Jackie Robinson Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Achievements of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson Day occurs annually on April 15. Jackie Robinson, one of the most recognisable figures in Major League Baseball, made his debut today. Jackie Robinson, who was born to sharecroppers in segregated Georgia, reached the pinnacle of American professional sports. Robinson established numerous benchmarks and lived a life filled with numerous firsts. He was the first African-American selected for Major League Baseball and the first African-American lieutenant to protest segregation laws on an army transport. He was the first African-American to attain the position of vice president of a significant corporation. On the pitch and off, Robinson remained an icon. As he removed his baseball cap in 1957, he became politically active and supported numerous Black causes. To commemorate Jackie Robinson Day, all coaches, players, commentators, and spectators wear number 42 jerseys.

The background of Jackie Robinson Day

Jack “Jackie” Roosevelt Robinson was born in Georgia to a household of sharecroppers on January 31, 1919. After his father’s abandonment, his family relocated to California. Robinson was subjected to discrimination from an early age. He and his African-American peers were denied access to opportunities and confined to their residences.

Robinson’s interest in athletics began shortly after enrolling at John Muir High School. Mark and Frank, his older siblings, encouraged him to start taking his athletic abilities seriously. Within a few months, he had earned varsity letters in baseball, football, basketball, and track. After accumulating medals and victory certificates in every sport for which he was enlisted, he chose baseball and was named the Most Valuable Player for the 1938 All-Southland Junior College Baseball Team. In the years that followed, he joined the army as a second lieutenant.

In 1944, a pivotal event altered the course of his existence. Jackie refused to relocate to the rear of a segregated military bus after a year of service. After his act of disobedience, he was brought before a court-martial and charged with preposterous offences. Not only did the incident cause him to leave the army and return to baseball, but it also informed him of the lifelong struggle for Black equality and liberation. Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, noticed him playing state-level baseball with the Negro American League after his honourable discharge from the army.

Rickey recruited Robinson in his personal mission for baseball integration, making Robinson the first African-American athlete to cross the line of segregation and become a Major League Baseball player. Jackie was an immediate success on the pitch. His team won the championship in 1949, and he was voted Most Valuable Player.

Robinson never underestimated the significance of his involvement in the perseverance of African American athletes. He viewed himself as a change agent and endured years of racist invective, sloganeering, and physical assault. His talent made it simpler for Major League Baseball administration to support him against his unsupportive teammates. After a remarkable baseball career, Robinson realised that this was only the beginning of his existence. As soon as he retired, he immersed himself in political activism and championed numerous Black causes.

In 1997, 50 years after a game that ended segregation in the National Basketball Association, commissioner Bob Selig retired jersey number 42 from all teams. Jackie Robinson Day was officially proclaimed by Major League Baseball on April 14, 2004, the date of Jackie Robinson’s début.

5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF JACKIE ROBINSON

Robinson broke the 40-year-old barrier of segregation and became the first Black player to compete in any major American sport, paving the way for thousands of Black athletes.

Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, an accomplishment unmatched by any other player since.

Robinson brought the Brooklyn Dodgers into the national competitive limelight by guiding them to six pennants and a world championship.

Jackie founded the Jackie Robinson Construction Company in 1970 with the intention of constructing residences for low-income families.

During the height of the 1960s civil rights movement, Jackie played a crucial role in normalising the integration of millions of Americans.

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	April 15	Saturday
2024	April 15	Monday
2025	April 15	Tuesday
2026	April 15	Wednesday
2027	April 15	Thursday