Thursday, 5/1/97 Robinson’s major league success a triumph for
baseball history
By Tim Yun Daily Bruin Contributor On April 15, 1997 the
baseball game at Shea Stadium between the Los Angeles Dodgers and
the New York Mets was interrupted after the fifth inning, to
celebrate that fifty years prior to that day, Jack Roosevelt
Robinson became the first black player to play in major league
baseball. Many important figures were on hand to honor his legacy,
including baseball commissioner Bud Selig, Robinson’s widow, Rachel
Robinson and President Bill Clinton. "Jackie Robinson … proved
that America is a stronger, better, richer country when we all work
together and give everyone a chance," President Clinton said, as he
addressed a national audience. during the mid-game ceremonies. On
that April night in 1947, Robinson not only became the first black
player in the major leagues, but he also became an important part
of the foundation on which racial equality would be built. Contrary
to popular belief, Robinson did not begin his professional baseball
career with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. After a stellar
athletic career at UCLA, Robinson signed his first contract with
the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1945. He fared
well in the league, batting an unofficial .345, which earned him a
trip to the league’s all-star game. On August 28, 1945, Branch
Rickey, then-president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, made a bold move.
Going against many social norms in that era when segregation was
commonplace, Rickey signed Robinson to a contract to play for the
Dodgers. Almost immediately, Rickey faced fierce opposition. His
peers blamed him for corrupting society and ruining the game of
baseball. But Rickey remained steadfast in his convictions that he
was doing the right thing. In 1946 Robinson began his stint with
the Dodgers’ minor league affiliate, the Montreal Royals. He made
an immediate impact with the team, winning the batting title that
year with a .337 average. His on-the-field heroics helped lead the
team to the "Little" World Series. The next year he was called up
to the major leagues. Robinson made his Major League Baseball debut
with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in a night game against
the Boston Braves. It was an inauspicious start to a stellar
career: Robinson went 0-for-3, but scored the winning run.
Throughout that rookie season in 1947, Robinson had much more than
baseball to worry about. Everywhere he went he heard harsh racial
epithets uttered by fans and fellow players. He had to deal with
segregated accommodations in hotels and in locker rooms when the
team traveled. And Robinson received death threats from across the
country. But instead of allowing the constant problems to hold him
back from his athletic aspirations, Robinson drew strength from the
adversity. Instead of taking all of the distractions to heart, he
maintained his concentration and produced a stellar season that won
him Rookie of the Year honors. (The award would later be renamed
the Jackie Robinson Award in 1982.) He played in 151 games (out of
154), had 175 hits, 12 home runs, 29 steals, 48 runs batted in and
scored a league-high 125 times. The season culminated in a trip to
the World Series where the Dodgers faced the New York Yankees.
Robinson contributed to the cause by batting .259, stealing three
bases and scoring twice. It was an incredible season for a man who
had to endure such pressure on and off of the field. His success in
the league continued on for nine more years, but perhaps his finest
season came two years after his debut. In 1949, Robinson moved over
to second base, where he staked his place in baseball lore. His
.342 batting average and league-leading 39 stolen bases merited him
Most Valuable Player honors. In his ten-year career, Robinson was
named to six all-star teams and helped the Dodgers win six National
League titles. In 1955 his heroics in the World Series against the
Yankees provided the Dodgers with their only win over the Yankees
in the fall classic. He wound up with a .311 career average, over
1,500 hits and 197 stolen bases. In 1962 Robinson took his place
among the baseball immortals who reside at Cooperstown, New York,
in the Hall of Fame. It was a befitting end to a great career.
Robinson, who overcame many extenuating circumstances, was in a
league of his own. Fifty years after Robinson ran onto the field
for the first time in a Dodgers uniform, Major League Baseball took
unprecedented action and retired Robinson’s jersey number 42 from
baseball forever. By doing so, baseball would indicate that there
is no individual, past or present, who could mean more to the game
of baseball than Robinson. "Throughout its long history, Major
League Baseball has operated under the premise that no single
person is bigger than the game – no single person other than Jackie
Robinson," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. Related Daily
Bruin Stories: Thursday, 4/10/97: Alumni made new baseball stadium,
name possible Tuesday, 4/15/97: Thanks to Robinson, a new fan is
born Tuesday, 4/15/97: Score one for humanity Thursday, 4/17/97:
Glimpse of future in legend’s beginnings Thursday, 4/24/97: A Bruin
for all seasons Related Links: The Jackie Robinson Society Negro
Leagues Online Archives Major League