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What kind of family life did Jackie Robinson have?
sharecroppersJack 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.
Did Jackie Robinson have any family?
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.
What was Jackie Robinson's childhood like?
The Early Years. Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, in 1919 to a sharecropping family. He moved to Pasadena, California, with his mother Mallie in 1920, excelled in five sports at Muir High School, and played baseball, basketball, and football at UCLA.
How many children were in Jackie Robinson's family?
Jackie Robinson, Rachel Robinson, and their three children, David, Sharon, and Jackie, Jr . , 1956.
Was Jackie Robinson ever married?
Rachel RobinsonJackie Robinson / Spouse (m. 1946–1972)Rachel Robinson is an American former professor and registered nurse, as well as the widow of professional baseball player Jackie Robinson. Wikipedia
Did Jackie Robinson have a wife?
Rachel RobinsonJackie Robinson / Wife (m. 1946–1972)Rachel Robinson is an American former professor and registered nurse, as well as the widow of professional baseball player Jackie Robinson. Wikipedia
Did Jackie Robinson have siblings?
Mack RobinsonFrank RobinsonWilla Mae RobinsonEdgar RobinsonJackie Robinson/Siblings
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.
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...•
Who was the first black player in MLB?
Moses Fleetwood WalkerSixty-three years before Jackie Robinson became the first African American in the modern era to play in a Major League Baseball game, Moses Fleetwood Walker debuted in the league on May 1, 1884, with the Toledo Blue Stockings in a 5-1 loss against the Louisville Eclipse.
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...
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 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.
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 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 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.
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 was Jackie Robinson?
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. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
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.
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 was Jackie Robinson's batting average in 1948?
Robinson had a batting average of .296 and 22 stolen bases for the season. In a 12–7 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 29, 1948, he hit for the cycle —a home run, a triple, a double, and a single in the same game. The Dodgers briefly moved into first place in the National League in late August 1948, but they ultimately finished third as the Braves went on to win the league title and lose to the Cleveland Indians in the World Series.
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.
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.
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.
Where did Jackie Robinson play baseball?
Upon leaving the army, he played professional football in Hawaii and baseball with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, where he drew the attention of the president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey. Jackie Robinson with the Kansas City Monarchs, 1945.
Where did Jackie Robinson go to college?
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.
What were Jackie Robinson's achievements?
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 Valuable Player. Robinson led the Brooklyn Dodgers to six league championships and one World Series victory.
Why did Jackie Robinson get a court martial?
Robinson faced court-martial in 1944 for refusing to follow an order that he sit at the back of a military bus. The charges against Robinson were dismissed, and he received an honourable discharge from the military. The incident, however, presaged Robinson’s future activism and commitment to civil rights.
When is Jackie Robinson Day?
Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day each April 15. On that day the number that Robinson wore for the Brooklyn Dodgers, 42—retired from Major League Baseball in 1997—is “unretired” and worn by all players, coaches, and umpires in the games played that day.
When did Jackie Robinson practice double play?
Of this period Robinson later stated, Pee Wee Reese (left) and Jackie Robinson practicing a double play during spring training, 1950. Jackie Robinson and his wife, Rachel, waiting to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities about communist infiltration of minority groups, 1949.
When was Jackie Robinson inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Jackie Robinson at his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, July 23, 1962. Jackie Robinson, 1971. In April 1997, on the 50th anniversary of the breaking of the colour bar in baseball, baseball commissioner Bud Selig retired Robinson’s jersey number, 42, from Major League Baseball.
What happened to Jackie Robinson?
After striking out at the 1956 world series, Robinson was traded to the Dodgers’ rival, the New York Giants. By then he was 37 and was suffering from symptoms of diabetes, and he decided to retire instead. By then, Robinson had made quite an impact on the sports world.
How long was Jackie Robinson in the baseball hall of fame?
By then, Robinson had made quite an impact on the sports world. His participation ended a 60-year period of segregation in professional baseball. Robinson was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1962. In addition to his 10-year baseball career, Robinson had a close relationship with his wife, Rachel, and the pair had three children, ...
Who was the first African American professional player in Major League Baseball?
The first African American professional player in Major League Baseball had support from his family on and off the field. Jackie Robinson is a legend in the world of baseball.
What happened to Jackie Robinson's oldest child?
In 1971, the couple’s oldest child, Jack Robinson Jr., died at the age of 24 in a car accident.
Who was Jackie Robinson's brother?
Robinson's older brother, Matthew, inspired Robinson to pursue his talent and love of athletics. Matthew won a silver medal in the 200-meter dash — just behind Jesse Owens — at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
How many times did Jackie Robinson steal home?
An exceptional base runner, Robinson stole home 19 times in his career, setting a league record. In 1955, he helped the Dodgers win the World Series. Before he retired, he became the highest-paid athlete in Dodgers' history.
How many home runs did Jackie Robinson hit?
Robinson succeeded in putting the prejudice and racial strife aside and showed everyone what a talented player he was. In his first year, he batted .297 with 12 home runs and helped the Dodgers win the National League pennant.
What did Jackie Robinson do?
Robinson was a vocal champion for African American athletes, civil rights and other social and political causes, serving on the board of the NAACP until 1967. In July 1949, he testified about discrimination before the House Un-American Activities Committee.
What team did Jackie Robinson play for?
Robinson began playing in the Negro Leagues, but he was soon chosen by Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, to help integrate Major League Baseball. He joined the all-white Montreal Royals, a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers, in 1946.
Why did Jackie Robinson leave UCLA?
In 1941, despite his athletic success, Robinson was forced to leave UCLA just shy of graduation due to financial hardship.
Where was Jackie Robinson born?
Born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, Jack Roosevelt Robinson was the youngest of Jerry and Mallie Robinson's five children. When Jackie was just a young infant, his father abandoned the family and left Mallie to raise the children alone.
What did neighbors shout at Jackie and his family?
Neighbors would often shout cruel names at Jackie and his family and constantly call the police on them for no apparent reason. Jackie’s family was able to preserver, taking the prejudice and turning it into pride. Gradually, the relations between the family and neighborhood improved.
How many siblings did Jackie Robinson have?
He had two brothers, Frank and Mattew Robinson, and two sisters, Edgar and Willa Mae Robinson. He was the youngest amongst his siblings. He was also raised in poverty by a single mother. Jackie Robinson needed an education like everyone else during childhood. He attended John Muir High School and went to Pasandena Junior College.
What did Jackie Robinson do for the African American people?
Jackie Robinson was a very inspiring person who touched the hearts and lives of many people. His fight for the rights of African-Americans contributed in the stopping of unfair actions to African-American people. He accomplished many more things than an average person could, even though he started in life in worse conditions than most people. He has shown us that anyone is able to rise above misfortune and abuse to make history, and that all you need is courage and determination. This is why many people today respect Jackie Robinson for who he was and what he stood for.
Why did Jackie Robinson have a criminal record?
Unknown to many people, Jackie Robinson had a criminal record. He had this record because he violated one of the segregation laws. He refused to move to the back of a segregated bus. He was later acquitted of the charges.
Why did Jackie Robinson drop out of college?
Sadly, he was forced to drop out of college due to financial predicaments. Jack ie Robinson' s hobbies during his childhood included playing the sports of baseball, basketball, track, and football. Jackie's inspiration was of his brother, Mattew, who inspired Jackie to pursue his talent and love for sports. Unknown to many people, Jackie Robinson had ...
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. Af…
Military career
In 1942, Robinson was drafted and assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit in Fort Riley, 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 …
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…