Jackie Robinson: American Hero
Even the occasional fan has heard of Jackie Robinson. Because he was the first African American to play in the Major Leagues, he will forever be remembered for changing the face of baseball and ending segregation in professional sports. However, he was more than a baseball player. He played an intricate role in the advancement of black civil rights in America. More importantly still, he is an extraordinary example of an American hero. In April of 1997, Ken Burns told LIFE magazine, "Heroes are people who struggle and do more than what is asked of them and their particular set of skills... You are really looking for that which will make a deposit in the sum of human progress, and Jackie Robinson certainly does." (Goddard, 1997)Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919. His father was a plantation worker and his mother was a house hand. Along with his three brothers and one sister, his father at six months old abandoned him. As a result, his mother moved the family to Pasadena, California. Although she would wash and iron clothes for the upper class, the family was dependent on welfare to make ends meet. Jackie, however, was never deprived of love or attention despite the family's poor fina
He publicly expressed dissatisfaction for improper treatment from both fans and opposing players. It was this league that provided him the opportunity to play with some of the greatest players in the history of baseball. 311 and he was also credited with nearly 200 stolen bases. At the modest age of only 53 years old, Robinson died of a heart attack on October 24, 1972. His uncompromising demeanor and deep-rooted dignity brought change to baseball, the players and the fans. But, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Jackie was inclined to return to California. His tenure there was short lived, however, once he began playing professional baseball for the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Negro League. He championed hard work and dedication rather than violence and protestation. An excerpt from a letter to President Eisenhower by Jackie Robinson illustrates his reaction:"I respectfully remind you sir, that we have been the most patient of all people. Due to his own personal convictions, Robinson was so discouraged that he left the Army in 1944. To his honor, he had posted some of the most phenomenal achievements in the history of baseball. Next came football, baseball, basketball, tennis, and track and it was obvious to every observer that he would someday be a star! During high school, he excelled as an athlete in four varsity sports.
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Acceptance Essays
