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What I Learned Section 1 -- Answer the
Following Questions: Jackie and his brothers were very talented athletes. Jackie played every sport in high school, and he played many sports at Pasadena Junior College. One time Jackie competed in the broad jump in the middle of a baseball game. Jackie's brother, Mack, was a sprinter in the 1936 Olympic Summer Games in Berlin, and he won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash. Did you know Mack came in second to Jesse Owens? 2. True or False: Jackie
Robinson was the first person to letter in four sports at UCLA. Because Jackie wanted to earn money to support his family, he left UCLA in 1941, without graduating. He worked at a youth camp, and he was a professional football player for the minor league Honolulu Bears. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States entered World War II. In 1942, Jackie was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, and Fort Hood, Texas. While serving in the army, Jackie was exposed to racial prejudice and injustice. Qualified African-Americans were not admitted to the Officer's Candidate School at Fort Riley. One time, Jackie was arrested for not moving to the back of the bus. Although state and local laws could constitutionally require African-Americans to sit in the back of the bus, the army was not allowed to have separate seating on buses. Jackie was court martialed for disobedience and found not guilty. In 1944, Jackie was honorably discharged from the army. 3. What year did the
Negro National League begin playing baseball? Jackie Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945. The Monarchs were one of the best teams in the Negro Leagues. Robinson was voted to the Negro National League All-Star team. 4. What did Jackie Robinson
do on April 10, 1947? In August, 1945, Jackie Robinson met with Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey had believed Major League Baseball should be an integrated sport and wanted to sign Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers. On October 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first African-American to be signed to a Major League Baseball team. Rickey knew Jackie had the talent, courage, and intelligence to break the color line in baseball. In the 1946 season, Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers' minor-league team, the Montreal Royals. In his first game, he hit three singles and a home run, and he stole two bases. Jackie led his team to the International League Pennant, and he won the league batting title. On opening day, April 10, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto the baseball diamond wearing the Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, and he became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. He helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series. He ended his first season with a .297 batting average, led the Dodgers with 12 home runs, and led the league with twenty-nine stolen bases. He was also the National League Rookie of the Year. In 1949, Jackie Robinson won the National League batting title and the National League's Most Valuable Player Award. In 1950, Robinson earned $35,000 and was the highest paid Brooklyn Dodger at the time. In the 1955 World Series, Jackie Robinson stole home in the first game. Although the Dodgers lost the game, they won the World Series. It was the Dodgers' first World Series Championship, and they beat the New York Yankees. In 1957, the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, and Robinson was traded to the Giants. Robinson decided to retire from baseball. Did you know Jackie Robinson played with the Dodgers for ten years and helped the team win six National League pennants? In 1962, Jackie Robinson entered the Hall of Fame. This is the greatest honor in baseball. He was the first African-American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1972, Jackie threw out the first pitch at the World Series. This was his last public appearance. In 1972, Jackie Robinson died at the age of fifty-three. 5. What was Jackie Robinson's
connection with Chock Full o' Nuts, the NAACP, and New York's
Freedom National Bank? As Vice President of Community Relations for Chock Full o' Nuts, a coffee company, Robinson was involved in the company's operations. He was not just a figurehead. The Civil Rights Marches occurred during the 1950's and 1960's. Robinson spoke out for Civil Rights and helped raise funds for the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). He participated in protests and spoke to young people. New York's Freedom National Bank was an African-American owned bank. Robinson helped create its reputation as treating minorities equally and fairly. It became one of the largest African-American owned banks in the United States. What I Learned Section 2 -- Define the
following words: Commissioner: Head of an organization; the commissioner of baseball oversees all baseball players and team owners Executive: An important business person; a baseball executive (a team president or general manager) is a non-player who helps make decisions for a team Kansas City Monarchs: Legendary team for the Negro National League NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; organization working to secure and protect the rights of African-Americans Negro Leagues: Baseball leagues operating from the 1920's to the 1950's in which African-Americans and Latinos played professional baseball Varsity Letter: Honor given to athletes who compete in sports in high school and college Bonus Questions (Answer 1 of the
Following Questions for Your FREE
Bookmark):
b. Describe how African-Americans
were treated in baseball in the United States. By the 1930's, many talented baseball players played for the Negro Leagues. Although they were as skilled as the players in Major League Baseball, they were not treated equally. The Negro League players were paid less and had to play two or three games a day to earn more money. The Negro League players also traveled and played under worse conditions then Major League players. Their buses were small and hot. They were banned from certain restaurants and hotels. They ate leftovers and scraps. They slept in homes of African-Americans or slept on the bus. In 1946, in Jackie Robinson's first year with the Montreal Royals, the fans yelled racial slurs at him on and off the field. Pitchers intentionally threw at him while he was at bat. In Indianapolis, Jackie was not allowed to play because a local law prohibited interracial competition. Although Jackie Robinson had been successful in the minor leagues, there were still many obstacles for him to face on his way to the major leagues. Between the 1946 and 1947 season, the Major League Baseball team owners voted 15-1 against allowing Jackie Robinson to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers (only Branch Rickey voted yes.) However, Baseball Commissioner A.B. (Happy) Chandler overruled the vote, and Robinson was called up to the majors. At spring training in 1947, Jackie Robinson's own teammates circulated a petition against Robinson. However, Branch Rickey told the Dodger players that Robinson was staying. If they did not like it, Rickey would get rid of them. St. Louis Cardinal players attempted to organize a league-wide strike against the integration of baseball. However, National League President Ford Frick threatened to ban for life any player participating in the strike. Frick stated, "This is the United States, and one citizen has a much right to play an another." In the major leagues, spectators yelled racial slurs at Jackie, pitchers threw at him, and he received death threats. Following Jackie Robinson's first season in Major League Baseball, the door was open for others African-Americans and Latino baseball players. In 1948, Larry Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians, and he became the first African-American player in the American League. Also in 1948, Roy Campanella was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1949, Minnie Minoso signed with the Cleveland Indians, becoming one of the first Latino players in the major leagues. In the early 1950's, great players like Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, and Hank Aaron all wore Major League Baseball uniforms. By the 1970's, African-American and Latino players made up over half of the rosters. However, few minorities held positions of manager, coach, and executives. In 1973, Frank Robinson became the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball. c. How were other sports
affected by Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color line in baseball? In 1951, Chuck Cooper played for the Boston Celtics and was the first African-American player in the National Basketball Association. In 1958, Althea Gibson was the first United States top-ranked African-American tennis player. In 1963, Arthur Ashe was the first African-American tennis player to represent the United States at the Davis Cup. Ashe was one of the best tennis players. d. Describe any of the
events of the Civil Right Movement occurring in the 1950's and
1960's.
e. Use five of the words
in Section 2 in a sentence.
f. Have a parent or friend give you a spelling test with EACH of the words in Section 2. More Valuable Information about Jackie
Robinson:
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African-American History In Depth: African-American History Main Page African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies in Depth African-Americans in the Old West in Depth Jackie Robinson in Depth | Civil Rights Marches in Depth Reading Program: Main Page | List of Subjects American Symbols | Native Americans | American Biographies | African-American History | Women in History | U.S. History | The American West | U.S. Government | Explorers | American Trails | U.S. Holidays | Patriots | National Parks
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Jackie
Robinson was the first African-American Major League Baseball
player in 1947. 
