'Jackie Robinson was the first black player inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame

[abqtommy]

sixty years ago on January 24, 1962.' From The Good News Network...

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events070124/

>Robinson was accorded the honor on the very first year of his eligibility, even though it came following his rise as a pseudo-leader in the Civil Right’s Movement; particularly after an incident at the Greenville Airport in South Carolina. In October of 1959 one the finest players in MLB history entered the whites only section, and was asked to leave. He refused, and his later presence at a NAACP event in Greenville, manifested a non-violent demonstration in front of the airport which desegregated soon after.

In 1962, Robinson cautioned against voting for his record as a cultural figure, saying only that his on-field credentials should determine whether or not he enters the Cooperstown museum. He was elected on the first ballot

Beginning his major league career at the relatively advanced age of 28, which would be the first ever for a black man, he played only ten seasons from 1947 to 1956, all of them for the Brooklyn Dodgers. During his career, the Dodgers played in six World Series, and Robinson himself played in six All-Star Games.

In these ten seasons he racked up 741 runs scored, and he would receive both the MVP award and the inaugural Rookie of the Year in 1949. The year after, and also coincidentally on January 24th, he would put pen to paper on the most expensive contract in Dodgers history at that time, ($35,000).<

There's not much more text at the link, but some nice pics. From a young age I've
always wondered what all the ethnic bigotry is about and I'm still wondering...

[rurallib]

1. Surprised there are so few comments

I was a young boy when Robinson played. Really didn't understand what he was, all I ever heard was that he was a great ballplayer when 'ballplayer' meant baseball.

I believe I have read that he was a Republican, which was not unusual back then. Lincoln was still the major political figure for blacks. His middle name was 'Roosevelt' after Teddy.

Robinson, Snyder, Campy, Reese, Hodges, Newk. I was a kid and that's who I was cheering for.

[abqtommy]

2. I'm surprised too but one reply is better than none. Thanks! There was a time when being

a Republican didn't mean being a Fascist... Of course Robinson did have a rough time of it for awhile, unfortunately.

[Skittles]

3. great article

the word LEGEND gets tossed around too much these days - to me a sports legend is known to all, not just sports fans