Jackie Robinson Impact On Society

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Jackie Robinson

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other people’s lives.” Jackie Robinson spoke these words shortly after his promotion to the Brooklyn Dodgers.( MLB) Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo Georgia. He was the youngest of five children, all raised by a single mother. Jackie Robinson was a talented multi sport athlete who used his abilities to help our country and help integrate professional sports.
After high school Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College where he played four varsity sports - football, basketball, track, and baseball. He was named the region's most valuable player in 1938, for baseball. He continued his education at the University of California, Los Angeles.(Bio) There, he became the first student to win varsity letters in four sports. While at UCLA, Jackie became an inspiration for many other student athletes. They looked up to him for his accomplishments and also his dedication to the sports he loved. Due to financial hardships, he was forced to leave UCLA before he could graduate. Robinson then moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he played semi professional football for the Honolulu Bears. His first season was interrupted though,
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He also hit 12 homeruns his first season and led the National League in stolen bases. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947. In 1949, he was named the National League's Most Valuable Player. In 1955, Robinson helped the Dodgers win the World Series against the New York Yankees. By that time, he was the highest-paid athlete in Dodgers history. Jackie was traded to the New York Giants, in 1956. He retired shortly after though, on January 5, 1957. His career batting average was .311. He was the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1962. The Dodgers shortly after, retired his uniform number of 42.