Jackie Robinson

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.

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.

Related Topics:
General manager - Brooklyn Dodgers - Undercover

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
Signed - 1946 - Minor league - Montreal - Montreal Royals - Season - City - Fan - Canadian - Harassment

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
First black Major Leaguer - Moses Fleetwood Walker - Roy Campanella

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
First base - Brooklyn Dodgers - April 15 - 1947 - U.S. civil rights movement - Second baseman - Third base - 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.

Related Topics:
Dixie Walker - Strike - Pee Wee Reese - Defensive - Pittsburgh Pirate - Hank Greenberg - Jew - Anti-semitic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 A. B. "Happy" Chandler I 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.

Related Topics:
Philadelphia Phillies - Ben Chapman - April 22 - Nigger - A. B. "Happy" Chandler I

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
Rookie - $ - Stolen base

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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. In 1955, though clearly on the downside of his career, Robinson would play a prominent role in leading the Brooklyn Dodgers to their first and only World Series championship in Brooklyn, in a seven game victory over the New York Yankees.

Related Topics:
Rookie of the Year - 1947 - Most Valuable Player - National League - 1949 - Pennants - 1950 - 1951 - 1955

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Robinson's Major League career was fairly short. He did not enter the majors until he was 28, and was often injured as he aged. But in his prime, he was respected by every opposing team in the league.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the 1956 season, Robinson was sold by the Dodgers to the New York Giants (soon to become the San Francisco Giants.) Rather than report to the Giants, however, Robinson chose to retire at age 37. This sale further added to Robinson's growing disillusionment with the Dodgers, and in particular Walter O'Malley (who had forced Rickey out as General Manager) and manager Walter Alston.

Related Topics:
New York Giants - San Francisco Giants - Retire - Walter O'Malley - 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" frequentlyhttp://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_stbah.shtml, doing so at least 19 documented times. 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.

Related Topics:
Average - Walks - Strikeouts - Baserunner - Pitchers - Catchers - Infielder - Home plate - Out

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~