Today in history, the Titanic sunk off the coast of Newfoundland. But you knew that right? Titanic...big movie about a boat, Leonardo Di Caprio, Kate Winslett...Celine Dion singing. Yes, well, to set the story straight the movie is part fiction part fact, so take it with a grain of salt. Okay I think we all know the Titanic, so let's try somebody who is a little more obscure.
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first baseball game in the major leagues. This may seem ridiculous today, but there was a time in U.S. history when black athletes were not allowed to compete with white athletes, and there were black leagues and white leagues in many sports. The Vice President of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey wanted to change this policy and he scouted for the best black baseball player he could find. He then signed Jackie Robinson to play for the Montreal Royales which was the Dodgers' farm team and eventually brought him to Brooklyn to play. Robinsoin was continually derided and abused for playing, at times players on other teams refused to be on the field with him and some of his own teammates shunned and abused him. But Branch Rickey made Robinson promise to not fight back. Rickey know that any sign of temper or anger would only hurt their position and so Robinson was stoic and played the best he could. Robinson won the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award that year. His record improved in the following years and he became one of the best players in the League. By taking a stand and being first, Robinson ended the segregation that existed and opened the door for all athletes to compete equally in professional sports.
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