Champions were based on hard work, determination, and natural talent. Hitler was infuriated because the German spectators gave Owens a standing ovation. Owens was congratulated and welcomed home by a ticker-tape parade in New York City. Owens gained respect for black athletes in countries all around the world with his performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin (Whitehouse 1). .
Professional sports had not come along quiet as far as the Olympics had. That all changed with a man named Jackie Robinson. It is extremely important to be knowledgeable of Jackie Robinson because he was the man that paved the way for professional sports as we know them today. "Near six o"clock on the evening of January 31, 1919, Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born somewhere near the town of Cairo in Grady County in southern Georgia" (Rampersad 10). Robinson moved to California when he was a young child and that is where he grew up. Robinson was an exceptional baseball player. He was good enough that he earned a college scholarship to play baseball at Pasadena Junior College. Robinson was an amazing player. After finishing his junior college career, Robinson was offered a scholarship to play for the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). From there, Robinson went on to play in the Negro Leagues. Robinson played with players such as Josh Gibson, Sam Bankhead, and Satchel Paige. Robinson stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the Negro Leagues. Robinson finally got the chance of a lifetime. "On October 23, 1945, He was flown to Montreal to sign a contract to play for the Montreal Royals during the 1946 season" (Alexander 199). The Montreal Royals was not a part of the Negro Leagues. It was the minor league affiliate of the famous Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson was of course the object of intense media discussion. "On August 18, 1946, before twenty thousand people at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, Robinson made his debut with a home run, three bunt singles, and a pair of stolen bases.
