Jackie Robinson Influence on Modern Sports

Jackie Robinson Influence on Modern Sports

Jack Roosevelt Robinson, popularly known as Jackie, was born in Cairo, Georgia, in January 1919 to a family of sharecroppers. He was raised single-handedly by his mother, Mallie Robinson, together with his four other siblings. They lived in an all-white neighborhood in an era when prejudice and segregation were at its peak. This, however, strengthened their bond. From this humble beginning grew the first African American baseball player to play in a Major League even with a color barrier that segregated for sports for over five decades. He did so by playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the year 1947. His timing at the Dodgers came a year before the then president, Harry Truman, broke the barrier of desegregation in the army and seven years before the Supreme Court’s decision on desegregation in education, especially public schools. He was instrumental in not only changing the course of sports but also a civic freedom fighter (Schwartz).

Jackie grew up in a large family household that was raised by a single parent. He, therefore, excelled in all sports at the tender age and learned to make his way of life. He attended the University of California, Los Angles, where he became the first athlete to win the varsity letters in four sports, including football, volleyball, and baseball, as well as track which made him named the all-American football team in 1941. Unfortunately, he was forced to drop out of college due to financial constraints and joined Amy. For two years, he had risen to the second lieutenant. Also, his army career was cut short after he was honorably discharged after he was court-martialed. This was because he refused to be a victim of racial discrimination after he was ordered to sit in the back of the bus traveling through Texas (Robinson and Kerry).

Before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Robinson played with Kansas City Monarchs for one year, a season with the Negros League baseball team as well as a year in a minor league with Montreal Royals (Robinson and Kerry). Playing in a major league made him a target of bigotry. He became the prey of racial epithets and flying cleats. He was threatened, spit at, endured every sort of discrimination with pitchers throwing at him, catchers despised him, but he survived all.  For most Americans, it was difficult for them to understand the importance of his participation in major leagues. But Jackie broke the ongoing barrier even before the military was desegregated before the civil rights took roots in the South and even when the educational system was ready to accept African American students into their respective faculties. He not only endured but became great and better.

Being the first black man to participate in a Major League, Jackie was an epitome of social change. He broke down the barriers of racial segregation in the profession of sports, especially baseball, that had relegated the black Negros League for over six decades as Schwartz noted. He also paved the way for other players to advance in the field of baseball, such as Larry Doby, who joined him shortly after he was assigned into the Brooklyn Dodgers the same year. He also went the same ordeal that Robinson endured, but because he was an introvert, he did not receive much attention as Robinson in screens and media. However, he was as equally good as Robinson.

The 1947 season shed light on the sports industry, with Robinson being the flag bearer. Other black players emerged in playing significant leagues, including his teammate Dan Bankhead, who became the first black pitcher among the Dodgers. The process was, however, slow, as evident in Larry Doby’s signing to the Detroit Tigers and becoming’s first black player. Even though Robinson’s impact in changing the face of baseball was not immediate in all markets, he was the rock in which the idea was instilled in the hearts and minds of many. He touched those who continued to compel sports and the country whose progression required unity and harmony among all racial people. His impact was felt like the country’s progression towards the eradication of discrimination in sports and social institutions. It extended beyond natural progression when other athletes and sports specialists took the initiative to venture into the sports world without fear. The first black empire was built with Emmett Ashford. Moreover, black general managers emerged, such as Bill Lucas (Castrovince).

Castrovince also noted that the same year that Robinson made the debut with the Dodgers, there was a potential young man who was starting the third basement for the east. He was a leadoff hitter with the New York Cuban aided in defeating Buckeyes in the Negro League World Series (Castrovince). Being an American immigrant, this player came to America, being sure that his skin will expose him to predators of discrimination. Still, he held up hope that he will make it in his career as a baseball player. He hoped that people would not judge him by his skin tone instead of his play. When color segregation was broken in the major league, his dream resurfaced. Minnie Minoso believed that if Robinson made it, he too would.

