What did Jackie Robinson do growing up?
Jackie Robinson was reared in Pasadena, California. An outstanding all-around athlete at Pasadena Junior College and at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he excelled in football, basketball, track, and baseball. He withdrew from UCLA in his third year to help his mother care for the family. In 1942 he entered the U.S. Army.
What are 5 facts about Jackie Robinson?
What are 5 facts about Jackie Robinson? 9 Things You May Not Know About Jackie Robinson. He was named after President Teddy Roosevelt. Jackie Robinson was a prolific athlete. He proudly served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement. No. Jackie Robinson was a businessman.
How many babies did Jackie Robinson have?
They had three children. Jackie died in 1972, but his wife is still alive (as of 2019). She is a nurse, a public speaker, and the founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. She has earned twelve honorary doctorate degrees and numerous other awards for her work on equality, mental health, and education.
Why did Jackie Robinson stop playing baseball?
Why did jackie robinson stop playing baseball? “After due consideration, I have decided to request to be placed on the voluntary retired list as I am going to devote my full time to business opportunities that have been presented,” wrote Robinson in a letter dated Jan. 14, 1957, that is now preserved at the National Baseball Hall of Fame ...
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How was Jackie Robinson treated as a child?
There, they were the only black family on their block, and they were treated horribly by their neighbors. As a child, Jackie (as they called him) learned to take care of himself, making his mother's job of raising five children by herself a little easier. He also loved all kinds of sports.
What is Jackie Robinson's backstory?
Jackie Robinson was an African American professional baseball player who broke Major Leagues Baseball's infamous “color barrier” when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Until that time, professional ballplayers of color suited up for teams only in the Negro Leagues.
What was Jackie Robinson's family life?
His mother Millie raised him and his three brothers and one sister. About a year after Jackie was born, the family moved to Pasadena, California. There Jackie grew up watching his older brothers excel in sports. His brother Mack became a track star who won a silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1936 Olympics.
Where did Jackie Robinson live and grow up?
Reared in Pasadena, California, Robinson became an outstanding all-around athlete at Pasadena Junior College and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He excelled in football, basketball, and track as well as baseball. Robinson withdrew from UCLA in his third year to help his mother care for the family.
Who really broke the color barrier in baseball?
After a successful season with the minor league Montreal Royals in 1946, Robinson officially broke the major league color line when he put on a Dodgers uniform, number 42, in April 1947.
What are 5 interesting facts about Jackie Robinson?
10 Astonishing Facts about Jackie RobinsonJackie's brother was an Olympic silver medalist. ... Jackie played several sports. ... Jackie Attended U.C.L.A. ... Jackie Served in the Military. ... Jackie Married his College Sweetheart. ... He won the Rookie of the Year Award. ... He was National League's MVP.More items...•
Is 42 retired in baseball?
42. In a ceremony before the April 15, 1997, game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, Selig declared that No. 42 – Robinson's number with the Brooklyn Dodgers – would be permanently retired throughout Major League Baseball.
How many times was Jackie Robinson hit by a pitch?
Jackie was hit-by-pitches a total of 72 times during his career. 45. Robinson stole home plate trice in 1947, five times in 1948 and 1949, once in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955 and 1956.
What was Jackie Robinson's net worth when he died?
What was Jackie Robinson's net worth and salary? Jackie Robinson was an American professional baseball player who had a net worth equal to $6 million at the time of his death (adjusting for inflation). Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in January 1919 and passed away in October 1972.
What was Jackie Robinson's favorite food?
fishDid you know Jackie Robinson's favorite food was fish? We don't serve fish, but you can stop by for some pizza!
What was true about Jackie Robinson?
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. In the 1960s, he helped establish the Freedom National Bank, an African-American-owned financial institution based in Harlem, New York.
What did Jackie Robinson do to change the world?
He was also the MLB's first official Rookie of the Year, and the first baseball player, black or white, to be on a US postage stamp. Jackie Robinson changed the world for many African American baseball players. Due to him, baseball players of any ethnicity have an equal chance of making it in to the Major League.
Why was Jackie Robinson so important?
Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the United States during the 20th century. On April 15, 1947, he br...
What was Jackie Robinson’s early life like?
Jackie Robinson was reared in Pasadena, California. An outstanding all-around athlete at Pasadena Junior College and at the University of Californi...
