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.
