On August 28, l945, Jackie Robinson met a men by the name of Branch Rickey, who wanted to end, once and for all, discrimination (Allen, l987). Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player to play in the Major Leagues; he had to struggle through the racial barrier of black and white to play. "After leaving the Army Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs, a team in one of the Negro Leagues, as a shortstop. He …showed first 75 words of 1923 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1923 total…Suppressed and repressed for so many years, they needed a victorious black man as a symbol. It would help them believe in themselves (Allen, l987)." "The Dodgers went on to win the National League pennant that fall with Jackie hitting a .297 batting average, l25 scored runs and leading the league with 29 stolen bases (Allen, l987)." "He was also nominated Rookie of the Year and in l962, elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame (Tygiel, l983)."