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Jack Roosevelt Robinson was an American professional basketball player. He became the first African American player of Major League Basketball in the modern era. Moreover, he played a significant role in breaking the color code in baseball.
In this article, we are going to tell you about the net worth of Jackie Robinson, along with his successful career, and personal life.
Who Was Jackie Robinso? When He Started His Career In Baseball?
Jackie was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo Georgia, into a family of sharecroppers. He was the youngest child born to Mallie (McGriff) and Jerry Robinson, after four siblings named Edgar, Frank, Matthew, and Willa Mae.
In 1920, after Robison’s father left the family, they moved to Pasadena, California. In order to support the family, his mother worked a number of odd jobs.
In 1935, Robinson was enrolled at John Muir High School after graduating from Washington Junior High School. His brothers Frank and Matthew recognized his athletic talent and motivated him to pursue his interest in sports.
At John Muir, Robison participated in various sports such as football, basketball, track and field, and baseball at the varsity level.
The baseball team, the football team, and the basketball team played as a Shortstop and catcher, quarterback, and guard correspondingly. He was also a member of tennis, with the track and field, and he won awards in the broad Jump.
According to the Pasadena Star-News newspaper published in late January 1937, Robinson, “for two years has been the outstanding athlete at Muir, starring in football, basketball, track, baseball, and tennis.
At Pasadena Junior College, most of Jackie’s teammates were fair, just like at Muir High School. Robinson broke his ankle while playing football at PJC, and the subsequent problems caused a delay in his military deployment status.
He was chosen as the baseball All-Southland Junior College Team’s Most Valuable Player and the team’s Most Outstanding Player in 1938.
He was detained on January 25, 1938, because of a vocally disputed detention of a black friend by police. Robinson was given a two-year suspended sentence. Robinson had a reputation for being aggressive when faced with racial tension.
He was encouraged to regularly attend church while attending PJC by a preacher (the Rev. Karl Downs), who also became a friend to Robinson, a Christian.
The closest sibling of Robinson to among his three brothers, Frank, was killed in a motorbike accident towards the end of his time at the PJC. Jackie was inspired by the incident to continue his athletic career at the nearby University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
After completing graduation from PJC in 1939, Jackie enrolled at UCLA, and he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports, for example, Baseball, basketball, football, and track. At UCLA, Robison won the 1940 NCAA championship in the long jumpat 24 ft 10.25 or say 7.58 m.
However, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had taken place by that point, drawing the United States into World War II.
Let’s read about the Military career of Jackie Robinson. Robinson joined the Army in 1942 and was assigned at Fort Riley in Kansas with a segregated cavalry unit.
Robison was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he joined the 761st Tank Battalion named “Black Panthers.” Afterward, Robinson was transferred to another 758th Tank Battalion.
After being moved, he worked as an army sports coach at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he remained until being honorably discharged in November 1944.
While there, Robinson met a former Negro American League player for the Kansas City Monarchs, who encouraged Robinson to write the Monarchs and request a tryout. Robinson wrote to Monarchs co-owner Thomas Baird on the former player’s recommendation.
In early 1945, the Kansas City Monarchs made Robinson a written offer to play professional baseball in the Negro leagues while he was still a student at Sam Huston College. Robinson accepted a deal with a $400 monthly payment.
On October 23, 1945, it was publicly declared that Robison Would be assigned to the Royals for the upcoming season in 1946. Robinson formally signed his contract with the Royals that day in the presence of representatives from the Royals and Dodgers.
In 1946, Robinson played in the minor leagues. In April 1947, Robinson made his debut as a Dodger wearing uniform number 42 against the New York Yankees.
He did not record a base hit, but he did walk and contribute to the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory by bringing in a run. Robinson broke the major league baseball color line in an open manner for the first time since 1884.
Robinson won the Rookie of the Year title in 1947 and 1949’s Most Valuable Player of the National League. He participated in six straight All-Star games from 1949 to 1954. Additionally, he helped the Dodgers win the 1955 World Series.
At the age of 37, Jackie retired from baseball on January 5, 1957. After his professional career of Jackie, he was diagnosed with diabetes. In 1965, He served as an Analyst, the first black person, for ABC’s Major League Baseball Game Of The Week.
Robinson was appointed general manager of the Continental Football League’s transient Brooklyn Dodgers in 1966. He worked as a part-time commentator on Montreal Expos telecasts in 1972.
The Dodgers retired his jersey number, 42, along with Sandy Koufax’s and Roy Campanella’s, on June 4, 1972. Robinson was the first black vice president of a major American firm who served as Chock full o ‘Nuts’ vice president for personnel from 1957 to 1964.
On October 15, 1972, nine days before his passing, he made his last public appearance by tossing out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the World Series at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.
He stated while accepting a plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of his MLB debut, “I’m going to be tremendously more pleased and more proud when I look at that third base coaching line one day and see a black face managing in baseball.”
Was Jackie Married Or Not?
Jackie married Rachel Isum in 1946, and Robinson met her when he was a senior at UCLA. Rachel Robinson pursued her career in academic nursing after Robinson’s retirement from baseball.
She rose to the positions of director of nursing at the Connecticut Mental Health Centre and assistant professor at Yale School of Nursing.
She was a board member of the Freedom National Bank from its inception until its closure in 1990. Jackie and Rachel had three children, Sharon Robinson was born in 1950, David Robinson was born in 1952, and Jackie Robinson Jr. (1946–1971).
The eldest son Jackie Jr. had entered special education at an early age because of emotional trouble.
In 1968, Robison suffered from Heart Attack, as diabetes and Heart problems weakened his health of Robison. On October 24, Robison died at his home, the cause of his death was a heart attack.
Net Worth Of Jackie Robinson
Jackie received a total salary of $296,000 during his work. That is equivalent to almost $6 million after inflation. In 1952, he earned his highest pay of $39,750. That is equivalent to earning $380,000 right now.
Jackie’s six-acre property in Stamford, Connecticut, was his most valuable possession at the time of his passing. The estate was developed by Jackie in 1955.
His home was divided into four lots after his death in 1972, and each lot was sold separately by his heirs. The final lot was sold for $1.7 million in 2011.
Read more: What Is The Net Worth of Victor Osimhen in 2023?
Conclusion
To conclude, Jackie started his career at school as an athlete, then he joined the military after playing for the university. After his retirement from the army, he started to write about Monarchs.
Then he started to play baseball for the minor and major leagues. During MLB, he earned a handsome amount of money.
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