Jackie Robinson

I made it (I made it)

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919. When he was very young his father left the family. Jackie, with his mother Millie and five other siblings moved to Pasadena, California. Jackie spent most of his childhood in Pasadena where he and his family struggled. Often his Mom did not have enough money to buy food so they would go hungry. Often in his childhood, Jackie and his friends would set up baseball diamonds and play ball. Jackie was always the star. Later he attended John Muir Technical High School. He went on to enroll in the University of Los Angeles in California. There he became the first athlete to win four varsity letters in baseball, basketball, football and track and field. Jackie married Rachael Isum on February 10, 1946. Jackie and his wife went on to have 3 children, Jackie Jr., Sharon and David.

Jackie had played with lots of minor league baseball teams throughout the years. Jackie was drafted by that the US army who was recruiting men. He dropped out of university and served in the army. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant.

Jackie Robinson with Bat (I drew it.)

After the army he met Branch Rickey who wanted him to play baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers but first he had to prove that he could play well enough on the Montreal Royals, a minor league team. There was one condition, he couldn't fight back from the people who didn't want him to play on a white man's baseball team. Jackie played one year with the Royals and proved himself to Rickey. In 1947 Jackie was allowed to play with the Brooklyn Dodgers. At the end of his rookie season with the Dodgers he had made 12 home runs and was voted Rookie of the Year. Although other players were mean and even threw balls at his head and fans wrote hate mail to him, he continued on playing a game he loved. Jackie spent six years with the Dodgers and retired from baseball in 1957. By the end of his career, he had to run from his adoring fans rather than the ones who hated him. Jackie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his outstanding performance in Baseball in 1962.

Jackie Robinson's life was remarkable because he could have been a regular kid that played baseball in the black leagues. Instead he chose to forget about his skin colour and speak out for civil rights and work hard to fight his way into the Major Leagues. After a long successful career in baseball, Jackie passed away on October 24, 1972 due to complications of diabetes. He was 53 years old. Some helpful traits of Jackie's were that he was courageous and believed in himself. Lessons that I have learned from his life are to set goals, never give up hope, and to persevere.

Congressional Medal of Honor (I made it )

Some words that describe a hero are dedicated, extraordinary, patient and determined. Jackie fits under all of them. He was dedicated to baseball, an extraordinary player, patient with his career and determined to win the respect of the crowd and for all to have equal rights.

Jackie followed his strong belief in civil rights and equal rights for everyone regardless of the colour for the skin or their gender.

I think Jackie's mentor may have been Martin Luther King. Jackie was a close follower in Martin's civil rights movement and strongly believed in what he stood for.

I chose Jackie Robinson as my hero because he had the courage to fulfill his dreams. He had hope when all was lost, and even though his skin was a different colour he did not let that get in this way. If something didn't work out the way he planned, he would keep going strong.

A hero is not someone who is well known or someone who wears a cape. A hero is someone who has done a noble deed, someone who has saved a life or someone who thinks of others before themselves. Jackie is not just a sports hero, he is a freedom hero. He was a forerunner in the Civil Rights movement, a supporter of Martin Luther King. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.