APRIL 15 , 1947 ( #42)

When you are watching your favorite sporting event this weekend please take a long look at the players of the field, court, etc. We are so used to seeing a melting pot of nationalities playing the sports we love that most of us don't remember a time when things were quiet different. Prior to April 15, 1947 the vast majority of pro sports in our great country were not available for all of our fine Americans to play if they had the ability to play. Unfortunately for fans, players, and statistical records only White men were able to play most of these sports, but everyone knows that competition is what makes sports great and to be the best you have to compete against the best, in practice and in the games. If you can play you can play, it doesn't matter what your nationality, religion or sexual preference might be. Sports are a time to compete together for the love of the game and for anyone to not get that opportunity on the grandest of stages is an absolute travesty. April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson made his pro debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers and finally broke the vaunted color barrier in professional sports. He went through an agony of hate mail, ignorant acts of many and just plain meanness that season in route to winning the inaugural MLB Rookie of the year award. What Jackie did was bigger though than any award or personal achievement, Jackie made it possible for every single kid in America to dream. Many other players and people were extremely influential to the color barrier being broken but Robinson is the man who took the leap of faith and became the first. Kudos to Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier we need to take the time to remember the agony he went through to make sure we are always moving forward. Here's to you MR. ROBINSON!