Jackie Robinson Essay, Research Paper

Jack Roosevelt (Jackie) Robinson

He was the first black person to ever be at bat in the Major Leagues, and made his name famous. But now, everyone seems to have forgotten this great legend. So I hope that this will refresh your memory, had if you?ve never heard of him this is what happened in his life:

Born on January 31 1919 in Cairo Ga., Jack Roosevelt (Jackie) Robinson, he was raised on the Sasser Plantation. He grew up without a father who left for Florida with another mans wife, leaving his real wife (Mallie Robinson) to raise five kids: Mack, Jack, Edgar, Willa Mae, and Franck, on her own.

After his father left Jack?s family became poor and had to live in a cabin. Soon after that, in 1920, Mallie sold a few of her family?s things and the family boarded a train to California. They bought a house on Pepper Street in Pasadena.

As child, Jackie enjoyed sports as much as the next kid did. Just before he started school, he became ill with Diphtheria and almost died! He was an average student at his school, in the playground he realized that his amazing talent in sports made him stand made him stand out. More than once he came home with a pocket full of change or an extra lunch, because the kids bribed him into playing on their team. But his childhood wasn?t all-good, because all of his friendships ended after each game. Lucky for him he had four siblings to spend time with, who were all great athletes, including Willa Mae who was amazing at basketball. He also had some immigrant friends who called themselves "The Pepper Street Gang". Together they challenged white groups in sports for money.

Jack?s skills bloomed all the way through grade school and into high school. At Washington Junior High Scholl, he played basketball, baseball, football, and track, leading his team for each sport. They made it to many of the championships to.

Jack?s significant Atlanta exploded when he entered Muir Technical High School. He excelled at every thing. He became faster, and more agile making the football, baseball, basketball, and track teams.

As for baseball, Jackie played catcher, even earned a spot on the state All Star team. Despite all that, baseball was his least favorite sport, and which gave him the most difficulty later on.

During his senior years at Muir, Jack?s life wasn?t the best. At his last football game he was injured in the ribs by an opponent after a kick off, and was out of the game. The team lost 19-0. His chances at a scholarship were limited because of the rib injury.

Robinson graduated from high school, and enrolled in Pasadena Junior Collage in 1937. He was in college for sports meanwhile his mother wanted him to become a doctor or lawyer. He joined the football team in 1937, but broke his ankle, and had no choice but to sit out half the season. With out him, his team submitted to 4 losses in a row. When he recovered a bit, he led the team to win 5 games and tie 1.

After fully recovering, he went onto basketball. He lead his team in scoring rite away, and found that he was the attention of the opposing team?s defense. Despite his talent, abuse was a problem. In one game an opposing player, Sam Babich from Long Beach kept on taunting, and fouling him. But by the end of the game, Babich was out cold after picking a fight with Jackie.

His basketball season ended, and he started track, and baseball. In track he broke his older brother?s collage record with a jump of 25? 6.5". In baseball ha lead with a batting average of .417 and a total of 25 stolen bases. He continued dazzling everyone with his baseball skills, and even got a scholarship to UCLA in 1938.He played football there, and his friends were thinking about careers in the NFL, but for Jackie it was almost impossible because the NFL was as white as the Major Leagues.

Now most people know that from 1939 to 1945 Word War II was going on, and therefore Jackie was aware that he?d soon be drafted into the military. It happened on April 3, 1942 Robinson was enrolled or "inducted" into the army, fort Riley in Kansas.

Again racism was a problem. He was assigned Sargent at first. He applied to Officer Candidate School (OCS), but because of racism he was turned down

Then, heavy weight champion Joe Louis who was also an African American was assigned to fort Riley. When Jackie told Joe his problem, let?s just say that the boxer helped Jackie out. Soon Jackie enrolled in officer school, and became an officer for a unit of black soldiers.

Robinson was beginning to stand up to racism and because of that he was sent farther south to Fort Hood. But he continued to stand up to racism and was even kicked off a bus for standing up to the driver. He had achieved the rank of a second Lieutenant. In November of 1944, he was relieved from active duty, because of some physical disqualification.

When he came home he started thinking about his baseball career. Exactly how he started playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the National Negro Leagues isn?t known. Being the best he can be, he made himself famous. His talent was recognized by Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He came to watch one of Jackie?s games after hearing that there?s a black player who may be good enough to play for the Major Leagues. In 1946 he was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1947 was an important year for Jackie, Because it was the first time he entered e major league field. Ebbets field was where he played his first game.

But again not everything was glory for him, especially his first games. He had to put up with the rude comments and profanity from the stands, because no one wanted a black player in with the whites.

But soon he gained respect, and by the end of the season Jack?s hard work, dedication, and love for the sport paid of when he won the MVP and "Rookie of the year" award with a batting average of .297, 125 and a record setting 29 stolen bases. That year he made the black people proud, and paved the way for current stars like Michael Jordan, Joe Carter, and others.

Soon Jackie got married to Rachel Isum (whom he met at UCLA and by 1950 they had 2 kids Jackie Jr., and Sharon.)

Jackie was soon the target of most commercial offers. He had his own game, stared in the movie, "The Jackie Robinson Story", and even had his own 15minute TV show, "Jackie Robinson?s Sports Classroom." He continued his career, and won many awards like the silver bat or the golden shoe award for best athlete. He ended his career in1956 with a batting average of .311 and by all. He made many public appearances, including his last one on October 15 1972. Jackie Robinson died 12 days later on October 27 1972.

He won many awards and still had to put up with lots of abuse. But he was the best he could be. In conclusion I would like to quote Jackie by saying: "I was a black man in a white mans world. I never had it made."