Jackie Robinson was the first skilled African American to play major baseball leagues. It is believed that he broke the baseball color line when he commenced playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the best, and he can play many games, and he was the best in all of them. Interesting facts you should know about Jackie Robinson.
1. He had skills in other sports.
Besides Baseball, Jackie Robinson did have skills in other sports, and he was amazing. He is believed to be the first athlete in UCLA history. He could play football, baseball, and basketball.
2. He was the best friend to Joe Louis.
Joe Louis was the famous boxer who met Jackie Robinson while he was training in the Army. Louis and Jackie used to play golf when they are free. They are famous, that’s what made them a good team.
3. He received Death threats once.
Jackie received death threats to the extent that the FBI started to investigate the person who is doing all that. In Ohio, before the game starts, the police station received a letter indicating Jackie Robinson will be shot with a scoped rifle as soon as he enters the field. The FBI looked into the matter, but nothing happened. He played his game well and went back home safely.
4. Hollywood gave him a chance to show his life to the world.
He was given a chance to Starr his movie as he explains his life story. In 1950 he was one of the big screens’ first black men when he started his movie “The Jackie Robinson Story.” The budget for the film was low, but it performed well at the box office, and Jackie received positive reviews.
5. Jackie Robinson surprises people when they campaigned for Richard Nixon.
In 1960, during the presidential election, Jackie campaigned for Richard Nixon. He committed to civil rights, and he became an active and influencing voice in politics. People were thunderbolt when they toured the world, giving stump speeches about the vice president. He said Richard Nixon had great ideas on civil rights compared to John F. Kennedy.
6. He fought racism even after he left Baseball.
After retiring from sports, he got a job in a coffee shop, and he became the black vice president of a big corporation in America. In 1965 Jackie joined ABC-TV sports and became the first nation’s first black baseball announcer.
7. He was a team player as he sacrificed a lot for the team.
He was skilled that made him steal home base 19 times in his career. To do this, he was a team player where he laid down the bunts and sacrificed some hits so that his team could advance or score.
8. His teammates in Brooklyn Dodgers signed a petition against Jackie getting into the team.
He faced racial abuse when he was entering minor baseball teams. Some teams canceled the exhibition to ensure he doesn’t get the chance to play in their teams. In New York, a friend threw a black cat in the field and told Jackie, here is your cousin.
9. He didn’t play Baseball at his crucial youth. (21 and 26).
Like many skilled athletes in the world, his youth’s crucial time to shine was occupied by World War II. At this time, he was playing football and doing his military services. When he was 21 to 26 years, he was involved in no organized baseball, of which he shone and became a superstar. He was able to join Negro leagues before joining the major league with Brooklyn Dodgers.
10. His brother won a silver medal in Olympics.
At the time of his youth, Jackie Robinson’s older brother Mack Robinson performed as a sprinter at Pasadena Junior College. Mack managed to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team where he came out 2nd Jesse Owens in the 1936 200-meter race in Berlin, Germany, despite battling a heart condition. Jackie, later following in his older brother’s footsteps, managed to break Mack’s record in Long Jump and aimed at creating his glory in the Olympics. However, the 1940 games were affected by World War II.
11. He refused to sit at the back of the bus, thus disobeying a direct order.
Robinson was arrested for refusing to take a seat at the back of the bus due to the color of his skin in 1944. He was, however, acquitted almost immediately because of his reputation.
12. He testified before the Un-American Activities Committee.
He was called upon to give a testimony on Communist infiltration of minority groups due to comments tarnishing his name. He was forced to testify to save his career in Baseball.
13. He was the Co-founder of the Freedom National Bank.
Robinson and other African Americans are founders of Freedom National Bank in Harlem, a quest to create a banking institution that was owned and run by his fellow black people.
14. He was the youngest of five children.
Robinson came from a humble home and background where his grandparents were slaves. He was very young when his dad abandoned them. His mother worked tirelessly to support the family, and they moved to California, where Robinson developed his talent in sports.
15. Jackie Robinson served as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. military.
His success in joining the Us Army was aided by his best friend Joe Louis, who advocated for justice against the mistreatment of African-Americans by the Army.
16. He was the first black Television Analyst.
Robinson was hired in 1965 as the first black television analyst for the Baseball games. This enabled him to make follow-ups on baseball progress and racial integration in sports.
17. He married Rachel Islam in 1946.
In 1941, baseball legend Jackie Robinson met and married Rachel Islam five years later. She was a nursing student at the time of their meeting and had three children together.
18. He created the Jackie Robinson Construction Company.
In 1970, he was the founder member of Jackie Robinson Construction Company. The main reason for the company was to help the less fortunate build their homes and business.
19. He had a Heart Attack in 1972.
Robinson later developed diabetes and heart disease. This led to his demise in 1972. The eulogy was given by Jesse Jackson before a large number of mourners who attended his funeral.
20. His wife founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
After the demise of Jackie Robinson, his wife came up with the Jackie Robinson Foundation in his memory to continue with his legacy.
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