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Jackie Robinson’s importance to the game of baseball, the sports world, and American society cannot be overstated. Sometime lost in his story is just how skilled he was on the playing field.

A gifted athlete and tireless worker, Robinson lettered in football, basketball, track and field and baseball at UCLA. In 1939, Robinson was a key member of the Bruins undefeated football team. He set a still-standing school record by averaging 12.2 yards per carry. Robinson also led all the NCAA in yards per punt return in both ’39 and ’40.

The 1940 track and field season ended with Robinson as the NCAA champion in the long jump. In baseball, Jackie went 4-for-4 and stole home twice in his UCLA debut but finished the season with a .097 average.

After college Robinson was drafted into the Army for World War II. Admitted to Officers’ Training School, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1943.

Robinson experienced a racist episode of note while serving his country in 1944. On July 6th he boarded an Army bus. The driver ordered him to the back of the vehicle; Jackie refused. When he got off the bus he was arrested and later court martialed. A panel of all white officers acquitted him. In November, 1944 he received an honorable discharge.

Shown here is Jackie Robinson’s autograph. Dated January 29, 1964, this personal check is make out to Chock Full O’ Nuts. In 1956 Robinson was traded to the New York Giants. Rather than report to his new team, Robinson became Vice President and Director of Personnel for the company. His firm focused on hiring minority employees, boasting a workforce of nearly 75% African-Americans.

In his role Jackie focused on issues of employee absenteeism and quick turnover. He served as a role model, and attempted to improve employee satisfaction.

Less than month after Robinson wrote this check in 1964 he resigned his position at Chock Full O’ Nuts to work with New York governor Nelson Rockefeller in the Civil Rights struggle.

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The Kansas City Monarchs came calling for Jackie Robinson in 1945. In his first professional season Robinson led the Negro American League in doubles, homers, and on-base percentage.

Late in the ‘45 season Dodger GM Branch Rickey sent Clyde Sukeforth to Chicago to scout the Monarchs star. Liking what he saw, Sukeforth soon arranged a meeting between Robinson and Rickey.

Knowing Jackie would face severe racist taunts and perhaps even issues on his own team, Rickey asked him if he could stand not reacting to all the animus.

“Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?,” Robinson asked. Rickey replied that he wanted a man with enough guts not to fight back. The two found common ground and Robinson signed for $600 per month.

On October 23, 1945 Rickey and the Dodgers announced Robinson’s signing of a contract with the Montreal Royals. Now 27 years old, Jackie had a fine season in Montreal in ’46, hitting .349 with a .469 on-base percentage.

The following spring the Dodgers called up Robinson six days before the start of the season. He debuted on April 15, 1947, breaking baseball’s color line in the process.

Shown here is a pair of index cards from Clyde Sukeforth. The former big league catcher was not only the man who originally scouted Robinson for the Dodgers, he was also the manager when Jackie made his debut.

When Dodger manager Leo Durocher was suspended before the 1947 season, Sukeforth pilot e the club for two games, including Robinson’s historic season opener on April 15th.

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As a boy Ed Charles idolized Jackie Robinson and drew inspiration in watching Jackie break baseball’s color barrier. When Charles became a big leaguer he credited Robinson’s courage as inspiring the dream. Here Charles reflects on Robinson’s impact on a personal level and on a national level.

“Jackie represented to me, given the social climate of the nation at that time, hope, courage, and a new faith in a system that had been grossly neglectful of providing equal participation for its minority citizens,” Charles writes in the letter shown above. “His presence stirred me, as well as others, to redirect our goals from that of ‘Black Stream’ – limited opportunities – to ‘Main Stream’ America. He inspired me to personally strive forward with confidence so that I too could attain the ‘American Dream’.”

In the Robinson biopic “42”, a little boy played the part of Charles in his youth. In the movie’s epilogue, Jackie’s impact on Charles is detailed.

Reading the rest of the letter lends insight into just how important Jackie Robinson was to a nation that still struggles in race relations.

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Eighty-one days after Jackie Robinson debuted, Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League. Doby endured the same challenges Robinson is famous for facing. Like his Dodger counterpart, Doby triumphed. Both men ended up in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Doby was signed by the Indians on July 2nd and introduced to the Cleveland media the next day.

Shown here is a historic letter written by Indians pitcher Bob Feller to his wife Virginia. Notice the envelope with the Cleveland postmark of July 3, 1947, the day after Doby signed with the Indians.

Feller writes in part, “Honey, I was held up last nite with the radio show – getting O’Neill on and I had to wait for Gibbons (as usual) he was in the press conference concerning the Negro player the Indians signed. Guess it was quite a session.”

