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  • Essay / Jackie Robinson – a man who broke baseball's color barrier

    Today we all talk about someone who contributed to change and broke barriers that people thought they could never break. In the 1940s, people of color were treated very unfairly and were considered inferior. At that time, there was an unspoken social code of racial segregation or discrimination in sports, education, and civil service. This is better known as the color barrier, this barrier was broken by a man known as "Jackie Robinson". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay When he stepped onto the grass at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson changed the landscape of baseball and the nation itself. It was a victory for civil rights, a huge cultural shift, and the beginning of a long journey. Jackie Robinson burst onto the scene in 1947, breaking baseball's color barrier and bringing a new style of play to the game. He quickly became the face of baseball and a symbol of hope for millions of Americans. With Robinson as a key player, the Dodgers won six championships during his 10 seasons, as well as the 1955 World Series title against the New York Yankees, their longtime rivals. His time in the major leagues is something that will be remembered forever, but his journey to get to this moment is what really stands out to me. Born January 31, 1919 in Georgia, Jackie Robinson moved to California because his mother thought her children would have a better life there, unlike the strictly segregated South. Upon their arrival, they faced discrimination because they had moved into a white neighborhood. But when Jackie became a teenager, he began to discover his interest in sports because his brother, a silver medalist at the 1939 Berlin Olympics, inspired him to try the sport. Robinson became a four-sport athlete in high school, participating in football, track and field, baseball and basketball. He would then continue his education at Pasadena Junior College before enrolling at UCLA, where he would become the first athlete in college history to compete in four sports during his freshman year. While at UCLA he met his future wife, Rachel, they would marry after his time in the military. During his military career, Robinson almost blew his chance to become the first African-American professional baseball player without even knowing it was an option. On July 6, 1944, Robinson was on a military bus taking him to the Camp Hood military base in Texas. While the state still respected Jim Crow bus segregation, the Army had recently adopted desegregated buses, a policy Robinson was familiar with. After refusing to move to the back of the bus, Robinson and the bus driver got into a heated exchange, which resulted in a call to the military police, commanded by Captain Gerald M. Bear. Bear was trying to have Robinson arrested due to his activity on the bus, which ultimately happened on July 24. His trial on August 23 ended quietly with his amnesty, but the incident would come back into the open when the Dodgers began considering signing him. Even though he had not committed any crime, he had reacted badly during the incident. According to reports from the scene, Robinson told the bus driver, "I'm not going to move at all" and told a white woman, "You better stop f*****g with me." .” If this temper were to flare up during a baseball game, it would ruin the chances of a harmonious integration into baseball.”.