Jackie Robinson, the first professional black baseball player, wrote an autobiography in 1995 titled I Never Had it Made. Jackie Robinson is, for sure, a sports hero for African Americans all over the United States. Jackie's thought process throughout his book really shows how he felt during situations in his battle to get into a professional league. His voice is clear and concise, and it pretty obviously shows what he was thinking when faced with difficult situations, whether it be about family life or racial discrimination. This leads to the question: besides his success as a baseball player, why is Jackie Robinson so popular among Americans of all races?
1. He stands up for what he believes in. On page 20 it says, "The captain was very annoyed because I wouldn't back down." Jackie obviously does not want to be a bystander, especially not in the situation of racial discrimination or anything like it. This also shows that Jackie feels very strongly about his views and opinions on society and makes them known, which leads me to the next point.
2. Jackie makes his opinions and accomplishments well-known and actively demonstrates his beliefs. For one, Jackie actually attempted to join a professional baseball team and successfully joined the Dodgers. Also, in his book page 57, it is said that, "The sports writers snatched up telephones. The telegraph wires relayed the message to the sports world." His ideas were distributed all over the country and the world after he was first on the news and radio.
3. Jackie Robinson is a genuinely nice person. From what I understand, Jackie doesn't typically say things out of impulse, and he tries to be as nice as he can, even when he's in an argument. I didn't hear him saying anything negative the whole book, even in his stream of conscious, and for a lot of people that is very difficult, so he would definitely be a role model for people like that.
4. He is supportive. In the book I Never Had it Made Jackie supports his fellow teammates and the fans despite all the cruel things both parties do. It was amazing to see how he withstood all the cruel and inhumane behavior he received, and a lot of people support him for that.
5. Jackie accepts reality. Another reason Jackie is so popular is due to his ability to accept things, no matter how hard it may be. He accepted that his career path would never be easy with all the discrimination at the time, and yet he chose to take that path in his life. He also accepted family issues as well and didn't try to ignore the issues, he faced them head on.
These reasons show why Jackie Robinson, the first African American baseball player, is a popular figure in history despite the racial discrimination present.
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