Jackie Robinson was the most well known athlete of his time, that helped break down the racial barriers for baseball. He was a star athlete on the baseball field. During his rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he had become National League Rookie of the Year, with 12 homers, a league-leading 29 steals, and a .297 batting average. In 1949, he was selected as the NL's Most Valuable player of the Year and also won the batting title with a .342 average that same year. As a result of his great success, Jackie was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 (JackieRobinson.com). Even though Jackie had a big impact on the baseball diamond, he has had a bigger impact on society.
Jackie Robinson was not the first African American baseball player to be integrated into the major leagues. Before Jackie there were two African Americans that played during the 1884 season. The Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association, had two African American players. Catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother, Welday, an outfielder. Welday only played in five games and Moses shared the catching position with a white player and played 42 games, batting a .263 batting average. After that year both players did not play in the major leagues (ESPN.com). The MLB had a chance to integrate during its early beginnings, but they never did. This is because racial tensions were still very heated after the Civil war.
Since African Americans couldn't play in the major leagues they had to play in a separate baseball league. That league was known as the Negro Baseball League. In 1945, Jackie played one season in the Negro Baseball League, traveling all over the Midwest with the Kansas City Monarchs. But in 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey asked Jackie about joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. There were many other great African American baseball players in the Negro Leagues, but Branch Rickey wanted a baseball player who could also handle the racial pressure out on the field. Rickey believed that Jackie could handle the racial tensions and keep a level head and be the bigger man when he steps to the plate (Biography.com). It was important for Branch Rickey to do this because at the time Major League Baseball was America's pastime. If Jackie could fight for desegregation on the field, while playing great, then that will inspire other teams to cause the same change. Creating a snowball effect throughout the MLB.
Jackie Robinson knew that going into Major League Baseball that there will be a lot of racism and hatred towards him. When he first joined the team, a couple of his teammates started a petition to get rid of him. The petition failed and Jackie stayed on the team. When he played in games, pitchers threw fastballs right at his head. Jackie did not flinch and kept strong. He had to behave in order for him to make change in baseball. Jackie represented all of the African American community. When Jackie was faced with racial hatred and bigoted remarks he did not fight the other white players, he kept calm, cool and collected. He responded by playing great and leading his team to victories.
Not only did he represented all of the African American community he also gave hope to all the young African American boys who wanted to play baseball. He paved the way for integration in Major League Baseball and also sparked the courage in other African American athletes to try and integrate the sport they loved. Jackie Robinson in his later years helped with the NAACP campaigns and was a friend of Martin Luther King. Jackie Robinson traveled across the country in the effort to unite African American communities together to fight racial prejudice (USA Today). Jackie Robinson changed the society that we live in by fighting for Civil Rights on and off the field. Without Jackie Robinson we may have never seen a dramatic change in Major League Baseball, allowing African Americans to play.
Since African Americans couldn't play in the major leagues they had to play in a separate baseball league. That league was known as the Negro Baseball League. In 1945, Jackie played one season in the Negro Baseball League, traveling all over the Midwest with the Kansas City Monarchs. But in 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey asked Jackie about joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. There were many other great African American baseball players in the Negro Leagues, but Branch Rickey wanted a baseball player who could also handle the racial pressure out on the field. Rickey believed that Jackie could handle the racial tensions and keep a level head and be the bigger man when he steps to the plate (Biography.com). It was important for Branch Rickey to do this because at the time Major League Baseball was America's pastime. If Jackie could fight for desegregation on the field, while playing great, then that will inspire other teams to cause the same change. Creating a snowball effect throughout the MLB.
Jackie Robinson knew that going into Major League Baseball that there will be a lot of racism and hatred towards him. When he first joined the team, a couple of his teammates started a petition to get rid of him. The petition failed and Jackie stayed on the team. When he played in games, pitchers threw fastballs right at his head. Jackie did not flinch and kept strong. He had to behave in order for him to make change in baseball. Jackie represented all of the African American community. When Jackie was faced with racial hatred and bigoted remarks he did not fight the other white players, he kept calm, cool and collected. He responded by playing great and leading his team to victories.
Not only did he represented all of the African American community he also gave hope to all the young African American boys who wanted to play baseball. He paved the way for integration in Major League Baseball and also sparked the courage in other African American athletes to try and integrate the sport they loved. Jackie Robinson in his later years helped with the NAACP campaigns and was a friend of Martin Luther King. Jackie Robinson traveled across the country in the effort to unite African American communities together to fight racial prejudice (USA Today). Jackie Robinson changed the society that we live in by fighting for Civil Rights on and off the field. Without Jackie Robinson we may have never seen a dramatic change in Major League Baseball, allowing African Americans to play.