Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson made a big impression on the world. He was not only an excellent baseball player, but the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues. Jackie not only excelled in baseball, but in football, basketball, and track and field. Robinson, after he retired, was active in the Civil Rights Movement and often went to events that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. held. Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cario, Georgia, He was born to the parents of Jerry Robinson and Mallie Robinsion. He had four brothers and sisters, Edgar, Frank, Mack and Willa Mae. Out of all of the kids Jackie was the youngest. When Jackie was just six months old his father left him, his mother, and his four brothers and sisters. Jackie Robinson's grandparents were slaves and his mother cleaned houses for other families. Jackie's brother Mack Robinson was World Class Sprinter in 1963 in the 200 meter dash in the Olympics an got second place.

Jackie Robinson was married in 1946 to Rachel Isum. Jackie met Rachel at Padadena College. He had a son named Jackie Jr. in 1946. Jackie Jr. and his father had a hard time getting along because of the fact that Jackie Jr. was always being compared to his father. Jackie Jr. had a drug problem which he later got help for, but unfortunately he died on June 17, 1971 when his car skidded out of control and hit an embankment.

As a child Jackie grew up in Pasadena, California were he went to school and was in a gang. In the gang he would often pull pranks on his neighbors at Pepper Street. He ended up working for a shopkeeper that helped him get back on track.

He ended up volunteering as a teacher at his local church for Sunday School.( Gilbert, 1995)

Jackie went to John Muit Technical High School where he excelled in earning letter awards in football, basketball, baseball, track and field, and tennis. He went to college at Pasadena Junior College were he lead the basketball, football, and baseball teams to championship games. At a track meet on May 28, on Jackie's third jump of the long jump, he jumped 25 feet and 6.5 inches. He ended up winning the meet and set a new record for Pasadena College. After going to Pasadena College for two years he was offered a scholarship to go play his sports for UCLA, which he decided to go to because it was close to his home town. He was the first person to be a four letter athlete in the school. Jackie Robinson broke records in football, baseball, track and field, and basketball. He was named All-American halfback and traveled to Chicago and Hawaii to play in an All-star game. He was also named "The Black Jim Thorpe" by sports writers. Jackie never finished college. Instead he decided to join the Army. He hoped to go overseas to fight in World Was II, but he joined ...