20 Astonishing Facts about Jackie Robinson

20 Astonishing Facts about Jackie Robinson

*Originally published by Beatrice in April 2022 and Updated by Ronny in January 2024

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was the first Black baseball player to play in the American Major Leagues in the 20th Century. He broke the color line when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers on 15th April 1947.

Jackie was born on 31st January 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of five children born to Jerry Robinson and Mallie (McGriff) Robinson.

After his birth, his father left the family and his mother moved the family to Pasadena California in 1920 where she raised her five children as a single mum.

1. Jackie’s brother was an Olympic silver medalist

Jackie’s brother, Mathew “Mack” Robinson, finished 2nd in the 200-meter sprint in the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin. Jackie came from an athletic family and had discovered his talents while still at Washington Junior High school.

Mack inspired Jackie to pursue his interests in sports at John Muir High School after graduating junior high.

2. Jackie played several sports

At Muir High, jacked played several sports. He played shortstop and catcher on the baseball team. He was the quarterback on the football team and guard on the basketball team. That was not all, he was a member of the tennis team and also part of the track and field squad.

3. Jackie Attended U.C.L.A

After High School, Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College where he continued his athletic career. After graduating from P.J.C in 1939 he enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Here, he became the school’s first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track. Jackie did not finish his studies at UCLA.  He left college before graduation.

4. Jackie Served in the Military

Photo of Jackie Robinson in his military uniform, during a visit to his Pasadena family home –Wikimedia Commons

Jack served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1944. His rank was Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit in Fort Riley, Kansas. Later he was commissioned and reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas where he joined the 761st ‘Black Panthers’ Tank Battalion.

He never got to be deployed overseas to World War II for combat action, at the time he had been court-martialed for insubordination when he refused to move to the back of the bus.

5. Jackie Married his College Sweetheart

On 10th February 1946, Jackie Robinson married Rachel Isum in a ceremony presided over by their old friend Reverend Karl Downs. She had graduated the previous year with a bachelor’s degree from UCLA where they had met.

Together they had 3 children: Jackie Robinson Jr. in 1946, Sharon Robinson in 1950, and David Robinson in 1952.

6. He won the Rookie of the Year Award

Jackie Robinson as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers in his uniform Photo By
United States Information Agency – Wikimedia Commons

During his 10 years Major League Baseball career, Jackie Robinson received many awards. He made his debut in Major League Baseball wearing a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform number 42 in April of 1947. In the same year, he won the Rookie of the Year Award.

Jackie playing in the major league brought an end to racial segregation in professional baseball. Robinson’s talent and his character challenged the traditional basis of segregation that had then marked many other aspects of American life.

7. He was National League’s MVP

In 1949, he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award. He was the first black player to receive that award. Black fans began flocking stadiums to see the Dodgers whenever they played in nearby towns.

However racial abuse from some white players and fans didn’t stop. He had promised not to fight back the bullying and taunting but to instead turn the other cheek. His outstanding performance led to his acceptance within the team and ultimately as an athlete.

8. He was a Large Figure in the Civil Rights Movement

Jackie Robinson, Mary Dee, Dolly Banks, and Martin Luther King Jr., 1962 – Wikimedia Commons

Racial segregation was not only legal in sports but also hotels, toilets, buses, theaters, and other public places. When Jackie joined the major league, this was a huge step toward ending segregation. It demonstrated that the fight for equality was more than simply a political matter.

His accomplishments allowed black and white Americans to be more respectful and open to one another and appreciate everyone’s abilities.

“Jackie Robinson is a legend and a symbol in his own time. He challenged the dark skies of intolerance and frustrations.” –  Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Leader

9. He was Legendary

Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit honoring players Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente.
– Wikimedia Commons

Jackie Robinson was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 to 1954. In 1950, he agreed to star in a film about Jackie Robinson where he played himself.

He was the first black person to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 and was also the first black television analyst in Major League Baseball.

After his retirement, he became the first black vice president of Chock full o’Nuts, a major American corporation.

10. He Co-Founded a Bank

Freedom National Bank was founded in 1964. Jackie Robinson was among its first investors. The banking institution was owned and run by black people and its purpose was to financially help the African-American communities. The bank closed in 1990.

11. Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field

On April 15, 1947, he played his first game in the Major League Baseball at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field. He became baseball’s first African American major league player.