Before Minoso or Robinson, Latino baseball players blurred the baseball color line. The dark-skinned Latinos were not allowed to play in major leagues thus were forced to seek refuge in Negros Leagues. Before 1947, the light-skinned Latinos had a higher chance playing in major leagues-it believed that over fifty such players managed to play in major leagues before Robinson era. This distinction was stale to the sports industry for ages. In 1948, Minoso managed to be the first black Latino to play in a major league. He displayed a high degree of talent and skills, making himself a name in baseball. He managed to gain respect among teammates and opponents, just as Robinson did. His remarkable performance led to Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda to heap upon him the highest praise and admiration among the black Cuban Latinos as well as people of color.

Not only was Robinson a great baseball player, but also a four-sport athlete back in college. Baseball was his worst sport as compared to other sports that he excelled in. In the year 1940, he led his football team of the University of California in passing yardage, running yardage and scoring. When championship was needed, Robinson was the front runner in ensuring excellence. Further, he was also a track star. He was crowned champion in the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in the long jump. There was a higher probability that he could have completed the 1940 and 1944 summer Olympics had the games not been canceled due to World War II.

Robinson was an advocate of social change through sports. He was instrumental in ending racial segregation in sports and a front runner and activists in the emergence of civil rights movements. He played an indirect but consequential role in the civil rights movements. Martin Luther Junior recognized him as a legend and a symbol of his own time. He challenged the dark skies of extreme prejudices and segregation (Robinson and Kerry).

During 1940, America experienced pressure favoring racial integration. The Roosevelt foundation pushed for non-discriminatory in war-related industries during World War II. This was part of the response to the tension that was building in the United States during this period. It’s in that period that A. Philip Randolph made arrangements to have a massive match on Washington in protest against racial segregation, especially in defensive forces. The government responded by creating a far employment practice committee. Randolph became the forerunner and advocate of civic movement, becoming the head of brotherhood of sleeping car potters, which was an all-black union. He also became influential in the American Federation of Labor. Different leaders came together to push for equal wages for people of color, especially the black people who were working in the North, thus seek for equal payments rather than exclusion among black workers (Kerry).

Efforts made from different civic activists such as Randolph led to then sitting President Harry Truman orders the integration of all parts of the United States defense forces. During his tenure with the Dodgers, Robinson garnered most sustained public attention in any public event that advocated against racial segregation in employment. The Roosevelt order was instrumental as well as Randolph campaigned not only to labor movements but also civil rights in general. President Truman’s integration in the military was significant both locally and internationally, changing the global perspective (Kerry).

The desegregation in the military paved the way for more reforms in the United States government. The judicially also made a significant yet instrumental move towards eradication of racism in the country. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of people with color when it allowed the inclusion of people of color in public schools. More people were allowed to gain knowledge and education that gave them skills for better employment.

According to Kerry, most of the studies have pointed out the relationship between the Second World War and the racial-focused civil rights movements in America. Its believed that the Second World War was a race war. To justify this claim, the end of the war brought about two outcomes one being the Nazi was seen as the evil of racism, and America begun to forget the degree of the events, especially in the pacific was racial. The massive migration after the war to the North met the northerners unaware and had first-hand contact with people of color both in the workplace and the neighborhood. They, therefore, retaliated, and segregation intensified. Even in urban centers, black workers encountered a labor system with many racial segments. Blacks were given manual labor, while office works were purely white.

In conclusion, Robinson’s life was a legacy and will be remembered as one of the most important historical figures in American history. He broke down sports barriers and shed light on many aspiring athletes of the time. He managed to thrive in a dark sky of discrimination and prejudices. He stood defiantly against the forces of racial inequalities and acknowledged the profound of one’s life on any culture. He dedicated his life to help bring down the system that was not working and managed to shake it. He involved himself indirectly in the emergence of civil rights movements using his influence to bring justice to the people of color. He will forever remember for his brevity and achievements in sports and other social institutions.