This historic letter was penned the same day Doby first donned a big league uniform to break the color barrier in the American League. Feller could not have imagined the impact Doby’s signing would have on the game and American society.

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Larry Doby left the Newark Eagles after the July 2nd contest. At the time of his departure he led the Eagles in most offensive categories. In 30 games played his numbers included 8 homers, 41 RBI, a .354 average, .438 on-base percentage, and a .743 slugging mark.

Doby played in 29 games for the Tribe in his first year in Cleveland. Along the way he acclimated himself to the trial and tribulations that came with being the league’s first African-American player. Doby entered spring training in ’48 with a better understanding of the challenges ahead. Soon he began a Hall of Fame ascent.

Through his first 13 games of the season, Doby hit .286 with 5 homers and 14 runs batted in. He finished the year with a .301 average and a 135 OPS+, helping the Indians win the World Series.

During his 13-year big league career, Doby hit 20 or more homers eight times. Twice he led the AL in long balls. The outfielder made the All Star Game every season from 1949-1955. During that 7-year run he slashed .286/.394/.505 with a 146 OPS+, averaging 27 homers and 95 RBI per season.

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Shown here is the second page of Bob Feller’s letter from Doby’s first day in a big league uniform. In the correspondence he writes, “Have to…get my back worked on and see [Indians owner Bill] Veeck about some stuff.”

After missing the chance to call his wife the previous day because of the Doby announcement, Feller was eager to speak to her.

“Honey, hope you call tonight as I will be in all evening…” Feller closes the letter, “I love you Doll.” He then signs the letter “Bobby”.

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According to the Hall of Fame’s website, Feller once said of Doby, “He was a great American, he served the country in World War II, and he was a great ballplayer. He was kind of like Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, because he was the second African-American player in the majors behind Jackie Robinson. He was just as good of a ballplayer, an exciting player, and a very good teammate. ”

The image above shows the telegram Bob Feller sent to his wife. It mirrors the content of the letter.

“DEAREST DOLL DUE TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND MAKING RADIO SHOW AFTER GAME COULD NOT TALK TO YOU PLEASE CALL THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER 9PM LOTS OF LOVE BOBBIE”

Feller had little idea of the impact the signing of Doby would have not only on baseball, but on the American Civil Rights movement as a whole.

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Generally considered the most influential general manager the game has ever known, Branch Rickey spent his entire adult life in baseball. He started his professional playing career in 1903 and later managed until 1925.

Rickey will forever be remembered as the executive who signed Jackie Robinson to break baseball’s color barrier. Rickey was also an innovative figure who is the father of the modern-day minor league farm system.

In the collection is this letter dated May 22, 1947 – one month after Robinson’s April 18th debut of the same year.

Rickey thanks fellow Dodger owner Walter O’Malley for a television set. Intertwined in baseball history for their partnership in integrating baseball, Robinson and Rickey maintained a lifelong friendship.

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The image shows Jackie holding his Hall of Fame plaque at Cooperstown on July 23, 1962 when he was the first man of color inducted. That year he and Bob Feller were 1st-ballot Hall of Fame selections.

Together they became the first 1st-ballot men since 1936 in the inaugural voting for Cooperstown. Feller and Jackie joined Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Honus Wagner as the first 7 men elected on their first try.

Robinson provided inspiration to many, far surpassing the realm of baseball. Heart disease took Robinson’s life on October 24, 1972 in Stamford Connecticut. He was 53 years old.

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Jackie Robinson’s illustrious career came to an end on September 30, 1956. That day Robinson came to bat for the last time against the Pirates’ Bob Friend.

An All Star for the first time that season, Friend led the National League in games started, innings pitched, and batters faced. In the collection is a questionnaire filled out and autographed by Friend.

Of Robinson, Friend writes, “a great athlete, a winner, and great competitor. Branch Rickey made the move that was long overdue.”

Interestingly, Friend also gave up the first big league hit for Pete Rose.

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After the Dodgers lost the World Series to the Yankees in 1956, they traded Jackie Robinson to the New York Giants. The trade was never finalized. Rather than report to the rival Giants, Jackie retired from the game and assumed an executive position with of Chock full 0’Nuts.

Robinson’s signature shown on this page comes on a personal check made out to the company.

After baseball Jackie stayed in New York for a number of years. His presence ranged from helping the common man in the community to working for Governor Rockefeller during the Civil Rights era.

In the collection is Robinson’s personal business card from that era.