Jackie Robinson: Baseball Hero man.

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919. When Jackie was in school, he played many sports. He ran track and played football, baseball, and basketball. But Jackie had a difficult time because he was black. Most of the people in Jackie’s school were white. Most of his teammates were white. Even though Jackie was a star player, people did not want him on the team. They called him terrible names. Sometimes they threw garbage at him.

After he finished school, Jackie became a pro baseball player. But he could not play in Major League Baseball. Major League was only for white players. Instead, Jackie played in the Negro League. This was a league just for black players. He played on a team called the Kansas City Monarchs.

Soon, people in Major League Baseball heard about what a great player Jackie Robinson was. A man named Branch Rickey went to talk to Jackie. Branch was the general manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Branch wanted Jackie to play for his team.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. He became the first African American to play Major League Baseball. This made many racist people furious. Once again, Jackie had to deal with people swearing at him and treating him badly. Some people even threatened to kill Jackie because they did not want him playing. But through all of this, Jackie stayed strong. He never lost his temper. He never quit playing. Instead, he stayed focused on the game. That year, Jackie helped the Dodgers win the pennant. Jackie was even named Rookie of the Year.

Jackie went on to become a very successful baseball player. He hit 137 home runs and had 197 stolen bases. He played in the All-Star game six times and was named the League MVP in 1949. In 1962, he was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But more importantly, he served as a role model for people of all races. Jackie Robinson was brave, strong, and determined. He was a great player and a great man.

Herman, Gail. Who was Jackie Robinson? New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 2010.

QUESTIONS
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Challenge Question What's this?
The author apparently thinks that

A. Jackie Robinson was a hero
B. Jackie Robinson was the greatest athlete of all time
C. racist people should go to jail
D. Major League Baseball should only be for white players