Jackie Robinson example essay topic

"A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives". These were words said by Jackie Robinson, one of the greatest black men to ever play in the game of baseball (Dingle, 43). This man of great honor lived through many accomplishments in his life such as his high school and college years in UCLA, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and his interest in politics after he retired. Jackie Robinson, born on January 31, 1919, lived his life through much criticism and racism, but in the end, he got a sports scholarship to UCLA. While in high school, Jackie led his basketball team in rebounding and scoring.

He was the quarterback and running back in football. He went against - and beat - his older brothers records. But in baseball, Jackie was the best in power hitting and base stealing (Dingle, 12-13). At UCLA, he also led in baseball, basketball, football, and track, taking him to the UCLA Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.

He then spent the fall of 1941 playing football with the Honolulu Bears, a semi-pro team. He also worked at a construction site on the weekdays and was paid one hundred dollars to play games on the weekends. His professional year was cut short when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Jackie had always wanted to serve in the army, and now was his chance (Dingle, 15). Jackie was admitted into OCS months later, as second lieutenant, but later left because of a bus incident (Dingle, 19-21).

After quitting the army, Jackie was invited to the Negro league to play shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs. He led the Monarchs in hitting, doubles, and homers (Dingle, 23-25). This was the beginning of a marvelous year for Jackie. On August 1945, the president of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, signed Jackie to the minor leagues to play for the Montreal Expos. He played exceptionally well, and on April 10, 1947, Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers (Dingle, 30-33). In his first year playing for the Dodgers Jackie batted.

297 with twelve homers, and eighty-five runs batted in. He received Rookie of the Year, but not the respect he deserved (Scott, 50). Shortly after he joined the team, his teammate Eddie Stank y walked up to him and said, "I want you to know something, you " re on this ball club and as far as I'm concerned that's makes you one of the twenty-five players on my team. But before I play with you I want you to know I don't like it. I want you to know I don't like you". Jackie simply replied, "All right.

That's the way I'd rather have it. Right out in the open". (Dingle, 35). In 1948, he also batted. 297 with twelve homers, and eighty-five runs batted in as the Dodgers finished a disappointing third place (Scott, 53). Jackie exploded the following year with a.

342 batting average, stole thirty-seven bases and led the league in hits, runs, runs batted in, triples, and slugging percent as he won the Most Valuable Player award. He led his team the World Series but lost to the Yankees again (Scott, 58-59). Jackie continued to be a star throughout the 1953 season where he batted. 329 and scored one hundred and nine runs. They won the National League Pennant but lost the Yankees once again. Jackie all of a sudden lost his gas in 1955 and batted his career lowest of.

256. However, his team made it into the World Series and beat the Yankees. "It was one of the greatest thrills in my life to be finally on a World Series winner". (Scott, 75, 79).

At age thirty-seven Jackie was beginning to fade away with a. 275 batting average as they lost to the Yankees in the World Series. In January 1957 he retired from baseball. This meant an end to his career, but a start of some new challenges (Scott, 83).

Jackie first taste of politics happened in 1950 when he was working for Chock Full O'Nuts. He asked to be head of a fund-raising campaign for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Chock Full O'Nuts allowed him to travel and speak for NAACP as long as his efforts did not interfere with his work (Scott, 86-87). He was placed in a difficult situation during the 1960 presidential election, which was Richard M. Nixon against John F. Kennedy. They both wanted Jackie to work for their campaigns since they his support would win over black voters. Although Jackie supported Nixon, Kennedy still won in the end.

Besides politics, baseball was still in Jackie's mind. In 1962, he became eligible for introduction in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Scott, 93-94). On July 23, 1962 one hundred and twenty-four out of one hundred and sixty ballot casts where in his favor, and Jackie Robinson became the first black man to make it in Baseball Hall of Fame (Dingle, 43). On October 24, 1972, tragedy struck, and Jackie Robinson died after battling his last foe - diabetes. His accomplishments were honored on April 15, 1997, by President Clinton and Rachael Robinson (Jackie).

The number 42 was retired for perpetuity among all major league teams because Jackie "was and remains bigger than the game" (Dingle, 44). Without Jackie Robinson, there would have been no Hank Aaron, no Ken Griffey Jr., no Tiger Woods, nor even Michael Jordan. He set many records in college, a lot more in Major League Baseball, and he helped battle for black civil right. Whenever we see ballplayers of different races playing together, or kids of different colors choosing sides for a sandlot game, we owe it to the pathfinder of racial integration in sports, Jackie Robinson.