What were Jackie Robinson’s achievements?
In 1947, the year he broke baseball’s “colour line,” Jackie Robinson was named National League Rookie of the Year. In 1949 he was the league’s Most...
How did Jackie Robinson influence others?
Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day each April 15. On that day the number that Robinson wore for the Brooklyn Dodgers, 42—retired...
Why did Jackie Robinson leave the army?
Due to financial difficulties, he was forced to leave college and eventually decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. After two years in the army, he had progressed to second lieutenant. Jackie’s army career was cut short when he was court-martialed in relation to his objections with incidents of racial discrimination.
When did Jackie Robinson play for the Kansas City Monarchs?
In 1945, Jackie played one season in the Negro Baseball League, traveling all over the Midwest with the Kansas City Monarchs. But greater challenges and achievements were in store for him. In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey approached Jackie about joining the Brooklyn Dodgers.
When did Jackie Robinson get inducted into the Hall of Fame?
As a result of his great success, Jackie was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Jackie married Rachel Isum, a nursing student he met at UCLA, in 1946. As an African-American baseball player, Jackie was on display for the whole country to judge.
Who was Jackie Robinson's mother?
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers. His mother, Mallie Robinson, single-handedly raised Jackie and her four other children. They were the only black family on their block, and the prejudice they encountered only strengthened their bond. From this humble beginning would grow the first baseball player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier that segregated the sport for more than 50 years.
When did Jackie Robinson break the color barrier?
In 1997 , the world celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Jackie’s breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier. In doing so, we honored the man who stood defiantly against those who would work against racial equality and acknowledged the profound influence of one man’s life on the American culture.
Who paid tribute to Jackie Robinson?
On Tuesday, April 15th, President Bill Clinton paid tribute to Jackie at Shea Stadium in New York in a special ceremony.
How did Frank Robinson die?
Toward the end of his PJC tenure, Frank Robinson (to whom Robinson felt closest among his three brothers) was killed in a motorcycle accident. The event motivated Jackie to pursue his athletic career at the nearby University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he could remain closer to Frank's family.
What college did Jackie Robinson play for?
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. Robinson accepted a contract for $400 per month. Although he played well for the Monarchs, Robinson was frustrated with the experience. He had grown used to a structured playing environment in college, and the Negro leagues' disorganization and embrace of gambling interests appalled him. The hectic travel schedule also placed a burden on his relationship with Isum, with whom he could now communicate only by letter. In all, Robinson played 47 games at shortstop for the Monarchs, hitting .387 with five home runs, and registering 13 stolen bases. He also appeared in the 1945 East–West All-Star Game, going hitless in five at-bats.
How many backfield players did UCLA have?
Washington, Strode, and Robinson made up three of the team's four backfield players. At a time when only a few black students played mainstream college football, this made UCLA college football's most integrated team. They went undefeated with four ties at 6–0–4.
What happened to Jackie Robinson?
While awaiting results of hospital tests on the ankle he had injured in junior college, Robinson boarded an Army bus with a fellow officer's wife; although the Army had commissioned its own unsegregated bus line, the bus driver ordered Robinson to move to the back of the bus. Robinson refused. The driver backed down, but after reaching the end of the line, summoned the military police, who took Robinson into custody. When Robinson later confronted the investigating duty officer about racist questioning by the officer and his assistant, the officer recommended Robinson be court-martialed.
What sports did Robinson play?
At Muir Tech, Robinson played several sports at the varsity level and lettered in four of them: football, basketball, track, and baseball. He played shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, quarterback on the football team, and guard on the basketball team.
How many years did Jackie Robinson play in the MLB?
During his 10-year MLB career, Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1954, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949—the first black player so honored.
What high school did Jackie Robinson go to?
In 1935, Robinson graduated from Washington Junior High School and enrolled at John Muir High School (Muir Tech). Recognizing his athletic talents, Robinson's older brothers Mack (himself an accomplished athlete and silver medalist at the 1936 Summer Olympics) and Frank inspired Jackie to pursue his interest in sports.
When Was Jackie Robinson Born?
Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, to a family of sharecroppers. He was the youngest of five children.
What team did Jackie Robinson play for?
Jackie Robinson's Professional Sports Career. In early 1945, Jackie Robinson was signed by the Negro League team the Kansas City Monarchs, where he starred for one season, hitting .387. At the time, Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey was scouting the Negro Leagues, looking for players who not only had the talent but ...
What movie did Jackie Robinson play himself in?
In 1950, Robinson played himself in a movie on his life called “ The Jackie Robinson Story .” And in 2013, a movie about Robinson’s life called “ 42 ” was released to critical acclaim, with his widow involved in the production.
What is the Jackie Robinson Foundation?
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship. Following his death, his wife Rachel, by then an assistant professor in the Yale School of Nursing, established the Jackie Robinson Foundation. In addition to recognizing other trailblazers in sports, the foundation awards the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship to minority students.
What high school did Jackie Robinson attend?
That began to change when Jackie enrolled at John Muir High School in 1935. His older brother Mack, a silver medalist in track and field at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, inspired him to pursue his interest in athletics, and the younger Robinson ultimately earned varsity letters in baseball, basketball, football and track while at Muir.
Why did Pee Wee Reese put his arm around Robinson?
Hearing racist taunts from fans and players prior to a game, Dodgers teammate Pee Wee Reese is said to have put his arm around Robinson on the field to indicate that he was accepted by those wearing a Brooklyn uniform. Still, Robinson endured racist obscenities, hate mail and death threats for much of his career.
What did Jackie Robinson do after he left college?
Jackie ultimately left college in the spring of his senior year, just a few credits short of his graduation. He accepted a job as an athletic administrator, but his dreams remained focused on the field of play.
Childhood & Early Life
Born to Jerry and Mallie Robinson, Jackie was the youngest of the five children in the family.
Awards & Achievements
Robinson was named the ‘Rookie of the Year’ in 1947 with a batting average of .297, 175 hits and 12 home runs.
Personal Life & Legacy
Robinson married Rachel Isum, whom he met at the University of California, in 1946. The couple had three children Jackie Robinson Jr., Sharon Robinson and David Robinson.
Overview
Family life and death
After Robinson's retirement from baseball, his wife Rachel Robinson pursued a career in academic nursing. She became an assistant professor at the Yale School of Nursing and director of nursing at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. She also served on the board of the Freedom National Bank until it closed in 1990. She and Jackie had three children: Jackie Robinson Jr. (1946–…
Early life
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, into a family of sharecroppers in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of five children born to Mallie (McGriff) and Jerry Robinson, after siblings Edgar, Frank, Matthew (nicknamed "Mack"), and Willa Mae. His middle name was in honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt, who died 25 days before Robinson was born. After Robinson's father left the family in 1920, they moved to Pasadena, California.
Military career
In 1942, Robinson was drafted and assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit at Fort Riley (in Kansas). Having the requisite qualifications, Robinson and several other black soldiers applied for admission to an Officer Candidate School (OCS) then located at Fort Riley. Although the Army's initial July 1941 guidelines for OCS had been drafted as race neutral, few black applicants were admitted int…
Post-military
After his discharge, Robinson briefly returned to his old football club, the Los Angeles Bulldogs. Robinson then accepted an offer from his old friend and pastor Rev. Karl Downs to be the athletic director at Samuel Huston College in Austin, then of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The job included coaching the school's basketball team for the 1944–45 season. As it was a fledgling program, few students tried out for the basketball team, and Robinson even resorted to insertin…
Playing career
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. Robinson accepted a contract for $400 per month. Although he played well for the Monarchs, Robinson was frustrated with the experience. He had grown used to a structured playing environment in college, and the Negro leag…
Legacy
Robinson's major league debut brought an end to approximately sixty years of segregation in professional baseball, known as the baseball color line. After World War II, several other forces were also leading the country toward increased equality for blacks, including their accelerated migration to the North, where their political clout grew, and President Harry Truman's desegregation of the military in 1948. Robinson's breaking of the baseball color line and his prof…
Post-baseball life
Robinson once told future Hall of Fame inductee Hank Aaron that "the game of baseball is great, but the greatest thing is what you do after your career is over." Robinson retired from baseball at age 37 on January 5, 1957. Later that year, after he complained of numerous physical ailments, he was diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that also afflicted his brothers. Although Robinson adopte…