Jackie Robinson's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson was an American professional baseball player who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His signing ended racial segregation in professional baseball, which had excluded Black players since the 1880s, relegating them to the Negro leagues. Robinson's courage and exceptional talent paved the way for greater racial equality in sports and beyond.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1936: Tennis and Baseball Accomplishments

In 1936, Jackie Robinson won the junior boys singles championship in the annual Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament and earned a place on the Pomona annual baseball tournament all-star team.

January 1937: Recognized as outstanding athlete

In late January 1937, the Pasadena Star-News newspaper reported that Jackie Robinson "for two years has been the outstanding athlete at Muir, starring in football, basketball, track, baseball, and tennis."

1939: Football Team

In 1939, Jackie Robinson was one of four black players on the Bruins' football team at UCLA, which was considered college football's most integrated team. They went undefeated with four ties at 6–0–4.

1940: NCAA Championship in Long Jump

In 1940, Jackie Robinson won the NCAA championship in the long jump at 24 ft 10+1⁄4 in (7.58 m).

1940: Led the NCAA in punt return average

Jackie Robinson led the NCAA in punt return average in the 1939 and 1940 seasons.

August 1944: Acquittal

In August 1944, Jackie Robinson was acquitted by an all-white panel of nine officers on charges of insubordination during questioning.

March 17, 1946: Jackie Robinson's Royals Debut

On March 17, 1946, Jackie Robinson made his debut for the Montreal Royals at Daytona Beach's City Island Ballpark in an exhibition game against the Dodgers, becoming the first black player to openly play for a minor league team against a major league team since the 1880s.

April 18, 1946: Jackie Robinson's Professional Debut

On April 18, 1946, Jackie Robinson made his professional debut with the Montreal Royals against the Jersey City Giants at Roosevelt Stadium, marking the first time the color barrier had been broken in a game between two minor league clubs. Robinson had four hits in five at bats, including a three-run home run, and stole two bases in the Royals' 14–1 victory.

1946: Robinson Assigned to the Montreal Royals

In 1946, Jackie Robinson was assigned to the Montreal Royals, marking his entry into the International League as the first black baseball player since the 1880s, in what was later called "The Noble Experiment".

April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the color line

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color line in Major League Baseball.

1947: Robinson Plays in the World Series

In 1947, Jackie Robinson played in all seven games of the World Series after the Brooklyn Dodgers won the National League pennant. The Dodgers lost in Game 7 to the Yankees, but Robinson became the first black player to play in the World Series.

1947: Support from Major League Players

In 1947, Jackie Robinson received encouragement from several major league players, including Lee "Jeep" Handley and Hank Greenberg, who had dealt with ethnic epithets during his own career.

1947: Jackie Robinson wins Rookie of the Year Award

In 1947, Jackie Robinson won the Major League Rookie of the Year Award which encompassed both leagues.

1947: Rookie of the Year Award

In 1947, Jackie Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award.

August 29, 1948: Robinson Hits for the Cycle

On August 29, 1948, Jackie Robinson hit for the cycle in a 12–7 win against the St. Louis Cardinals, achieving a home run, a triple, a double, and a single in the same game.

1948: Support from Pee Wee Reese

In 1948, Pee Wee Reese is said to have put his arm around Jackie Robinson in response to fans who shouted racial slurs at Robinson before a game in Boston or Cincinnati.

1949: MVP Award and All-Star Selection

In 1949, Jackie Robinson significantly improved his batting with guidance from George Sisler, leading to a .342 average, 37 stolen bases, and being second in the league for doubles and triples. Due to this, Robinson earned the National League Most Valuable Player Award and was voted as the starting second baseman for the 1949 All-Star Game, the first to include black players.

1949: National League Most Valuable Player Award

In 1949, Jackie Robinson won the National League Most Valuable Player Award, the first black player to be so honored.

1949: Separate Rookie of the Year Awards

In 1949, separate National and American League Rookie of the Year honors were first awarded, two years after Jackie Robinson won the inaugural Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award in 1947.

1954: All-Star Season

From 1949 through 1954, Jackie Robinson was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons.

1955: World Series Championship

In 1955, Jackie Robinson contributed to the Dodgers' World Series championship.

1955: World Series Victory and Declining Performance

In 1955, the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series, marking Jackie Robinson's only championship. However, 1955 was the worst year of Robinson's individual career, hitting .256 and stealing only 12 bases, and he did not play in Game 7 of the World Series.

December 1956: NAACP Spingarn Medal

In December 1956, the NAACP recognized Jackie Robinson with the Spingarn Medal, which it awards annually for the highest achievement by an African-American.

1957: Vice President at Chock full o'Nuts & Chairs NAACP Freedom Fund Drive

In 1957, Jackie Robinson became the vice president for personnel at Chock full o'Nuts, becoming the first black person to serve as vice president of a major American corporation. Also in 1957, he chaired the NAACP's million-dollar Freedom Fund Drive.

