By Geoff Smith
92 years ago today, one of the greatest legends to ever step onto a baseball diamond was born.
Jack “Jackie” Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919.
From there, Robinson went on to become one of the most iconic baseball players ever. The first African-American brought up to the MLB, Robinson broke down the color barrier when he went from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League and signed a minor league contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Robinson’s 10-year career with the Dodgers was full of highlights, including taking the Dodgers to six World Series, a championship in 1955, an MVP trophy in 1949,and six consecutive All-Star appearances between 1949 and 1954.
Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967, and in 1997 Major League Baseball retired his number, 42, across the whole league.
After his playing career, Robinson went on to be the first African American television analyst and helped establish the Freedom National Bank, an African-American owned financial institution.
April 15th is Jackie Robinson day in the MLB, where every player wears his number 42 in honor of Robinson’s legacy.