Jackie Robinson

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"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." Jackie Robinson was the type of person that always tried to benefit others before himself. He lived through this quote.Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He lived with his four brothers and his mother Mallie after his father Jerry left them when he was young. Toward his teenage years his mother moved their family out to Pasadena, California where he attended Technical High School. Jackie Robinson was good at every sport he tried, he excelled in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field. After graduating high school Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College then later transferred into UCLA where he became the first person to letter in four sports. After being kicked out of college due to financial problems, Jackie joined the US Army where he served. In 1945, after retiring from the army, Robinson joined the Negro Baseball League and played for the Kansas City Monarchs. Later that year he married his wife Rachel in Los Angeles, California. After being noticed by team managers, Jackie Robinson was the first black man offered a position to play Major League. Jackie Robinson played his first professional baseball game for the Montreal Royals where he was then recognized by Branch Rickey, the manager of the Dodgers. He was offered a position to play. Robinson was the first black man to ever play Major League Baseball. Jackie Robinson was a man who possessed determination, a firmness of purpose, and courage, the ability to do something that frightens others throughout his entire life. Jackie Robinson proved his heroic traits of determination and courage after being the first black man to play Major League Baseball and break the color barrier.

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Robinson was determined to prove to everyone who put him down that he was just as good, if not better, than them.He was always motivated to keep getting better and prove himself."Robinson sharpened his skills on the streets, then put them to use at John Muir Technical High, where he starred on the baseball, football, basketball, and track teams." ("Jackie Robinson." Notable) Robinson practiced to show others he was an excellent athlete. He felt he needed to because he was always being discriminated against due to his skin color. Before entering high school Robinson worked hard on making himself the best he could be. Once Robinson was accepted into the MLB, he was determined to work hard to prove that he belonged there. He became a very valuable member of the team."Robinson soon established himself as one of baseball's top hitters and base stealers. In 1949 he led the National League in batting with a .342 average and was named the league's Most Valuable Player." ("Jackie Robinson." Contemporary) Because Robinson was determined to work so hard, he became a great athlete. Robinson proved himself to everyone by being great at baseball. Robinson was a man who was determined to prove himself to the people that didn't believe he could make it, and he did that.

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Jackie Robinson was also a man who possessed an extreme amount of courage. He was always told that he would never play professional baseball because he was black, but he had the courage to play with an all white baseball team."By stepping into the white baseball world, the black Robinson changed the face of not only baseball, but the United States." ("Jackie Robinson." Notable) Jackie Robinson had the courage to play professional baseball knowing that he would be treated different than the other players. He changed the baseball world forever by being the first black man to ever play in the MLB. Robinson made a huge impact in the black community by being courageous. "He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, and throughout his decade-long career, Robinson distinguished himself as a talented player and a vocal civil rights activist. In 1955, he helped the Dodgers win the World Series.  ( "Jackie Robinson." Biography.com) Along with having the courage to play professional baseball, Robinson also made a huge impact as he was a civil rights activist. He publically talked about the struggle he went through to get where he was. Jackie Robinson's courageousness is what made him the successful man we all know today.

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Robinson was a monumental inspiration for all members of the black community. The large impact he made during the civil rights movement changed the opportunities for citizens of color throughout the United States. He is most remembered as the man who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Robinson's heroic actions inspired other black men to tryout for Major League Baseball, and because of that we now see many people from the black community playing sports professionally. Jackie Robinson inspires me and others by being the role model he was throughout his whole life. He stood up for his own beliefs as well as the beliefs of others. He had one goal in life, and that was to help benefit other people. He did this by having courage through the struggles thrown at him and being determined to prove himself to the people that put him down, these actions made a difference. This is what made him an inspiration to others. Robinson was able to create an extreme impact by having the mindset to work hard for what you want, and those are the type of people society should look up to. Unfortunately we lost this heroic life on October 24, 1972. It devastated his friends, family and teammates. Robinson had one goal in life, and that was to live by his famous quote, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." Jackie Robinson was an inspiration to the many lives he benefitted. It is because of his impact, he achieved his goal.

Works Cited

"Jackie Robinson." Notable Sports Figures, edited by Dana R. Barnes, Gale, 2004. Biography in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2440301436/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=3c960ddb. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.

"Jackie Robinson." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines, vol. 1, Gale, 1990. Biography in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1607000225/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=6a84fd22. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.