Meeting Jackie Robinson

How difficult was it to overcome poverty and grow up from nothing into a famous historical icon?

“The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.”

So I hear you are quite competitive, what’s your take on winning and losing?

“It kills me to lose. If I'm a troublemaker, and I don't think that my temper makes me one, then it's because I can't stand losing. That's the way I am about winning, all I ever wanted to do was finish first.”

You hold the record for best fielding percentage by a second baseman; do you have any theories on how this came to be?

“Pop flies, in a sense, are just a diversion for a second baseman. Grounders are his stock trade.”

Mr. Robinson, did you mind retiring right after your team missed the pennant race and the first time in ten years of your career?

“None at all. I feel very, very good. I am awfully happy in my new job. I am with a bunch of fine people, and I like it very much.”

Now that you are retired are you going to head out to a lot of the Dodgers games?

“I will occasionally go to them. Not too much.”

Teams like the Yankees can buy all the talent in the league, what is your take on them?

“I don't think that is the reason why the Yankees are so successful. I think that, very frankly, a lot of ball players when they are young are very, very anxious to join the Yankee chain. I think that tradition that they hear about so much has a lot to do with it, and they get in the organization. I believe that is what it is, personally.”

How do you see baseball?

“Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he’s losing; nobody wants you to quit when you’re ahead.”





Jackie Robinson is most widely known for his great baseball career.
Jackie was born in Cairo, Georgia and overcame poverty to become the first and one of the greatest African American baseball players ever! He was born in 1919. Jackie’s father left his family soon after his birth leaving his mother to tend to all 5 children. He attended Pasadena Community College after excelling at everything in high school. He transferred into UCLA to become an all-american in track, football, baseball and basketball. While doing all of this, Jackie maintained great grades as well. In 1942 he was drafted into the war soon after Pearl Harbor. After receiving an honorable discharge from the army Jackie was signed by the Kansas City Monarchs, a Negro baseball league team. Robinson played one year in the Negro league before playing minor league ball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black baseball player in all of Major League baseball.
Robinson’s ethical choice was putting up a fight to break the color barrier in the MLB. It not only shaped him, but all of baseball for years to come. He even shaped current baseball and paved the way for other black greats such as: Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson.