Discovering a Legend: Top 9 Fun Facts About Jackie Robinson You Never Knew!
1. Breaking Racial Barriers in the Army
Before Jackie Robinson was knocking racial barriers out of the park, he was receiving enlisted "salutes" in the Army: Robinson broke racial boundaries when he fought for and gained entry into the Officers' Candidate School during World War II, later becoming a 2nd Lieutenant and famously challenging segregation on a military bus in Texas back in 1944.
Source => asomf.org
2. Sharpshooting Baseball Star
Before he was a master of base stealing, Jackie Robinson fancied himself as quite the accomplished sharpshooter: As a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he trained as an expert marksman with the M1 Garand Rifle and ended up with the all-Black 761st Tank Battalion, famously dubbed "The Black Panthers."
Source => nps.gov
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3. Record-Breaking MVP Season
Before Jackie Robinson decided to steal bases like he was playing Grand Theft Auto on the baseball field, he casually demolished the color barrier in the sport and went on to have a record-breaking MVP season: In 1949, Robinson became the first African-American player to win the National League MVP Award, posted career-highs in games played, batting average, and stolen bases, led the majors with 37 steals, was the NL batting champ, and made the All-Star team for the first of six consecutive years, all while wearing the iconic No. 42 jersey - a number that's now celebrated every April 15 by the entire MLB.
Source => dodgerblue.com
4. Multi-Sport College Sequel
From moonwalking on the football field to slam-dunking basketballs like Space Jam, Jackie Robinson could have starred in his own multi-sport sequel: Jackie Robinson, the supreme UCLA athlete, not only lettered in football, basketball, and track and field but also claimed the West Coast Conference MVP in basketball. Despite not participating in baseball during college due to weak plate performances, his debut with the UCLA baseball team was no less than a scene from "The Natural," as he knocked out four hits and stole four bases.
Source => ncaa.com
5. Love on Opposing Teams
Before love hit a home run, they were playing on different teams: Jackie Robinson's wife, Rachel Robinson, initially wasn't on board with his pioneering move to break the color barrier in baseball, but as the game changed, she joined him in their all-star lineup for civil rights and social activism.
Source => imdb.com
6. Swiping Right on Four Sports
Jackie Robinson, the OG multi-tasker whose sporting abilities swiped right on baseball, football, basketball, and track with equal gusto: He was the first ever player to earn varsity letters in all four sports in a single year while attending UCLA, showcasing his talents as an All-Pac 10 football star, West Coast Conference MVP in basketball, and even clinching the NCAA Championship in the long jump in 1940.
Source => theathletic.com
7. Spilling Beans at Chock Full o'Nuts
Careful not to spill the beans: Jackie Robinson's time as Vice President of Personnel at Chock Full o'Nuts was anything but "nutty" with his advocacy for equal-opportunity hiring and civil rights work. He even used his fame to help employees through personal struggles, visited franchises and roasting facilities, but was also entangled in discouraging union activity before leaving to join the Rockefeller presidential campaign.
Source => myrecipes.com
8. Auction Fever for Robinson's Jersey
Auction fever had fans agog, with bamboozled bidders paying dearly to take home a piece of history that time has blessed: Jackie Robinson's rookie season jersey clinched a record-breaking sale of $2.05 million at a recent razzmatazz tiptop auction, outclassing the previous record of $573,600 for a 1955 Sandy Koufax rookie jersey, and confirming Robinson's legendary status as the major league's first black player and a baseball icon for all eras.
Source => usatoday.com
9. Running Laps Around Competition
Move over, Forrest Gump: Jackie Robinson literally ran laps around the competition. Gleefully dodging naysayers and outpacing discrimination, Robinson triumphantly claimed the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1949. His 156-game marathon featured league-leading batting and base stealing, while he ran circles around second place in hits, RBIs, doubles, and triples, andāmuch like our favorite chocolatierācarried the Brooklyn Dodgers to the World Series.
Source => jackierobinson.org
