Jackie Robinson struggled more than you might have thought. The first person of color to ever play professional baseball had to overcome poverty, familial strife, and even a lawsuit with the U.S. Army...
The Man, the Myth, the Legend
Jackie Robinson had an incredibly rough life before he got paid to put on cleats and run around a diamond every day. Despite the love and admiration he received when he became a baseball legend, he had to break the color barrier in many other aspects of his life as well.
Just a Boy
Jackie was born in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of his five brothers and sisters. His parents were sharecroppers that didn’t have much money since they were just recently emancipated. His family moved to Pasadena, California in 1920, and Jackie was forced to take drastic measures to make sure his family could stay afloat financially…
Advertisement