Jackie Robinson’s daughter Sharon Robinson spoke about her dad, baseball, and her dad’s relevance to children today during an August 27, 2016 event at Fredericksburg’s Sunshine Ballpark.
Robinson explained to the young Sunshine Baseball League players that there was once a color barrier in baseball. “They called it the color barrier, and it was based on the color of your skin,” she said. Anyone who could not pass for white could not play, she explained.
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier when he became the first black athlete to play Major League Baseball, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Sharon Robinson said the Dodger’s Branch Ricky chose Jackie to break the color barrier “because of his athletic talents and his character, integrity and passion.”
Robinson made his major league debut on April 15, 1947. The 70th anniversary of that achievement will be celebrated in 2017. Robinson was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949, and a World Series champ in 1955.
Saturday’s event was sponsored by Germanna Presents! Lyceum.
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Jackie Robinson’s Daughter to Speak at Sunshine Ballpark
