Saturday, May 6, 2023

NEGRO LEAGUE TO MAJOR LEAGUE STARS: JACKIE ROBINSON

On the blog today, we add the great Jackie Robinson to my thread celebrating players who made their professional debuts in the Negro Leagues before playing the Majors, of course he being the man who started it all:


Before Robinson made baseball history in 1947 as the first African-American to play in the Majors, he suited up with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945 while he was still in college.
He played in only 47 games, but excelled, hitting .387 with 5 home runs and 13 stolen bases, even appearing in the East-West All Star Game.
Garnering interest from a few Major League teams, Robinson eventually signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and spent 1946 in their Minor League system, playing for the Montreal Royals of the International League.
Of course, the rest is history, as Robinson would make his MLB debut in 1947 and immediately make an impact, taking home the Rookie of the Year Ward, while also winning MVP two years later.
Just an incredible man who had the strength that most of us do not possess, to handle all that was thrown at him solely for the color of his skin.