The Legacy Of Jackie Robinson Essay - 761 Words

The legacy of Jackie Robinson goes beyond the April 15, 1947 afternoon at Ebbets Field, when the Brooklyn Dodger infielder became the first black in the 20th century to play baseball in the major leagues. He changed the sport, and he changed the attitude of a lot of people in this country, Jackie Robinson fought for all the people that were fortunate, a lot of them are, especially the minority guys, to be able to play in the major leagues and the impact on the people of color today. Robinson was an undeniably great player who had some of his best years stolen from him. He was a speedster who led his team to six World Series, won Rookie of the Year honors, an MVP award and was a six-time All-Star. But it’s not because of his marvelous†¦show more content†¦Jim Crow rules called for white officers to lead black men in their segregated outfits. But the necessities of war were beginning to change things. Jackie was accepted to an integrated Officer Candidate School and assigned to Camp Hood, in Texas. It was there that he became entangled in an incident that nearly ended his military career and the future that he didn’t know awaited him. One evening, while boarding a camp bus into town, he dutifully began moving to the back, as blacks were required to do. On his way down the aisle, he saw the wife of a friend sitting mid-way back, and sat down with her. After about five blocks, the driver, a white man, turned in his seat and ordered Jackie to move to the back of the bus. Robinson refused. The driver threatened to make trouble for him when the bus reached the station, but Jackie wouldn’t budge. In 1942, Robinson was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to a segregated unit in Fort Riley, Kansas, where under existing policy he could not enter Officers Candidate School. After protests by heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, then stationed at Fort Riley, and other influential persons including Truman Gibson, an African American advisor, the secretary of war, black men were accepted for officer training. Upon completion of the course of study, Robinson was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1943. A racially charged incident at Fort Hood, Texas, threatened to discredit RobinsonsShow MoreRelatedJackie Robinson: Braking The Color Barrier in The Major League 1170 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Hey Jackie, you should play baseball.† Jackie Robinson had no intention to play baseball. Jackie Robinson had to deal with many racial comments and put downs, but Jackie never gave up and ended up as a Major League hero. Jackie played many sports in high school and he was good at all of them. He lettered in every sport he played in high school. After high school, he didn’t have any intention to play sports anymore. Jackie actually enlisted in the army. He served two years and he ranked second lieutenantRead MoreThe Racism Of Jackie Robinson1008 Words   |  5 PagesDanny Bogue Mr. Wallace History Day 12 September 2014 Jackie Robinson He walks into the stadium...hopeful...yet aware of the prejudice exiting in the minds of the ignorant... in the minds of those who do not realize his journey will empower the victims of unjustified hate and he will change history. Jackie Robinson shattered the color barrier in the MLB despite racism that permeated throughout the league and in society in the 1940 s. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major leagueRead MoreJackie Robinson And The Robinson1407 Words   |  6 PagesColour is not one of them.† These were famous words said by a close teammate and friend of Jackie Robinson to a crowd of discriminating bystanders at a Dodgers Baseball match. The Man they said it to was Jackie Robinson, The first player to openly break the colour barrier of baseball, On April 15, 1947. 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Those reasons being that he fought for what heRead MoreJackie Robinson : The Game Of Baseball Essay1039 Wor ds   |  5 Pagesname is legendary Jackie Robinson. Jackie grew up in unfortunate circumstances that many families dealt with at the time with his dad being a sharecropper. Born in Cairo, Georgia, Jackie was the youngest of five and moved to California with his mother after their husband/father left them. Despite their struggles, Jackie’s main focus was on sports and really pushed him through high school and colleges (Kenny, 34). Although I have also found to make that claim that Jackie Robinson was a good exampleRead MoreAmerica, The Land Of Opportunity2357 Words   |  10 Pagesbut a select few stand out in history as the most influential. One such individual is Jackie Robinson. Robinson redefined racial stereotypes by becoming the first African American baseball player to play Major League Baseball (The Baseball Hall of Fame). Through his courage, determination, and perseverance, his legacy still continues to this date. One could argue numerous reasons that constitute Jackie Robinson as an American hero, but four stand out among the rest. Those reasons being that he foughtRead MoreThe Color Legacy in Major Leage Baseball1125 Words   |  5 PagesBefore 1947, Major League Baseball had never had a black player, although there were Negro Leagues. Jackie Robinson broke that. It takes courage and dedication to chase after something you love. Jackie had that for the game of baseball. The Civil Rights Movement was occurring during the time Jackie enter the Major Leagues, so the times were tough for him. Jackie did more than just play baseball; he introduced a whole new way to play the game, with blacks and whites. He did this by breaking the colorRead MoreJackie Robinson : The Colored Comet1362 Words   |  6 PagesNick Platek Mrs. Chudy/ Mr. Poitras Learning Fair 6 April 2016 Jackie Robinson: The Colored Comet â€Å"I am not concerned for your liking or disliking, all I care about is you respecting me as a human being,† Jackie Robinson once said (Jackie Robinson Quotes). Through his courage and bravery he was able to change the game of baseball by showing that everybody is equal no matter what color skin you are. He was inspired by his brother to stand up for his race and fight for equality. He was one of the