Legacy in Baseball
Robinson's baseball legacy is defined by both his athletic ability and his contributions towards the integration of black players into Major League Baseball (MLB) and is still celebrated today.
Robinson was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. "When he earned election to the Hall of Fame in 1962, Jackie Robinson totaled a career worthy of inclusion, based on performance alone,” Clark said. “He told baseball writers that when considering his candidacy, they should only consider his playing ability – what his impact was on the playing field. At his induction in 1962, his plaque reflected his wishes – it only recounted his magnificent playing career." (baseballhall.org)
In 2008, the Hall of Fame re-wrote Robinson's plaque, adding "Displayed tremendous courage and poise in 1947 when he integrated the modern major leagues in the face of intense adversity" (baseballhall.org), to reflect his central role and importance to the history of baseball.
Jackie Robinson’s debut on April 15, 1947, as the first African-American Major League Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, is recognized and celebrated today in the MLB as “Jackie Robinson Day”. His first season in 1947 ended years of segregation in professional baseball. In memory of Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball retired his number, 42, in 1997. Robinson is the only MLB player to have his number retired by every team in the league.
Once the color barrier for players in MLB was broken, Robinson wanted to also see black managers coaching MLB teams. In 1975, Robinson's dream was realized and Frank Robinson became the first African-American to manage an MLB team. "Without him doing it the way he did it, and the respect he collected over those years, it would have been very difficult for others to follow." - Frank Robinson. Since Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, there have been numerous black players and managers. Robinson allowed people to dream about their future. "I told my father when I grew up I was going to be a pilot. You know what he said? He said, 'Ain't no colored pilots.' So I told him I'd be a ballplayer. And he said, 'Ain't no colored ballplayers.' There were a lot of things blacks couldn't be back then. There weren't any colored pilots. There weren't any colored ballplayers in the major leagues. So it was hard to have those dreams. Then Jackie Robinson came with the Brooklyn Dodgers to Mobile for an exhibition game in 1948... My father took me to see Jackie play in that exhibition game. After that day, he never told me ever again that I couldn't be a ballplayer. I was allowed to dream after that." - Hank Aaron.
Robinson was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. "When he earned election to the Hall of Fame in 1962, Jackie Robinson totaled a career worthy of inclusion, based on performance alone,” Clark said. “He told baseball writers that when considering his candidacy, they should only consider his playing ability – what his impact was on the playing field. At his induction in 1962, his plaque reflected his wishes – it only recounted his magnificent playing career." (baseballhall.org)
In 2008, the Hall of Fame re-wrote Robinson's plaque, adding "Displayed tremendous courage and poise in 1947 when he integrated the modern major leagues in the face of intense adversity" (baseballhall.org), to reflect his central role and importance to the history of baseball.
Jackie Robinson’s debut on April 15, 1947, as the first African-American Major League Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, is recognized and celebrated today in the MLB as “Jackie Robinson Day”. His first season in 1947 ended years of segregation in professional baseball. In memory of Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball retired his number, 42, in 1997. Robinson is the only MLB player to have his number retired by every team in the league.
Once the color barrier for players in MLB was broken, Robinson wanted to also see black managers coaching MLB teams. In 1975, Robinson's dream was realized and Frank Robinson became the first African-American to manage an MLB team. "Without him doing it the way he did it, and the respect he collected over those years, it would have been very difficult for others to follow." - Frank Robinson. Since Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, there have been numerous black players and managers. Robinson allowed people to dream about their future. "I told my father when I grew up I was going to be a pilot. You know what he said? He said, 'Ain't no colored pilots.' So I told him I'd be a ballplayer. And he said, 'Ain't no colored ballplayers.' There were a lot of things blacks couldn't be back then. There weren't any colored pilots. There weren't any colored ballplayers in the major leagues. So it was hard to have those dreams. Then Jackie Robinson came with the Brooklyn Dodgers to Mobile for an exhibition game in 1948... My father took me to see Jackie play in that exhibition game. After that day, he never told me ever again that I couldn't be a ballplayer. I was allowed to dream after that." - Hank Aaron.
Video Courtesy of MLB.com