It all started in 1945. After 3 years serving in the Army he played baseb

No athlete this century has impacted more lives. Robinson lit the torch and passed it on to several generations of African-American athletes. While the Brooklyn Dodgers infielder didn't make a nation color blind, he at least made it more color friendly and he accomplished this feat by going against his natural instincts. He was an aggressive man, outraged at injustice, and quick to stand up for his rights. He had the guts to say no when ordered to the back of the bus in the army, and was court-martialed for his courage. His instinct wasn't to turn the other cheek, but to face problems head on. He was more prone to fighting back than holding back.

That's what Robinson had to do when Dodgers president Branch Rickey selected him to become the first African-American to play in the majors this century. Rickey wanted a man who could restrain himself from responding to the ugliness of the racial hatred that was certain to come.

April 15, 1947, Robinson's first major-league game: "It was the most eagerly anticipated debut in the annals of the national pastime," wrote Robert Lipsyte and Pete Levine in Idols of the Game. "It represented both the dream and the fear of equal opportunity, and it would change forever the complexion of the game and the attitudes of Americans." Robinson went hitless but did score the winning run.

By 1949, Robinson was free to become his own man. He became animated, with his teammates, the opposition, and the umpires. When he felt an injustice, he spoke his mind. For this, some thought he was an "uppity nigger," Robinson said. If a white player had shown the same fire, he would have earned praise, much like Pete Rose did. The real Robinson came into his own this MVP season, leading the league with a .342 average and 37 steals. He also had career-highs in RBI (124) and runs (122).

Jackie Robinson worked tirelessly over the years with a variety of church groups and community organizations. He served on the Board of Managers of the Harlem YMCA, where a building now bears his name. A major supporter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, he served as National Chairman of its Brotherhood Week in 1968.

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