STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE 1 STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE 2 STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE 3 STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE 4 ABOUT VALUES We all face barriers in our lives, even Major ESSAY Follow the steps in the diagram below to help BASEBALL Graphs, like the bar graph below, display MY AND League Baseball players. Read below to see how ORGANIZER you write your essay. In baseball, you have to MATH information about numbers. In the example below, FATHER City Monarchs, Jackie Robinson played shortstop. BARRIERS some of these ballplayers face barriers by using follow bases as you run. Likewise in an essay, the length of each bar is proportional to the By Sharon Robinson He hit .387, perfected his skill at stealing bases, Jackie Robinson’s Nine Values. each step is important and should be followed to number it represents. Study this graph and then and was selected for the league’s All-Star Game. complete the essay. answer the questions that follow to learn more. They presented my father’s college statistics next. David Wright, New York Mets™ Curtis Granderson, Detroit Tigers™ Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals™ April 15 marks the anniversary of Jackie Rickey learned that while at UCLA, my dad was Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier in Major the leading basketball scorer in his conference, 2009 BATTING AVERAGES (PRIOR TO THE 2009 MLB® ALL-STAR GAME®) League Baseball. A student once asked me: “What t the national champion in the long jump, an Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins™ .373 SECOND BASE E is the color barrier?” Baseball’s “color barrier” All-American halfback in football, and a varsity “If there are any obstacles in your way, signifies the period in American history when baseball shortstop. In fact, Robinson was the you need to be determined to dodge Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners™ .362 AM black- and brown-skinned ballplayers were kept them and keep going. Whatever it CREATE AN OUTLINE: first athlete at UCLA to letter in four sports in a Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins™ .349 out of the Majors. In 1947, my father, Jackie single year. takes to be the best, determination will As you write the outline, get you there.“ R G Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals™ Robinson, broke through that barrier and opened In a now-famous meeting, Branch Rickey painted t remember that each main idea .332 TORII HUNTER needs details to support it. A the door for others to follow. the stressful conditions my father would face in Angels™ David Wright, New York Mets™ .324 Fifty years later, Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In the Majors. Rickey role-played a racist fan shouting THIRD BASE FIRST BASE Life was created to help students understand Jackie angry insults. A spiteful opponent might spike him “All I want to do is just go out there and Derek Jeter, New York Yankees™ .321 Robinson’s legacy of change. By participating in Jackie Robinson’s LL-ST with metal cleats. Rickey was testing whether my play hard. If I do that, good things will WRITE Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies™ .313 this program, you’ll come to understand the values father would have the strength of character to happen. It’s as simple as that.” Nine Values A TOPIC WRITE Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers™ that made my father successful on the field, and fight back with his bat rather than his fist. My COURAGE SENTENCES: YOUR MAIN .310 which also guided him as a parent. You’ll likewise CARLOS PENA Doing what you know is the right Use the details from LB father agreed to this approach. Two months later, Tampa Bay Rays™ IDEAS: Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies™ .309 discover strengths in your own character to help he signed with the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers™ t thing even when it is hard to do your outline to help you. Make sure your main you overcome barriers in your life. Let’s get started! farm team. “Having charisma, playing hard DETERMINATION Now you’re ready to head ideas relate to your topic. Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies™ .309 American baseball became popular during the As predicted, my father played baseball against every day, being a great citizen, and Staying focused on a plan even though home and BEGIN WRITING the path to its end may be difficult HOME PLATE Michael Young, Texas Rangers™ .308 Civil War. Briefly in the late 1800s, two black amazing odds. He fought back with perfectly committing to teamwork is me being YOUR ESSAY! part of Mr. Jackie Robinson.” TEAMWORK .292 ballplayers, Bud Fowler and timed bunts, hard-line drives, Working with other people Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays™ Robinson was : 2009 M Moses Fleetwood Walker, toward a common goal S and stolen bases. On April .280 ORLANDO HUDSON Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals™ played alongside whites. the first athlete t 15, 1947, Jack Roosevelt Los Angeles Dodgers™ PERSISTENCE Start Here But by 1890, Major League at UCLA to letter Working toward a goal and Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees™ .275 Robinson stepped onto the YER CHOOSE A TOPIC: ™ continuing to move forward even “in four sports in A Baseball, like most grass of Ebbets Field as a though you face obstacles or barriers Try to be as specific as Jason Bay, Boston Red Sox™ .260 “Persistence and determination will L of America, was member of the Brooklyn a single year. possible when you make carry you through even when your INTEGRITY P “segregated.” Dodgers™. He went on to Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers™ .243 talent may not. I call this ‘willing Sticking to your values, regardless of your choice. Until 1947, what others think you should do play 10 seasons, earning such awards as Rookie of yourself to succeed.’” black- and CITIZENSHIP Jackie Robinson the Year and Most Valuable Player. ” .000 .050 .100 .150 .200 .250 .300 .350 .400 DERREK LEE Making a contribution that brown-skinned players were in the Negro Leagues, It took 13 long seasons before every Major Chicago Cubs™ improves the lives of others BATTING AVERAGES while whites played in the Majors. League Baseball team had at least one African- t JUSTICE BEGIN WRITING YOUR ESSAY! 2010 ESSAY CONTEST! In 1945, Branch Rickey, president and general American player on its roster. Today, ” Being successful demands cultivating Treating all people fairly, no matter After you’ve rounded the bases above, follow Write an essay about a barrier manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers™, stepped Major League Baseball players internal values that guide the way in who they are QUESTIONS: Use the graph above to answer the questions below. Use a CREATE YOUR OWN which you conduct yourself both on these helpful tips to begin your essay. you have faced. In the essay, forward to break baseball’s color barrier. He come from around the world and COMMITMENT separate piece of paper to calculate your answers. BASEBALL MATH GRAPH and off the field. Seeing the courage explain how you used one or studied the field, using scouts to explore the pool Jackie Making a promise and following • Try writing a few “practice” sentences 1. How many players had batting averages above .300? continue to break barriers of Robinson through on it more of Jackie Robinson’s nine Visit www.MLB.com and and integrity displayed by Jackie to get your mind ready to go. of players. There were many Negro League players culture, language, race, and Robinson throughout his life has had values to face your barrier. choose “Stats” in the top tool EXCELLENCE • Use the outline you created on second who were well-known and proven professional religion. Like you, they RYAN HOWARD a great influence on me.” Doing the best that you possibly can Use the organizer above to help bar. Then click on different Jackie Robinson photo: © Bettmann/Corbis. MLB player photos: Courtesy MLB Photos. Philadelphia Phillies™ 2. How much higher was Albert Pujols’s batting average than Mark baseball players. Players such as Satchel Paige and face barriers and meet base to keep you on the right track. you develop your ideas. As a 4th-to-8th grader, you Teixeira’s? menus to select statistics you Josh Gibson certainly headed the list provided challenges with the same set • Your essay should begin with a good can enter the Breaking Barriers Essay Contest. For For quotes from Major League players want to represent in a graph. by Mr. Rickey’s scouts, but they agreed on Jack of values that helped my father on values and barriers, visit topic sentence. Creating a strong topic more information, ask your teacher or visit MLB.com/ Don’t forget to label the side VALUE: A belief that is important to you and helps to BREAKINGBARRIERS.MLB.com 3. Of the 5 players hitting below .300, what is the average of their Roosevelt Robinson. succeed on and off the field. sentence can help guide your writing. BREAKINGBARRIERS. guide your life. combined batting averages? and bottom of your graph, as The scouts told Mr. Rickey that, during his Sharon Robinson BARRIER: A problem or obstacle that stops you from well as give it a title. season with the Negro League team the Kansas Educator and Author Cut here for your own MLB player photos: Courtesy MLB Photos. Baseball photos: © Imageshop. Photos, top to bottom: Courtesy Robinson Family; © AP Images; © Bettmann/Corbis. moving forward. #Jackie Robinson’s Nine Values bookmark. MLB player photos: Courtesy MLB Photos..