Throwback Thursday: Jackie Robinson’s Legacy Abner Jackson III Thursday, February 27, 2014 Game Xclusive, The Game Photo courtesy of www.cmgworldwide.com Jackie Robinson was a pioneer for all of sports and one of the best to ever play Negro League and Major League Baseball. In 1945, Robinson played one season in the Negro League for the Kansas City Monarchs, Robinson was a shortstop and he was also selected to play in the Negro League All-Star Game. In 1946, Robinson was assigned to the Montreal Royals of the International League, which was the AAA league for minor league baseball – the highest level of minor league baseball. Robinson became the first black player to play for a minor league team since the 1880s when the color line was implemented. Robinson led the International League in his only season with a .349 batting average and was awarded the league Most Valuable Player. In 1947, Robinson was promoted to the Brooklyn Dodgers. On April 15, 1947, he made his major league debut at the age of 28 at Ebbets Field. Robinson broke the color barrier that same day for Major League Baseball, as stated, becoming first player since 1880 to break the MLB color line. Robinson made an impact on the Dodgers his Rookie year. The Dodgers won the pennant and they reached the World Series to lose to the New York Yankees in a seven-game series 4-3. Robinson batted .297 with 175 hits, 125 runs, 31 doubles, 29 stolen bases, 12 home runs and 48 runs batted in (RBI’s). Robinson also won the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award and led the National League in Stolen bases. Photo courtesy of www.msclarkcalvertsmallgroups.blogspot.com Robinson third year with the Dodgers his batting average was .342, which was his career-high. He had 203 hits a career-high, 122 runs, 124 RBI’s a career-high, 38 doubles, 37 stolen bases a career-high and 16 home runs. Robinson won the National League MVP, his only MVP award in his professional baseball career and he also led the National League in stolen bases again. Robinson was voted by the fans to start at second base in the 1949 All-Star Game. This was the first ASG to include Black players. The Dodgers went on to win a second pennant, their second in three years since Robinson arrived. The Dodgers lost again to the Yankees in the World Series, 4-1. Photo courtesy of www.baseball-almanac.com Robinson went on to play in six consecutive All-Star Games from 1949-1954 and six World Series. Robinson finally won his only World Series in 1955 when the Dodgers beat the Yankees 4-3. Robinson retired the following year in 1956, at the age of 37, and at a time when Robinson was starting to feel the effects of diabetes. In 1962, Robinson became the first Black player inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame. He was elected on the first ballot. Robinson died on October 24, 1972 of a heart attack at the age of 53. In June of 1997, the Dodgers retired Robinson uniform number (42) and his jersey has been retired by all MLB teams since April 15, 1997. In 1999, Robinson was chosen by fans on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. He was the top vote-getter for second basemen. Robinson has been honored numerous times after his death. Buildings, stadiums, museums, awards, etc. all have been named in honor of Jackie Robinson. Robinson paved a way for all races and ethnicities to play in all of sports. He will always be a pioneer for all the hate and racism he went through to pave a way for all athletes that weren’t white. In April 2013, “42” was released (a film about Jackie Robinson’s rise to the majors and the daily struggles he endured). Any Robinson fan should definitely watch “42”, it shows why he is a hero in all of sports and why he was chosen to break the color barrier.
