Google dedicated today's (Jan. 31) homepage Google Doodle to baseball legend Jackie Robinson, on what would have been his 94th birthday. As the first African American to play in Major League Baseball, Robinson was a barrier breaking civil rights activist, sportsman and pioneer.
The Doodle is illustrated to look like the logo of Robinson's team, the Brooklyn Dodgers and depicts Robinson wearing his signature no. 42 jersey and a baseball cap. Robinson is illustrated in bat swinging stance, and from the way he is holding the bat, it looks as though he is at the plate, about to hit a home run. Robinson first signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. His addition to the league broke color barriers and helped to pave the way for other African American players. Prior to his signing, many African Americans excelled in the sport of baseball as players in the "Negro leagues".
An exceptional baseball player, Robinson played in six World Series games and helped the Brooklyn Dodgers to win the 1955 World Championship. Prior to that, he received the MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and in 1949 was the first African American player to be honored with the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1962, Robinson received the honor of being inducted into Baseball's Hall of fame. Robinson died in 1972, but his cultural impact on the world will forever be remembered. His uniform number 42 was "universally" retired by MLB across all teams in the league in 1997. It was a very distinct honor, and he was the first player to ever be honored in such a manner.
An upcoming movie based on Robinsons life will hit theaters on April 12. The biopic, "42" stars Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, the Major League Baseball executive who signed Robinson and Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson. Viewers will get to see the story of how Rickey defied opposing views and signed Robinson to the league.
Clicking on the Google Doodle will give you access to more information about Robinson. You can learn about his career, his life and about his non-profit organization, The Jackie Robinson Foundation.