October 1959: Robinson Protests Segregation at Greenville Airport

In October 1959, Jackie Robinson protested racial segregation by entering the whites-only waiting room at Greenville Municipal Airport, refusing to leave when asked by airport police. He then delivered a speech to the NAACP in Greenville, South Carolina, advocating for complete freedom and urging black citizens to vote and protest their second-class citizenship.

1962: Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

In 1962, Jackie Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He encouraged voters to consider only his on-field qualifications, rather than his cultural impact on the game, becoming the first black player inducted into the Cooperstown museum.

1964: Founds Freedom National Bank

In 1964, Jackie Robinson helped found Freedom National Bank with Harlem businessman Dunbar McLaurin. This bank was a black-owned and operated commercial bank based in Harlem.

1965: Becomes Analyst for ABC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week

In 1965, Jackie Robinson became an analyst for ABC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week telecasts, making him the first black person to hold such a position.

1967: Leaves NAACP Board

In 1967, Jackie Robinson ended his service on the board of the NAACP.

1970: Establishes Jackie Robinson Construction Company

In 1970, Jackie Robinson established the Jackie Robinson Construction Company to build housing for low-income families.

June 4, 1972: Dodgers Retire Robinson's Uniform Number

On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, alongside those of former teammates Roy Campanella (39) and Sandy Koufax (32).

1972: Posthumous Awards

After his death in 1972, Jackie Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom.

March 26, 1984: Presidential Medal of Freedom

On March 26, 1984, President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Jackie Robinson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1984: Charter Member of UCLA's Athletics Hall of Fame

In 1984, Jackie Robinson was among the 25 charter members of UCLA's Athletics Hall of Fame.

1987: Rookie of the Year Award Renamed

In 1987, both the National and American League Rookie of the Year Awards were renamed the "Jackie Robinson Award" in honor of Jackie Robinson, the first recipient.

April 15, 1997: MLB Retires Robinson's Jersey Number 42

On April 15, 1997, Jackie Robinson's jersey number, 42, was retired throughout Major League Baseball, the first time any jersey number had been retired throughout one of the four major American sports leagues.

1997: MLB Retires Number 42

In 1997, MLB retired Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, across all Major League teams.

1997: Bronze Sculpture Erected in Pasadena

In 1997, a $325,000 bronze sculpture by artists Ralph Helmick, Stu Schecter, and John Outterbridge depicting oversized nine-foot busts of Robinson and his brother Mack was erected at Garfield Avenue in Pasadena.

1999: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 1999, Jackie Robinson was named by Time on its list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. In the same year, he was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team and ranked No. 44 on The Sporting News list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".

1999: All-Century Team Selection

In 1999, Jackie Robinson was one of 30 players named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

2002: Included on List of 100 Greatest African Americans

In 2002, Molefi Kete Asante included Jackie Robinson on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.

April 15, 2004: Jackie Robinson Day

On April 15, 2004, MLB adopted a new annual tradition, "Jackie Robinson Day", on which every player on every team wears no. 42.

2004: MLB Establishes Jackie Robinson Day

In 2004, MLB began honoring Jackie Robinson by allowing players to wear number 42 on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day, an annual observance.

2004: Jackie Robinson Award

Since 2004, the Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year has been presented with the "Jackie Robinson Award".

March 2, 2005: Congressional Gold Medal

On March 2, 2005, President George W. Bush gave Jackie Robinson's widow the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress. Robinson was only the second baseball player to receive the award, after Roberto Clemente.

November 2006: Jackie Robinson Rotunda Announced at Citi Field Groundbreaking

At the November 2006 groundbreaking for Citi Field, the new ballpark for the New York Mets, it was announced that the main entrance would be called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

August 20, 2007: Induction into the California Hall of Fame

On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, announced that Jackie Robinson was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, located at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento.

2007: Players Invited to Wear Number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day

In 2007, for the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut, MLB invited players to wear the number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day, initiated by Ken Griffey Jr.

June 25, 2008: MLB Installs New Plaque at Baseball Hall of Fame

On June 25, 2008, MLB installed a new plaque for Jackie Robinson at the Baseball Hall of Fame commemorating his off-the-field impact on the game as well as his playing statistics.

April 16, 2009: Jackie Robinson Rotunda Dedicated at Citi Field Opening

On April 16, 2009, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was dedicated at the opening of Citi Field. It honors Robinson with large quotations and a statue of his number, 42.

2009: MLB Personnel Wear Number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day

In 2009, all of MLB's uniformed personnel (including players) wore number 42 on April 15, a tradition that has continued every year since on that date.

2017: Statue of Robinson Unveiled at Dodger Stadium

In 2017, a statue of Jackie Robinson, created by sculptor Branly Cadet, was unveiled at Dodger Stadium, marking the first statue the Dodgers ever unveiled.