How Did Jackie Robinson Affect Society

Jackie Robinson overcame his struggles that he experienced in his life and still became one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

October 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson shook hands with Branch Rickey, officially changing baseball and society, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson grew up in a poor household in Pasadena, California. He attended UCLA, making himself a four sport star athlete . Major league baseball had been segregated at the time, with the only black men playing in separate Negro Leagues. Branch Rickey, the owner of the Dodgers, wanted to break the color barrier. To do that, he had to find someone that could withstand racial discrimination and learn to not fight back when dealt with harsh criticism. Jackie Robinson took an amazing risk when he became the first African-American athlete to play in the major leagues. Robinson has been a huge inspiration to athletes, paving the way for blacks, not just in the game of baseball, as well as being an outspoken activist for the rights of American-Americans.

Jackie succeeded in putting the prejudice and racial strife aside, and showed everyone what a talented and dedicated player he was. Robinson led the National League in stolen bases and was selected as Rookie of the Year, he led in stolen bases that year and earned the National League's Most Valuable Player Award. Jackie Robinson became a hero of Baseball, he set league records and became the highest paid in Dodgers history. His success and achievements opened the door for many other African American black baseball players, and inspires children and kids today to play Baseball despite other people’s opinions and thoughts on it. Jackie also became very vocal and voiced his opinion on discrimination, he called out the Yankees for still not having their color barrier broken years after he played with the Dodgers. After baseball he still wanted to not only change the history of baseball forever, but wanted social change as well. Baseball before Jackie Robinson had a color line which didn’t included black men in major leagues but they could play in minor

Jackie Robinson is known to be one of the most influential people in baseball and in society. He eternally changed the aspect of American history. It was unusual to have a colored person be treated equally as a white person during the time of the 1900s. He was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 and later moved to Pasadena, California to pursue a better life. He came from a poor family of sharecroppers in the South and was the youngest of five. Robinson’s older brother Matthew Robinson was the person who inspired Jackie to pursue his talents and love for sports. Matthew won a silver medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games just behind Jesse Owens. Jackie did it all, he excelled in all types of sports it came natural to him. He attended Pasadena Junior College then later continued his education at UCLA where he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: basketball, football, track, and baseball.

Jackie Robinson, born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia became known as the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the Modern Era and also the first African-American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

As Jackie Robinson once said “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. There is no doubt that Jackie Robinson has been one of most impactful baseball players to ever play the sport. For reasons such as pushing himself to reach his goals, facing many hardships, and being the first African American to play in the MLB, he has shown perseverance and been a role model to everyone.

The Major League was Jackie’s goal and he wasn’t going to stop until he reached his goal. In 1947, Jackie Robinson changed the world at the age of 28. He became the first African American player to ever join the Major Leagues.(History.com) This changed the world for blacks and whites and gave hope for every boy in girl in segregation. Some even say “Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years.”(History.com) His action encouraged others to change the world just like Jackie and make the world a better place.

Jackie Robinson not only made impacts on the field that were monumental, but he made impacts off the field that were equally as important. Jackie helped presidents get elected, get kids off the streets and into the most prestigious schools there is, and most importantly he broke the black color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson is one of the most influential people to ever live, he did things that people would dream about, he stood up for what he believed.

Robinson's life was devoted in ending segregation by playing the sport he loved most of all. By overcoming all the challenges on the baseball field from his teammates to the fans in the crowd booing him. He became the face of baseball and the person who changed the game for ever. After baseball he wasn't done there he became a great civil rights leader and helped many African Americans overcome challenges. When the bank was not treating the Africans fairly he stepped in by founding the free national bank which helped a ton of people out and made the bank fair for everyone. Another important thing he did was he spoke to many groups as a spokesman and many people listened, because of how famous he was and what he had done to the country. He also became the chairman for the freedom fund and later raised over a million dollars for the black community. Jackie Robinson devoted his life to the civil rights movement by breaking the color barrier, transforming the face of sports, his work as an activist to stop segregation, and make the country the best it could

Jackie Robinson was a game changer for all sports. He broke barriers in baseball allowing African Americans to play baseball. Jackie was hated at first but he didn't say anything and let his playing do the talking.Jackie didn't only change baseball he helped his community and the Civil Rights movement. Jackie is the most honored baseball player today he has his own day called Jackie Robinson Day in April and every player wears his number.

He was a big part in the fight for equal rights. Jackie Robinson took so much abuse on the field because of his race that it gave him mental breakdowns. These breakdowns sometimes took days to recover from but he went through all of that so other people would have better opportunities. But this didn’t just go on for one season, Robinson had to deal with that racism for about two years before he was really accepted as a “respected” baseball player. (Kuhn,web) and (Wilson,web). While fighting for equal rights Robinson also kept his spirits up.

Sports Magazine featured Robinson as the most significant athlete of that quarter century (Schutz 157). Many things can be learned from the awe-inspiring man that Jackie Robinson was. There is the obvious lesson to never give up and to follow your dreams, no matter what obstacles are placed in front of you . The deeper lesson, however, is to fight hard for what you believe in and never accept intolerance of any kind, be it race or religion. At first, Jackie was just another black man who was subject to racism; but, he fought that with every ounce of energy he had. Throughout the course of his life and baseball career, he overcame many obstacles, unthinkable to others, and went on to not only gain the respect of blacks and whites; he went on to become one of the greatest and most admired baseball players of all time. In an interview after a game, Branch Rickey was quoted saying “He’s the indispensable man that can carry a team by himself.” Jackie will be remembered for generations to come as a role model to

An icon is a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something. This man was not only an Icon in baseball, but a civil rights leader, a father of three, and a role model for all young adults. Jackie Robinson was a small town boy who had big-time dreams. He was from a small city in Georgia and always had outstanding athletic abilities. Not only was Jackie a baseball player, but he also played a major role in breaking the color barrier. Jackie Robinson has lived a successful life due to his determination to break color barriers, his determination to prove people wrong, and his outstanding athletic abilities.

Jackie was the first African American MLB baseball player that inspired many people to join the MLB as well. Jack Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. Ever since he was little he was involved in many sports but his favorite one was baseball. “I have memories. I remember standing alone at first base-the only black man on the field. I had to fight hard against my loneliness, abuse, and the knowledge that any mistake I made would be magnified because I was the only black man out there.” (Robison 287). This quote tells the readers that Robinson knows that everything he does matters because he’s the only black man on the fields, and how important it is for him to succeed. Jackie was not just known for baseball but also supporting civil rights duties.

Being born to sharecropper parents living in Georgia, Jackie Robinson faced racism and hatred early on. He overcame these adversities and became one of baseball 's most historic players for not only his lightning speed on the field, but his courage to break major league baseball 's color barrier. Jackie Robinson was the most influential sports athlete because he changed American society forever.