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Jackie Robinson’s Lasting Impact on the World and HT By Linda Y. Jackson

hose unfamiliar with Huston- honor caught the eye of college scouts Tillotson’s history are skeptical when who lined up scholarships. The T they discover that baseball great University of California at Los Angeles Jackie Robinson was so closely connected (UCLA) was Robinson’s choice, and, to the institution. The fact that he was again his comfort with four sports employed as the basketball coach is even gained him letters in each and more perplexing. attention. He played professional football for the Los Angeles Bulldogs, The love for baseball in 1945 among was an athletic director for a local boys and men, whether played in a youth program, and taught Sunday neighborhood backyard with one shared School where the Reverend Karl bat and baseball among families, or in a Downs had served as pastor. hot, dusty stadium made the sport Karl Downs (left) president of Samuel Huston America’s game and America’s shame. Robinson served his time in the military, College, 1943-1948, was the officiant at the Jackie was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and Robinson wedding to Rachel. The Robinson’s had one son, David, who currently lives in Tanzania, Thanks to players like Andrew “Rube” was honorable discharged in 1944 after Africa. Foster (another Huston-Tillotson refusing to move to the back of a military unknown) who started the Negro bus. Austin became Robinson’s home those road stretches, Robinson noticed a National League, African American away from home with Downs, who was letter in his pile of mail from the Kansas president of Samuel Huston College, and baseball players had a place to live out City Monarchs. He couldn’t turn down his wife ensuring their dreams even if the opportunity to play for the most that home cooked there was no formal successful baseball team in the Negro meals and spiritual contract or league. His stay at Samuel Huston and in guidance awaited guaranteed salary. the soldier. Downs Austin was over. In 1945 he integrated needed a men’s major league baseball-broke the color Robinson, born in basketball coach, line-when he signed with the Brooklyn Cairo, Georgia, but and Robinson was Dodgers by way of their farm team, the raised in Pasadena, sitting across the Montreal Royals. He endured racial California, excelled dinner table. Little comments, bigotry, death threats, and in football, did Downs know physical harm while earning Rookie of basketball, baseball, that the invitation the Year honors in 1947 for the national and track at Muir Jackie Robinson played his entire baseball career with would be short league, major league records, and Technical High the Brooklyn Dodgers. He hit 137 homeruns during his nine year career. lived and historic. capturing six World Series titles. Most School. No one importantly, he paved the way for other noticed his talents and no scholarships to Samuel Huston’s basketball team under African American players in the minors college were offered. He enrolled at Robinson was undefeated while playing and majors.  Pasadena Junior College where his long, tough road schedules as part of the quarterback abilities and his most Southwestern Athletic Conference CONTINUED…See Robinson, page 39 valuable junior college baseball player (SWAC). Upon returning from one of

LEARN MORE. www.htu.edu Huston-Tillotson University Summer / Fall 2007 Ram Magazine [ 9 ]