Courtesy of www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 1953 Topps baseball card of legendary Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson. On April 15th, 1947, Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African American player to play in the major leagues, breaking 60 years of segregation in the sport. Besides the historical significance of his entrance into major league baseball, Robinson enjoyed a very successful career. He was named Rookie of The Year in ’47, won the National League batting title and MVP Award in 1949, was a six-time All Star , and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1955. Robinson was named to baseball’s All Century team for the 20th century, and was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1962.
Cindy A. Melton
June 19, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Following his graduation from high school, Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College. Robinson continue to hone his athletic abilities by becoming a member of the basketball, football, baseball and track teams. In addition to his athletic prowess, Robinson was active in the college community, serving as a member of the Lancer, a student-run organization that served as a watchdog for school activities. Robinson was also named to Pasadena Junior College’s Order of the Mast and Dagger for his service to the school community, citizenship and scholastic achievements.
Carlos Mitchell
June 12, 2013 at 5:06 am
In addition to racial intolerance, economic and other complex factors contributed to segregation in baseball. For example, many owners of major league teams rented their stadiums to Negro League teams when their own teams were on the road. Team owners knew that if baseball were integrated, the Negro Leagues would probably not survive losing their best players to the majors, major league owners would lose significant rental revenue, and many Negro League players would lose their livelihoods. Some owners also thought that a white audience would be reluctant to attend games with black players. Others saw the addition of black players as a way to attract larger white as well as black audiences and sell more tickets. Looking back on this time, Rickey described the problems he faced and the events that influenced his decision in a speech to the One Hundred Percent Wrong Club in 1956.
Terry Carey
June 4, 2013 at 6:15 am
Following his graduation from high school, Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College. Robinson continue to hone his athletic abilities by becoming a member of the basketball, football, baseball and track teams. In addition to his athletic prowess, Robinson was active in the college community, serving as a member of the Lancer, a student-run organization that served as a watchdog for school activities. Robinson was also named to Pasadena Junior College’s Order of the Mast and Dagger for his service to the school community, citizenship and scholastic achievements.
Wilton R. Drake
May 16, 2013 at 1:27 am
During his first season in the majors, Robinson encountered racism from opposing teams and fans, as well as some of his own teammates. However, the abuse didn’t affect his performance on the baseball field. Robinson played in 151 games, hit .297, stole more bases than anyone else in the National League and was awarded the first-ever Rookie of the Year title. In 1949, Robinson, who had switched to playing second base, was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The next year he became the Dodgers’ highest paid player, earning a salary of $35,000. In 1955, Robinson helped the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees to win the World Series. He retired from baseball after playing his last game on October 10, 1956, with a career batting average of .311, 1,518 hits and 137 home runs.
Isabelle Q. Hinton
May 7, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Negro Leagues’ innovations included night games. By 1930, the Monarchs began traveling with a set of portable floodlights. Attendance nearly tripled because day laborers could come. White major league baseball introduced night games in 1935.
Terrie T. Hooper
May 2, 2013 at 4:39 pm
The City of Pasadena has recognized Robinson in several ways. Brookside Park , situated next to the Rose Bowl , features a baseball diamond and stadium named Jackie Robinson Field.