Jackie Robinson

By Tylana_beitel523

  • Birth

    Birth
    Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, United States.

  • young life

    young life
    The youngest of five children, Robinson was raised in relative poverty by a single mother. He attended John Muir High School in Pasadena, California, and Pasadena Junior College, where he was an excellent athlete and played four sports: football, basketball, track and baseball.
    Robinson's older brother, Matthew, inspired Robinson to pursue his talent and love of athletics.

  • Voted MVP in baseball

    Voted MVP in baseball
    Jackie was named the region's Most Valuable Player in baseball in 1938. This was his very first MVP award.

  • University

    University
    Robinson continued his education at UCLA where he became the university's first student to win varsity letters in four sports. Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Track and Field. In 1941, despite his athletic success, Robinson was forced to leave UCLA just shy of graduation due to financial hardship.

  • Football

    Football
    Jackie moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he played football for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears. His season with the Bears was cut short when the United States entered into World War II.

  • Getting married

    Getting married
    Robinson met nurse-in-training Rachel Isum when they were both attending UCLA. The couple was married on February 10, 1946. As Robinson made his career in the major leagues, the couple faced mounting racism, from insults to death threats.

  • Starting baseball

    Starting baseball
    Robinson played his first game at Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, making history as the first black athlete to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century. The harassment continued, however, most notably by the Philadelphia Phillies and their manager, Ben Chapman.

  • Retirement

    Retirement
    In December 1956, Robinson was traded to the New York Giants, but he never played a game for the team. He retired on January 5, 1957. After baseball, Robinson became active in business and continued his work as an activist for social change

  • The Hall of Fame

    The Hall of Fame
    On July 23, 1962, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

  • Death

    Death
    Robinson died from heart problems and diabetes complications on October 24, 1972, in Stamford, Connecticut. He was only 53 years old