12. There is a Jackie Robinson Day

Robinson’s grave at the family’s gravesite in Cypress Hills Cemetery – photo By Anthony22 –Wikimedia

Jackie Robinson suffered from heart disease and diabetes which made him weak and almost blind by middle age. He died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 53 at his home in North Stamford, Connecticut. He was buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. His wife started Jackie Robinson Foundation in his honor.

Jackie Robinson Day is celebrated annually on the 15th of April. All Major League Baseball players wear number 42- which was retired in 1972- on their Jerseys in his honor. The achievements of this iconic man propelled him to Hero Status during his lifetime and beyond.

13. He gave a testimony before the Committee on Un-American Activities of the US House of Representatives

The Committee on Un-American Activities of the US House of Representatives called Robinson to testify in 1949. (HUAC).

A subpoena was issued to him as a result of remarks made about him by well-known African American actor Paul Robeson. Robinson was initially hesitant to testify, but he ultimately felt pressured to do so because he was concerned that doing otherwise would harm his baseball career.

14. He gave up playing baseball to work for Chock Full O’ Nuts

In 1956, Robinson left both the Brooklyn Dodgers and Major League Baseball at the age of 37. Robinson agreed to give up baseball and accepted a job with the American coffee firm Chock Full O’ Nuts, both of which were unknown to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

15. In 1960, he changed his political party of choice

ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite being politically independent, Robinson held strongly conservative opinions regarding the Vietnam War. Robinson backed Richard Nixon over John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential race, even though Robinson later came to respect Kennedy’s position on racial rights.

Later, after being disappointed with Republicans for opposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he switched party affiliation to become a Democrat.

16. Number 42, Robinson’s jersey, is retired across all MLB teams

Ghetto9678, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jackie Robinson’s enduring legacy in Major League Baseball (MLB) is symbolized by the retirement of the iconic Number 42 jersey across all MLB teams. Robinson’s impact transcends the game, as he bravely broke the color barrier on April 15, 1947, becoming the first African American to play in the MLB.

In tribute to his contributions to the sport and his pivotal role in advancing racial equality, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig announced the universal retirement of Number 42 on April 15, 1997.

This unprecedented gesture ensures that Robinson’s number will forever be a poignant reminder of courage, resilience, and the ongoing fight against racial injustice, inspiring players and fans alike to uphold the values he championed.

17. Robinson was the first black television sports analyst

Jackie Robinson made history not only on the baseball field but also in the realm of sports broadcasting, becoming the first black television sports analyst. Following his retirement as a player, Robinson broke new ground by joining ABC’s “Major League Baseball Game of the Week” as an analyst in 1965.

His insightful commentary and articulate analysis showcased not only his deep understanding of the game but also paved the way for increased diversity in sports media.

Robinson’s presence as a television sports analyst marked a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for racial equality, demonstrating that his impact extended beyond the diamond into various facets of American society, including the evolving landscape of sports journalism.

18. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1984

Jackie Robinson’s remarkable contributions to civil rights and athletics were honored posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984. Awarded by President Ronald Reagan, this prestigious recognition underscored Robinson’s indelible mark on American society.

As the first African American to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Robinson’s courage and tenacity transcended the confines of the sports world. His posthumous receipt of the Medal of Freedom highlighted not only his athletic prowess but also his enduring impact on the broader struggle for racial equality.

The award served as a testament to Robinson’s role as a trailblazer and inspiration, emphasizing his lasting legacy as a symbol of resilience, justice, and the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society.

19. First African American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Catsup31, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jackie Robinson made history as the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This momentous achievement occurred in 1962, just five years after he retired from his illustrious playing career.

Robinson’s induction was a testament to his extraordinary impact on the sport and his role in breaking the color barrier. Beyond his impressive statistics, Robinson’s legacy was rooted in his courage, resilience, and the transformative influence he had on Major League Baseball.

Inducted alongside fellow legend Bob Feller, Robinson’s enshrinement marked a pivotal milestone in the history of the Hall of Fame, symbolizing the breaking down of racial barriers in a sport that had long been segregated. His induction remains a poignant acknowledgment of Robinson’s enduring legacy and the profound impact he had on the game of baseball.

20. Robinson’s legacy lives on through the Jackie Robinson Foundation

Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons