Jackie Robinson,born on January 31,1919,in Cairo,Georgia.Robinson lived in a very poor family,he was the youngest child amount his sibling and was raised by single mother. He played many roles in his life, baseball player, civil rights activist, a businessman, an executive of a coffee company.
His career was inspired by his elder brother, Matthew Robinson, who to pursue his love for athletics. He had won a silver medal in 200 meters at 1936 Olympic Game in Berlin. At the start of World War II, he went to serve in the United States Army. He was honorable discharge because of segregation at his training camp in Texas. After he left the army, he went to play in the professionally Negro Leagues. While he played, he was chosen by Branch Rickey, to help integrate major league baseball. His career took off, and he joined the Dodgers. Despite the racial abuse from the fans, his teammate, opposing team, he stood his ground with the support of his team captain, and other professional such as the Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler, and League President Ford Frick. He succeeded in putting the prejudice and racial strife aside and showed he was a talent player.
After his success in leading the Dodger into the World Series, he retired soon after in January 5, 1957, with an impressive batting average of .311. Later he became a business man, and work as executive for Chock Full O' Nuts coffee company, and chain restaurants. In 1967 he became the first African American to inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, and in 1972 the Dodgers retired his uniform number 42.
He died from heart problems, and diabetes complication on October 24, 1972. He was succeed by his family, and established the Jackie Robinson Foundation dedicated to honoring his life and work. The foundation helps young people in need by providing scholarships and mentoring programs.
