Jackie Robinson Biography Quotes 13 Report mistakes

Early Life and Family
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, the youngest of five children of sharecroppers. After his father left, his mother, Mallie Robinson, moved the family to Pasadena, California, where she raised them with strict standards of work and dignity despite limited means. His older brother, Mack Robinson, became a celebrated sprinter who won a silver medal behind Jesse Owens in the 200 meters at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, setting an example of excellence and perseverance that shaped Jackie's ambitions and sense of possibility.

Education and Multi-Sport Stardom
Robinson emerged as an extraordinary all-around athlete at John Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College, starring in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. At UCLA he became the university's first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports. On the football field he teamed with Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, who would later help reintegrate professional football, while on the track he excelled in the long jump and sprints. At UCLA he met Rachel Isum, a nursing student who would become his wife and most steadfast partner. Financial pressures led him to leave college short of a degree, and he briefly played semi-professional football before military service reshaped his path.

Military Service and a Stand for Dignity
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, Robinson completed officer candidate school and was commissioned a second lieutenant. Assigned to a segregated unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, he confronted discrimination directly. In 1944 at Fort Hood, Texas, he refused to move to the back of a bus, an act of defiance that led to a court-martial; he was acquitted, and soon received an honorable discharge. The episode deepened his resolve to challenge racism with discipline and principle, traits that would define his baseball breakthrough.

Negro Leagues and the Dodgers' Gamble
In 1945 Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, where he showed sharp instincts at shortstop and on the basepaths. The pioneering Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter Wendell Smith, who advocated for integration and often assisted Robinson, helped bring him to the attention of Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey. Rickey, seeking a player with both elite talent and the strength to endure hostility without retaliation, signed Robinson to a contract that fall. The decision set in motion a deliberate plan to challenge Major League Baseball's color line.

Montreal Apprenticeship and the Final Hurdle
Assigned to the Dodgers' top farm team, the Montreal Royals, in 1946, Robinson excelled under manager Clay Hopper and found unusually warm support from the city's fans. His dynamic hitting, fielding, and baserunning captivated crowds and helped the Royals win. Even as he faced insults on the road, the success in Montreal proved he could thrive under pressure and readied him for the final step.

Breaking Baseball's Color Line
On April 15, 1947, Robinson debuted at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field, becoming the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball. Manager Leo Durocher, an early defender, had been suspended before the season, so Burt Shotton managed the club. Robinson confronted verbal abuse, spiking, and petitions from some opponents and even a few teammates, notably Dixie Walker. The Philadelphia Phillies' manager Ben Chapman taunted him mercilessly, drawing public backlash. Yet the Dodgers' captain, Pee Wee Reese, emerged as a crucial ally, and a widely remembered on-field gesture of support symbolized a shifting clubhouse culture. Robinson's poise, speed, and competitive fire fueled Brooklyn's pennant run, and he won the first Rookie of the Year award.

Excellence, Teammates, and a New Standard
Robinson matured into one of baseball's most complete players. In 1949 he won the National League Most Valuable Player award and a batting title, and he was named to multiple All-Star teams. His aggressive baserunning, including steals of home, reframed how the game could be won. As integration gained ground, the Dodgers added star catcher Roy Campanella and pitcher Don Newcombe, creating a core that combined talent with shared purpose. In the American League, Larry Doby integrated the Cleveland franchise in 1947, further validating the trail Robinson blazed. Under managers Burt Shotton and later Leo Durocher, the Dodgers won several pennants, and in 1955 Robinson helped deliver Brooklyn's long-sought World Series championship over the New York Yankees. After the 1956 season he was traded to the New York Giants, but he chose to retire rather than play for a rival, pivoting to business and advocacy.

Family and Personal Life
Robinson married Rachel Isum in 1946, a partnership that endured through every triumph and hardship. They raised three children: Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David. The family experienced the pressures of fame and the burdens of history, as well as private struggles. Jackie Jr. battled addiction and later became an advocate for treatment and rehabilitation before his death in 1971. Throughout, Rachel Robinson remained an unwavering presence, managing the family's public responsibilities and, after her husband's death, building institutions to sustain his legacy.

Civic Engagement, Business, and Public Voice
Retirement did not diminish Robinson's influence. He became a vice president at the Chock full o'Nuts coffee company, one of the first Black executives at a major American corporation, and he traveled widely as a speaker. He worked with the NAACP, supported the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King Jr., and raised funds for civil rights initiatives. Politically independent, he supported Richard Nixon in 1960 before breaking with the Republican Party over civil rights, backing Nelson Rockefeller in 1964 and later supporting Hubert Humphrey. In 1964 he helped found Freedom National Bank in Harlem to expand access to credit in underserved communities. He also wrote about race and sport, including Baseball Has Done It and the autobiography I Never Had It Made, candid accounts of progress and unfinished work.

Health, Final Years, and Passing
Years of stress and the effects of diabetes damaged Robinson's eyesight and heart. Even as his health declined, he continued to press baseball and the country toward broader opportunity. At the 1972 World Series he publicly urged Major League Baseball to hire its first Black manager, a milestone that would arrive a few years later. Robinson died on October 24, 1972, at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, at the age of 53.

Enduring Legacy
Jackie Robinson's election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 confirmed his greatness as a player, but his legacy reaches far beyond statistics. The Dodgers retired his number 42 in 1972, and in 1997 Major League Baseball retired 42 across every team, a singular honor. Beginning in 2004, the league set aside April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day, a yearly reminder of the day he stepped onto a major league field and helped redefine American possibility. The people around him mattered: Branch Rickey's resolve, Pee Wee Reese's solidarity, the excellence of teammates such as Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe, the courage of contemporaries like Larry Doby, and, above all, Rachel Robinson's leadership. Through their intertwined efforts, and through his own unmatched blend of talent and conscience, Jackie Robinson transformed a sport and helped move a nation.

Our collection contains 13 quotes who is written by Jackie, under the main topics: Motivational - Never Give Up - Meaning of Life - Freedom - Victory.

Other people realated to Jackie: Casey Stengel (Athlete), Vin Scully (Celebrity), Hank Aaron (Athlete), Roberto Clemente (Athlete), Walt Alston (Athlete), Bob Feller (Athlete), Duke Snider (Athlete), Roger Kahn (Writer), Curt Flood (Athlete), Al Campanis (Businessman)