was born Jack Roosevelt Robinson in 1919. He is a native of Cairo, Georgia. Robinson is one of the most famous baseball players to date. In 1947, he became the first major league African-American star. His career was the start of the end of baseball segregation. Robinson has won many awards including the first “Rookie of the Year”, “National League MVP” as well as the “Presidential Medal of Freedom”. Not only did he portray freedom in American sports, he also spoke out in the civil rights movement. Robinson supported Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 and his player number 42 was retired in 1997. Jackie Robinson was an icon in American history. He died in 1972 of heart disease a well as complications to diabetes. Robinson was 53 years old.

Jackie Robinson

Robinson suffered from diabetes and heart problems through his later life. He was almost completely blind because of the diabetes. Robinson, who had to deal with more than his health issues in his life, died at an early age because of his illnesses.