Jackie Robinson – Blackbird and Company

loving: feeling or showing great affection or care
athletic: physically strong, fit and active
shy: being reserved or having or showing nervousness or timidity in the company of other people
bright: giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining
selfless: to be more concerned with the needs and wishes of others than with one’s own; unselfish

Jackie Robinson was forty-three years old when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of fame. (Pg 1)
Jackie didn’t want his plaque to say that he was the first African American in major baseball because he wanted the plaque to honor his abilities the same way it did for all the Hall of Famers. (Pg 4)
The kids always wanted Jackie on their sports teams because he ran so fast. (Pg 14)
In high school Jackie ran track, played basketball, football and baseball. (Pg 20)
Before she met Jackie, Rachel Isum assumed that Jackie was conceited. (Pg 27)
After Rachel got to know Jackie she realized he was actually shy, didn’t like parties or staying out late. (Pg 27-28)
While traveling back from Hawaii to California, Pearl Harbor naval base was bombed and twenty-one US ships were destroyed and 2,403 people were killed. (Pg 31)

daring: adventurous or audaciously bold
lonely: sad because one has no friends or company
fed-up: annoyed or upset at a situation or treatment
nervous: easily agitated or alarmed
proud: feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements or qualities

While in the military, Jackie was put on trial because he refused to the back of a bus. (Pg 34)
Jackie chose to play baseball even though his first love was football because he had the opportunity to make money playing for the Kansas City Monarchs. (Pg 37)
Life in the Negro League was hard for Jackie as they moved from city to city, they often had to sleep in the bus as there weren’t any black hotels and he missed Rachel. (Pg 39)
Branch Rickey brought Jackie into the Brooklyn Dodgers office because he wanted Jackie to play for a minor team the Dodgers owned and then be moved up to the Dodgers. (Pg 47)
Before being promoted to the Dodgers, Jackie played on the minor league team of the Royals. (Pg 47)
It took Rachel and Jackie one and a half days to arrive at the spring training in Florida because they were bumped from flights and buses because they were black. (Pg 55)
The clubhouse was so crowded after Jackie’s first game because everyone wanted to congratulate him on his performance in the game. (Pg 62)

generous: showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected
devoted: very loving or loyal
busy: having a great deal to do
legendary: remarkable enough to be famous; well known
peaceful: free from disturbance; tranquil

Jackie and Rachel liked living in Montreal because their neighbors were friendly and helpful to Rachel and the baby. (Pg 64)
Leo Durocher managed to persuade the players to allow Jackie to play for the Dodgers by giving a famous speech in which he told them he didn’t care about a person’s color and that Jackie would help get the Dodgers to the World Series. (Pg 70-71)
Even though the Dodgers won the first game that Jackie played in he was disappointed that he didn’t play as well as he had hoped. (Pg 76)
When the crowd told Pee Wee Reese to stop playing with Jackie he walked over to Jackie and put his hand on his shoulder. A friendship began that day. (Pg 78)
Time Magazine, put Jackie on the cover and named him Rookie of the Year. (Pg 81)
The amazing thing that took place during game number 1 of the World Series was Jackie stole home right under the glove of catcher Yogi Berra! (Pg 88)
When Jackie worked for the NAACP he helped found an African American owned bank and started a company that made houses for poor people. (Pg 94)