If the late, great Jackie Robinson were still with us, today he’d be celebrating his 103rd birthday. The Dodgers legend and civil rights leader was born on January 31st, 1919 in a small town in Georgia. Jack Roosevelt Robinson made his way west to become a multisport star at Pasadena City College then UCLA.
After time spent in the Negro Leagues then MLB minor leagues, Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier on April 15th, 1947, paving the way for racial integration into America’s pastime. Now nearly 75 years later, players still speak of the impact the Hall of Famer has on them and the game.