Robinson, Jackie

Robinson, (Jack Roosevelt) Jackie

(1919–72) baseball player; born in Cairo, Ga. A four-sport star at the University of California: Los Angeles (UCLA), he became the first African-American baseball player in the modern era major leagues when he was brought up as an infielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. His indomitable personality and competitive nature served him admirably during the first difficult years with the Dodgers, where he was a frequent target of beanballs and the racial epithets of opposing players and fans alike. An excellent fielder, clutch hitter, and base runner, he led the Dodgers to six National League championships and their first ever World Series victory in 1955. During his ten-year career (1947–56), he won the National League batting title with an average of .342 in 1949 and was named the league's Most Valuable Player. After retiring from baseball he was an active spokesperson for civil rights, and in 1962 he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.

Robinson, Jackie

(1919–1972) professional American baseball player; first Negro to play in the major leagues. [Am. Sports: NCE, 2335]

See: Firsts

Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.