Thursday, July 25, 2013

42 Reasons Jackie Robinson is A Legend

http://uvmemory.blogspot.com/2012/12/thank-you-jackie.html
1-He was the first black Major League Baseball Player in the modern era (1880 - ).
2-Before playing professional ball, Jackie was Athletic Director at Sam Huston College.
3-Robinson served in the US Military.
4-He married Rachel Isum and had 3 kids.
5-April 15 is Jackie Robinson day in MLB & many players commemorate this day by wearing #42 jerseys.
6-Jackie was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
7-He was the 1947 MLB Rookie of the Year.
8-Won MLB Most Valuable Player Award in 1949.
9-In 1955, Robinson helped deliver a World Series Title for his Brooklyn Dodgers.
10-Jackie was a 6-Time All-Star in MLB.
11-Finished his career with a .311 Lifetime Batting Average.
12-In High School Jackie lettered in Football, Basketball, Track and of course Baseball.
13-In College @ UCLA Robinson repeated that same feat, becoming the first in school history to letter in 4 Sports.
14-At UCLA Jackie won an NCAA Championship for Long Jumping 24 ft, 10 and a quarter inches!!!
15-After College Robinson played Semi Pro Football in Honolulu & Los Angeles.
16-When Jackie was drafted into the U.S. military in 1942, he decided to become an Officer.
17-Robinson endured racial bigotry & discrimination throughout his military and baseball careers.
18-He coached the Basketball Team at Sam Huston College when he was only 25 years old.
19-The Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues recruited Jackie to play Baseball.
20-Jackie played one season with the Monarchs making the Negro League All-Star Team.
21-Branch Rickey wanted Jackie Robinson to be the man to break the MLB color barrier.
22-In 1946 Jackie won the baseball International League's MVP Award.
23-Robinson hit .342 in 1949.
24-Jackie Robinson was the highest paid Brooklyn Dodger in 1950.
25-Robinson played most of his baseball career at 2nd Base, but his versatility allowed him to play over 333 games at other positions.
26-After his baseball career, Robinson became the first black person to broadcast on ABC's Major League Baseball's Game of the Week.
27-His Lifetime On-Base Percentage is .409.
28-Martin Luther King Jr. called Jackie, "A Legend and A Symbol in his own time."
29-Robinson sold the rights of his retirement story to the hugely popular Look Magazine, two years before the end of his career.
30-A Shrewd Businessman, Robinson attained an Executive position with Chock Full O'Nuts after retiring from baseball.
31-Jackie continued to speak out against segregation and racial discrimination during & after his baseball career.
32-Jackie was encouraged by other MLB players including Hank Greenberg, Larry Doby and Brooklyn teammate PeeWee Reese.
33-Jackie Robinson was not the best ballplayer in the Negro Leagues, but his character was the reason Rickey chose him.
34-During WWII, Jackie became friends with Heavy Weight Boxing Champion Joe Louis.
35-In 1941, Jackie accepted a government position for the National Youth Administration as Assistant Athletic Director at the age of 22!!!
36-Very few people realize, in College, Baseball was Robinson's worst sport.
37-Robinson could have played in the NFL, but he chose Baseball.
38-Jackie Robinson is a First-Ballot Hall of Famer.
39-Robinson played in 6 World Series' in 10 seasons with the Dodgers.
40-He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom & Congressional Gold Medal.
41-Jackie starred in several films about his life.
42-The latest film about Jackie Robinson "42" will be a Best Picture Nominee.

The History of Jackie Robinson is written, but his Legend continues to grow. The more we learn, the more we recognize & appreciate Jackie's heart, mind and soul. Once again, Thank You Mr. Robinson

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