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Jackie Robinson became the first African-American of the 20th century to join Major League baseball in 1947. He endured mistreatment from fellow ball players, and baseball fans with quiet dignity and paved the way for the integration of America's favorite past time.
He played with the Brooklyn Dodgers earning the honor of Rookie of the Year in 1947, Most Valuable Player in 1949, and winning the World Series Championship with the Dodgers in 1955. He retired in 1956 with an impressive batting average of .311 and became active in civil rights, business, and politics serving as Vice President of Community Relations at Chock Full O' Nuts, Special Assistant to New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and marching on Washington with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963.
1947
APRIL 15th: Debuts as a Brooklyn Dodger, playing first base against the Boston Braves in Ebbet's Field and hitting 0 for 3.
OCTOBER: Awarded the first National League Rookie Of the Year Award. STATS: Games played: 151; Runs: 125; Stolen Bases: 29; Batting Average: .297
1948
STATS: Games Played: 147; Runs: 108; Stolen Bases: 22 ; Batting Average: .296
1949
Replaces Eddie Stanky as second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers
JULY 12th: Robinson plays second baseman in the All–Star game at Ebbets Field in Brookly, NY
OCTOBER: Honored as the National League’s Most Valuable Player –leading the League with 37 stolen bases and a batting average of .342.
STATS: Games played: 156; Runs: 122; Stolen Bases: 37; Batting Average: .342
1950
JULY 11th: Plays second baseman in the All–Star game at Comiskey Park in Chicago IL
He earns a salary of $35,000 — the highest in Dodgers history to that date
STATS: Games Played: 144; Runs: 99; Stolen Bases: 12; Batting Average: .328
1951
JULY 10th: Plays second baseman in the All-Star game at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, MI.
STATS: Games Played: 153; Runs: 106; Stolen Bases: 25; Batting Average: .338
1952
JULY 8th: Plays second baseman in the All-Star game at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, PA
OCTOBER: The Brooklyn Dodgers win the National Pennant
STATS: Games Played: 149; Runs: 104; Stolen Bases: 24; Batting Average: .308
1953
JULY 14th: Plays third baseman in the All-Star game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati OH
The Brooklyn Dodgers win the National Pennant
STATS: Games Played: 136; Runs: 109; Stolen Bases: 17; Batting Average: .329
1954
JULY 13th: Plays out-field in the All-Star game at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, OH
STATS: Games Played: 124; Runs: 62; Stolen Bases: 7; Batting Average: .311
1955
Brooklyn Dodgers win the National Pennant
OCTOBER 4th: Brooklyn Dodgers win their first World Series Championship, beating out the Yankees 4 games to 3
STATS: Games played: 105; Runs: 51; Stolen Bases: 12; Batting Average: .256
1956
The Brooklyn Dodgers win the National Pennant
DECEMBER 13th: Traded to rival team New York Giants for $30,000 and player Dick Littlefield
STATS: Games played: 117; Runs: 61; Stolen Bases: 12; Batting Average: .275
1957
JANUARY: Announces his retirement from baseball at the age of 37 years old
LIFETIME STATS: Games Played: 1,382; Runs: 947; Stolen Bases: 197; Batting Average: .311
1962
July 23rd: Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1972
JUNE 4th: The Dodgers retire Robinson’s uniform #42 in a ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
1997
APRIL 15th: Major League Baseball retires Robinson’s uniform number in perpetuity for all teams in honor of the 50th anniversary of his integration of organized baseball.
Jack Roosevelt Robinson is born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31st. His father leaves the family soon after and “Jackie” Robinson moves to Pasadena, California with his mother and 4 older siblings.
Graduates from Dakota, Junior High School then attends John Muir High School, where he plays on the baseball, basketball, football, tennis and track teams.
Wins the junior boys singles championship in the annual Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament.
Attends Pasadena Junior College where he plays on the football and baseball teams and takes part in the broad jump.
Elected to the All-Southland Baseball Junior College team and later honored as the region’s Most Valuable Player.
Attends UCLA, becoming the first student to earn a varsity letter in all four teams: baseball, basketball, football and track.
Drops out of UCLA for financial reasons and travels to Honolulu to play football for the integrated, semi-professional Honolulu Bears. He returns to the U.S. mainland on December 5th, before the Pearl Harbor attack.
Drafted into the U.S. Army and promoted from Private to Second Lieutenant the next year.
Court-martialed for refusing to sit in the back of a segregated military bus. He is later acquitted and honorably discharged from the Army.
Plays shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Baseball League.
Recruited to the minor league Montreal Royals as second baseman by Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Marries Rachel Annetta Isum, a nursing student he met at UCLA, in Los Angeles on February 10th. Debuts with the Montreal Royals on April 18th. Son, Jackie Jr., is born on November 18th.
Recruited to play for the Major League Brooklyn Dodgers, making his debut on April 15th. He is honored with the Rookie of the Year Award.
Inducted into UCLA’s Hall of Fame on June 10th.
Honored with the Most Valuable Player Award.
Daughter, Sharon Robinson, is born on January 13th. Stars as himself in his biopic film “The Jackie Robinson Story”
Son, David Robinson is born on May 14th. Opens a Men’s clothing store in Harlem, NY.
Traded to the NewYork Giants. Honored with the NAACP Spingarn Medal.
Announces his retirement from baseball before spring training begins. Accepts the position of Vice–President of community relations at Chock Full O’ Nuts, serving until 1964.
Serves as spokesperson and fundraiser for the NAACP.
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23rd.
Participates in the civil rights protest with Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable leaders for the four little girls killed in a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama.
Helps found and serve as board chairman for the Freedom National Bank, a minority–owned commercial bank based in Harlem.
Named as one of the National Directors of New York Governor, Nelson Rockefeller’s presidential campaign.
Appointed as Special Assistant to Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
Forms the Jackie Robinson Construction Company to build low and moderate–income housing.
Throws out the first pitch at the World Series to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his debut in the Major Leagues on October 14th.
Jackie Robinson dies from heart problems and complications from diabetes at the age of 53 on October 24th in Stamford, Connecticut.
Rachel Robinson establishes the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which honors the baseball legend and provides education and leadership opportunities for young people.
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