Jackie Robinson

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Jackie Robinson was a husband, father, athlete, and an all around great person. He married Rachel Issum and had three children: Jackie Jr., Sharon and David. Jackie was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919. Being the only black family on his block, there was much racial discrimination so the Robinson family packed up and moved to Los Angeles, California. While he was there, Jackie attended UCLA and played football, basketball, track, and of course, baseball.

In 1945 he met a man named Branch Rickey who was the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie joined the Dodgers but had a few conditions. He could not argue over a play and couldn’t reply to a fan if he said a racial slur. The most important was that if a fan hit him in the cheek, he could not strike back, and Jackie replied, “I’ve got two cheeks”. Although he agreed to many of the conditions, he was still a very proud man. He was so proud that one time he was almost court-martialed because he refused to sit in the back of the military bus. The news of Jackie being added to the roster spread through the nation quickly. He was twenty-seven when he made it to the major leagues which many thought was old to debut.

Jackie became friends with Pee Wee Reese and Hank Greenberg, the first Jewish man in the majors. Jackie became the player of the year in 1947 and rookie of the year in 1945. He had a career average of .317. He was a well-rounded player. He could hit, run, catch, and throw. I know him best for the way he would steal so many bases and also steal home. Jackie died at the young age of 53 but the memory of his greatness will live on forever.

Jackie Robinson Stealing home (http://img.nystore.com)

Jackie is a hero to me because he was the one who took a chance and became the first African American in the major leagues in the modern era. If Jackie hadn’t accepted the conditions, the great players today like José Reyes, David Ortiz, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey, Ken Griffey Jr. and many others would not have even had a chance to be great. Jackie was a good person because he created a foundation that gave out many scholarships to colleges around the country to kids who can't afford to pay for it.

This is why Jackie Robinson would be a great hero for many people who want to beat the odds. Like him, many good players came from nothing and worked their way up to greatness. Jackie Robinson once said, "The way I figured it, I was even with baseball and baseball with me. The game had done much for me, and I had done much for it."