Birth Name: Jack Roosevelt Robinson
Also known as: Jackie Robinson
Birth Date: January 31, 1919 in Cairo, GA
Death Date: October 24, 1972 in Stamford, CT
Married: Rachel Issum on February 10, 1946
Children: Jackie Jr. (died in 1971), Sharon and David
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 204 lb.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
College Education: UCLA
Professional Team: Brooklyn Dodgers
Years Played: 1947-56
Debut: April 15, 1947
In 1982, Jackie Robinson became the first Major League Baseball player to appear on a US postage stamp.
Jackie Robinson was 28 years old when he broke into the Major Leagues, yet he still won the unified Rookie of the Year Award.
Fifty years after he became the first modern black player, Major League baseball chose his number as the first one to ever retire for every team.
In 1949, Jackie Robinson led the National League in stolen bases and batting average, was named to his first All-Star Game, helped the Brooklyn Dodgers win the pennant by one game, and was named the years Most Valuable Player.
Jackie Robinson’s older brother Mack finished second to Jesse Owens in the 100-meter race in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
An outstanding athlete, Jackie Robinson was the first ever four-sport letter winner at UCLA (football, track, basketball and baseball). His accomplishments outside of baseball included leading the Pacific Coast Conference (later the Pac-10) in scoring twice in basketball, becoming the NCAA champion in 1940 in the broad jump (25 feet, 6.5 inches), and achieving All-American status in football.
Shortly before his death, Jackie Robinson was selected to throw out the first pitch at the 1972 World Series, the 25th anniversary of his breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier.