Jackie Robinson Integrates MLB
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, GA. Robinson broke the "color barrier" when he signed with Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African-American to play in the MLB. He played his first professional game on April 15, 1957. During this time, not many white people were fond of the idea of a Negro in the MLB. As a result, he received hundreds of hate letters and death threats. The owners of the Brooklyn Dodgers knew this would happen, and that is why they chose Jackie. He had the self-control to not fight back and to not let it affect him as he played.
His self-control and his talent led to more minorities being signed by professional baseball teams. Today, there are just as many minorities playing professional baseball as white players. Jackie's legacy touches more than just baseball. Blacks now were gaining equality and help lead to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. His career proved to everybody that blacks and whites were equal and blacks could do anything whites could. Jackie Robinson retired in after the 1956 season. He was inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame on January 24, 1962. He died 10 years later on October 24, 1972 of a heart attack at his home in Stamford, CT.
His self-control and his talent led to more minorities being signed by professional baseball teams. Today, there are just as many minorities playing professional baseball as white players. Jackie's legacy touches more than just baseball. Blacks now were gaining equality and help lead to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. His career proved to everybody that blacks and whites were equal and blacks could do anything whites could. Jackie Robinson retired in after the 1956 season. He was inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame on January 24, 1962. He died 10 years later on October 24, 1972 of a heart attack at his home in Stamford, CT.