Book Review: Who Was Jackie Robinson?

 Who Was Jackie Robinson?  A Who Was Board Book by Lisbeth Kaiser, art by Stanley Chow, Penguin Random House, New York.

This is a children's book, but it gives a good short history of Jackie Robinson.  Robinson grew up in Pasadena, California.  His family lived in a White neighborhood, and they were treated poorly as they were Black.   However Robinson was very good at sports, and found his niche in high school and college through sports.  He played four sports at UCLA, baseball, football, basketball and track.  He left college early as he needed a job, and hope to find one in sports.  However all the major teams were white only.  He joined the army, and after his time in the army he joined a negro league.  It was hard for the negro teams as they were harassed by discrimination and finding a place to stay while traveling or heat was hard.  

A team owner decided he would include Black players on his team, Branch Rickey with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He talked to Robinson and explained he would take abuse, but he would need to just take it so he could sell the idea of Black Players in the major leagues.  He played for the first time for the Dodgers on April 15, 1947.  He had to keep his mouth shut despite taking abuse from teammates and players from other teams.  He slowly won them over, and in 1955 the Dodgers won the World Series.  He had been joined by many more Black players in the major leagues.  

After retiring from baseball he became a crusader for racial equality.  He became a business leader and an activist.  In 1962 he was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Jackie Robinson Day is an annual event in Major League Baseball observed every April 15.  

Book Review: Determination: The Story of Jackie Robinson

Determination: The Story of Jackie Robinson, by Deborah Woodworth, illustrated by Robin Lawrie, The Child's World, North Mankota, Minnesota, 1999.
This is a very interesting story about the opening of Major League Baseball to African American players.  Jackie Robinson lived in an era of racial strife.  Even in Pasadena, California he was discriminated against at a lunch counter.  When he started playing baseball he had to put up with the most vile insults.  He had agreed not to respond for the first couple years, to assure that he would be able to continue to play.  He kept his agreement, but it was hard.  He had to often stay in a separate hotel than the rest of the players.  However he let his play do the talking.  His was got at all facets of the game, fielding, base running, and hitting.  His first year he was rookie of the year.  A couple years later he was MVP.  After his career he became a member of the Hall of Fame.  His ability to stick with the Dodgers lead to other African Americans being able to play.  He would call them and offer support.  Many players had a friend and mentor in Robinson.  My only complaint is one illustration has the wrong hand on top on the bat.  It is just strange.