Second Baseman, Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball Color Barrier - This Day in History – Apr 15th

Back in 1947, 28-year-old Jackie Robinson made sports history by becoming the first African-American Major League Baseball player and also a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

According to history.com, “Exactly 50 years later, on April 15, 1997, Robinson's groundbreaking career was honored and his uniform number, 42, was retired from Major League Baseball by Commissioner Bud Selig in a ceremony attended by over 50,000 fans at New York City's Shea Stadium. Robinson's was the first-ever number retired by all teams in the league.” 

Mr. Robinson faced racial discrimination due to Jim Crow laws while playing in southern states of the U.S.  However, he became an activist in civil rights issues.  Mr. Robinson died at the young age of 53 in 1972, however his legacy will live in the hearts of many players within Major League Baseball.

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/antiwar-protests-held-in-new-york-and-san-francisco?catId=15