Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, in 1919. His family were sharecroppers. Jackie had four other siblings: Edgar Frank, Matthew (nicknamed "Mack"), and Willa Mae. His father left him to live with his mom, Millie, in 1920. Out of his family he was the youngest one. In 1920 the Robinsons moved to Pasadena, California. Jackie Robinson joined a gang there but his friend Carl Anderson told him to leave it.

In 1935 Jackie enrolled to John Muir High School. Jackie's older brothers Mack, and Frank inspired Jackie to play sports. Jackie played several sports including football, basketball, track and baseball. Jackie also played tennis. Jackie played shortstop and catcher in baseball, quarterback in football and guard in basketball.

In 1936, Jackie won the jr. boys singles championship in the Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament and earned a place on the Pomona annual baseball all-star team. Some of his teammates were Ted Williams and Bob lemon. In 1937 Pasadena Star-News newspaper reported that Robinson "for two years has been the outstanding athlete at Muir, starring in football, baseball, tennis, and basketball."

After John Muir High School, Jackie went to Pasadena Junior College. Jackie was a quarterback for the PJC football team, he was also a shortstop and leadoff hitter for his baseball team. Jackie broke the school record for the highest broad jump that was held by Jackie's brother, Mack. But when playing football at PJC Jackie had fractured his ankle, which delayed his deployment into the army. In 1938 Jackie was elected to the All-Southland Junior College Team for baseball and had been selected as a MVP. Jackie's brother Frank died in a motorcycle accident toward the end of Jackie's PJC tenure.

Jackie graduated PJC in 1939 and went to UCLA. Jackie still played football, baseball, track and basketball, Jackie was the school's first athlete to get four varsity letters. At Jackie's last year of college he met his future wife, Rachel Isum. In 1941 Jackie left college just before he graduated. He got a job as the assistant athletic director for the National Youth Administration (NYA)in Atascadero, California.

In 1942 Jackie was drafted into the Army cavalry in Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1943 Jackie had the rank of Second Lieutenant, and shortly after Rachel and Jackie were engaged. An event in 1944 derailed Jackie's military career. Jackie's ankle had been hurting him so he took a test about it. While Jackie waited for the test results he went on an "unsegregated" bus, but the bus driver told Jackie to get to the back of the bus and Jackie said no. Jackie got in some trouble and got transferred to 758th battalion. He received an honorable discharge.