the game on January 5, 1957. He had wanted to manage or coach in the major leagues, but received no offers. He became a vice-president for the Chock Full O’ Nuts corporation instead, and served on the board of the NAACP till 1967, when he resigned because of the movement’s lack of younger voices. In 1960, he involved himself in the presidential election, campaigning first for Hubert Humphrey, and then meeting both Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy: citing his record on Civil Rights, Robinson supported Nixon. After Nixon was elected in 1968, Robinson wrote that he regretted the endorsement. He campaigned diligently for Humphrey in 1968.

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility, becoming the first African-American so honored. On June 4, 1972 the Dodgers retired his uniform number 42 alongside Roy Campanella (39) and Sandy Koufax (32). Robinson made his final public appearance on October 14, 1972 before Game 2 of the World Series in Cincinnati.

Robinson’s final few years were marked by tragedy. In 1971, his elder son, Jackie, Jr., was killed in an automobile accident. Also, the diabetes that plagued him in middle age had left him virtually blind and contributed to his severe heart troubles. Jackie Robinson died in Stamford, Connecticut on October 24, 1972 and was interred in the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. For details, see Jules Tygiel’s book, Baseball’s Great Experiment.

In 1997 (the 50th anniversary of his major league debut), his number (42) was retired from all MLB teams. In 2004, Major League Baseball designated that April 15 each year would be marked as “Jackie Robinson Day” in all their ballparks.

On October 29, 2003, the United States Congress posthumously awarded Robinson the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award the Congress can bestow. Robinson’s widow accepted the award in a ceremony in the Capital Rotunda on March 2, 2005.

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, the grandson of a slave. Jackie was the youngest of five children. When he was six months old, his father deserted the family. His mother moved them to California where it was easier for blacks to live and get work. In those days, life was very hard for black people in the South. This upset young Jackie. He became very involved in sports. He played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. In college he was a top football player. He left college before graduating.

Jackie worked for the National Youth Administration at a work camp but the camp was closed. In the fall of 1941, he joined the Honolulu Bears professional football team and then was drafted into the Army. While stationed in Kansas with the Army, he worked with Joe Louis, a famous boxer, to fight unfair treatment of black people in the military.

After leaving the Army, Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs. They were a team in the Negro League. This team was made up of African American baseball players. He soon become one of the leagues top players but did like the low pay and constant traveling. He didn’t want to make baseball his career. The Brooklyn Dodger president, Branch Rickey, had been looking for a black player to bring into the major leagues. Those leagues were closed to blacks at that time. In 1945, Robinson signed a contract to play for a Dodgers farm team, the Montreal Royals. Many owners and sportswriters were against this. They thought bringing blacks into the league would destroy major league baseball.

At first it was very difficult. During spring training in Florida, Robinson had to ride in the back of the bus and some games were even canceled because he was playing. Even so, he was a great player and when Rickey wanted to move him up to the Dodgers, even though a petition was passed around the players trying to ban him from playing, hardly anyone signed it. Things didn’t get any easier though. The St. Louis Cardinals threatened to go on strike. Pitchers often threw the ball directly at Robinson, base runners tried to spike him, and people called him all sorts of bad names. He even received hate mail, death threats, and warnings that his baby boy would be kidnapped. But, gradually, the fans and players realized how good he was at baseball. They started coming just to see him play.

Jackie had agreed to hold his temper back that first year of play but after that, he became angry when people made remarks about being an African American often getting in fights with officials or other players. He became very active in civil rights causes and helped many black players in the league. Jackie continued to play baseball until 1957. At that point, his health was declining and diabetes took away his sight in one eye and reduced his sight in the remaining eye.

After his retirement Robinson became a successful businessman and active supporter of political causes, devoting many of his efforts to the pursuit of a better life for African Americans.

Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Jackie died on October 24, 1972.