Timeline

JULY 5, 1947: LARRY DOBY SIGNS WITH CLEVELAND INDIANS - 1ST BLACK PLAYER IN AL

This was important because there was now a black baseball player in both divisions- the NL (the Brooklyn Dodgers were in the NL) and the AL. It was also important because the amount of African-American players was increasing, which helped bring in more and more. He was also the second black MLB player, which was a big step because it showed that more would be coming, not just Robinson.


1933: Moses Fleetwood Walker

Although many people think Jackie Robinson was the first MLB player, but it was actually Moses Fleetwood Walker. This definitely could have been a major part of the signing of Jackie Robinson, but somehow he is not remembered nearly as much as Jackie Robinson.


1st black baseball pitcher Don Bankhead


This was important because he was the first African-American pitcher in the MLB. It showed that they could play all positions, not just hit and field, and were just as good as the white players at all aspects of baseball. At one point in his career, he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the same team as Jackie Robinson.


WENDELL SMITH REPORTING FOR JACKIE ROBINSON


Wendell Smith was assigned to solely report about Jackie Robinson. He was the only reporter who only covered Jackie. He helped bring attention to him and document his journey. He became the first major black baseball reporter, which was another huge step to make sports equal.




HANK THOMPSON AND WILLARD “HOME RUN” BROWN SIGNED INTO MLB


They were both signed into the MLB the same year as Larry Doby and Jackie Robinson, but it began to show that African-Americans were starting to integrate into the MLB. This was just the beginning of a revolution in baseball. Buck O'Neil is the first black major league baseball coach 5-29-1962 He became the first black coach, and this further showed that black people could do anything that white people could in baseball. He was able to lead a team just like anyone else and this was another big step in baseball.



Frank Robinson -1974

Frank Robinson was the first black baseball manager. He was the manager for the Cleveland Indians. This showed people that if you were black you had the same qualities as whites did and that everyone black, white, any race can do anything.


Emmett Ashford is the first black umpire in a major league game 4-11-1966

This was another big advancement because before this, because there was still racial problems, and the white umpires could be against black players and treat them unfairly. He umpired Washington vs Cleveland.



FACTS

In 1947, he played in the World Series with the Dodgers. It was a history making day considering it was the first time a black man would be able to play in the world series.

There are now many movies made about his life, such as 42, The Life of Jackie Robinson, and Jackie Robinson: One of the Greatest. 

He continued to break racial barriers after his baseball career. He was a part of a coffee shop when he retired and was the first black vice president of a major American corporation. He also became baseball’s first black announcer. 

When he was elected into the MLB hall of fame, he got 78 percent of the vote.

He was a 6 time all star.

He was the NL MVP in 1949.

He won Rookie of the Year in 1947.

He received an honorable discharge from the army.

Jackie’s number 42 was retired by the entire MLB in 1997.