5 Things You Should Know About Jackie Robinson

Baseball has always been a game of numbers, and on April 15, 2011, no number will be more important than 42. That’s the jersey number of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, and it will be worn by all 780 Major League Baseball players and managers as they honor the legacy of the first black player to break major-league baseball’s color line.

Born in Cairo, Georgia and raised in Pasadena, California, Robinson began his career in the Negro leagues before leading the Brooklyn Dodgers to six pennants and one World Championship over a memorable 10-year span.

His competitive nature made him one of the finest Major League Baseball players of his day and led Dodgers manager Leo Durocher to quip, “This guy didn't just come to play. He come to beat ya. He come to stuff the goddamn bat right up your ass."

Learn more about Jackie Robinson by clicking here.

Question of the Week

Jackson, French Camp, CA
Subj: Simply the best
In your opinion, who is the fastest player in baseball history?

My vote goes to James “Cool Papa” Bell, a gifted outfielder who starred in the Negro Leagues from 1922 until 1946. Although most of his statistics have been lost to time, Bell claimed he once stole 175 bases in a single season, which would make him the most prolific base stealer in the history of the game. Bell was also famous among his contemporaries for frequently stealing two bases on a single pitch and he was said to be capable of running around the diamond in 12 seconds flat. By comparison, a modern-day speedster like Ichiro Suzuki has been clocked at 15 seconds. Former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Satchel Paige may have put it best when he surmised "If Cool Papa had known about colleges or if colleges had known about Cool Papa, Jesse Owens would have looked like he was walking." That’s high praise indeed from a man who knew a thing or two about the game. Although Bell never had the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues he was instrumental in helping fellow Negro League stars Jackie Robinson and Monte Irvin break baseball’s notorious color line.