Bio

Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 October 24, 1972) was the first black Major League Baseball (MLB) player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As the first black man to play in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated black players to the Negro leagues for six decades. The example of his character and unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition to his cultural impact, Robinson had an exceptional baseball career. Over ten seasons, he played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers' 1955 World Championship. He was selected for six consecutive All-Star Games from 1949 to 1954, was the recipient of the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 19499the first black player so honored. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1997, Major League Baseball retired his uniform number, 42, across all major league teams.

Robinson was also known for his pursuits outside the baseball diamond. He was the first black television analyst in Major League Baseball, and the first black vice-president of a major American corporation. In the 1960s, he helped establish the Freedom National Bank, an African-American-owned financial institution based in Harlem, New York. In recognition of his achievements on and off the field, Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Jackie Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College from 1937-1939. He was the Most Valuable Player, SoCal Region and led the PJC Bulldogs to the conference title as a sophomore in 1938. Robinson played middle infield at short stop mostly that season. Four-sport star, led PJC to conference titles in all four--baseball track and field, basketball, and football...He was PJC's first 1,000-yard rusher in 1938.

He held the school's touchdowns record for 63 years until Jonathan Smith broke the mark in 2001. Robinson's 99-yard rush v. Caltech in 1938 remains the longest carry in school history and of course tied for the national/state record as you can't get credited for a 100-yard run.