When thinking of some of the greatest events in sports history it’s difficult to come up with a favorite. There is so much rich history to fall back on with each sport that it can be a bit overwhelming. However, if we narrow it down to within the last century we can find a lot of events that still have a significant impact on the sports we watch and participate in today. From the miracle on ice to Tiger Woods winning his fifth masters, there is an immense amount that has occurred within the last 40 years. Out of all of the events that have occurred within the last century, one of the most significant of them had to be Jackie Robinson becoming the first African American to play in major league baseball. This didn’t just affect the sport of baseball. This had an effect on all sports across the U.S. and the world. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson could be seen playing first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color line of the sport. Robinson managed to overcome adversity time and time again and eventually went on to help the Dodgers appear in six different World Series, eventually winning the World Series in 1955. By the time he had retired, he had become an icon and his number, 42, was retired across all major league baseball teams
Seventy-five years later, in 2022, baseball in the U.S. has become a much more diverse and inclusive sport. Many of the players have come from all over the world and have many different backgrounds. Jackie Robinson paved the way for these people and is the reason why they are able to play in the major leagues today. If it wasn’t for him, players like Derek Jeter would not have gotten the same opportunities as they have today. Jack Robinson was, and will continue to be, one of the greatest and most influential figures in sports history. His first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers is undoubtedly one of the greatest events in baseball and American history.
