July 23, 1962 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he was a star athlete, from 1939 to 1941 and served in the United States [...]
Tag Archives | Rookie of the Year Award
January 31st in African American History – Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson
January 31, 1919 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player of the modern era, was born in Cairo, Georgia. Robinson attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he was a star athlete, from 1939 to 1941 and served in the United States Army as a first lieutenant from [...]
November 21st in African American History – Vernon Earl Monroe
November 21, 1944 Vernon Earl Monroe, hall of fame basketball player known as “Earl the Pearl,” was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At an early age, Monroe was a playground legend known as “Thomas Edison” because of the many moves that he invented. In 1967, while playing for Winston-Salem State University, he earned NCAA College Division [...]
September 21st in African American History – Artis Gilmore
September 21, 1949 Artis Gilmore, hall of fame basketball player, was born in Chipley, Florida but raised in Dothan, Alabama. Gilmore played two years at Jacksonville University and led the team to the 1970 NCAA Division I championship game. He led the NCAA in rebounding both years and his career average of 22.7 rebounds per [...]
March 14th in African American History – Westley Sissel “Wes” Unseld
March 14, 1946 Westley Sissel “Wes” Unseld, hall of fame basketball player, was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Unseld played college basketball for three years beginning in 1965 with the University of Louisville where he was an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1968 NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets. That year, [...]
October 24th in African American History – Jack Roosevelt Jackie Robinson
October 24, 1972 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player of the modern era, died. Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. After graduating from Pasadena Junior College in 1939, Robinson transferred to UCLA where he became the school’s first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports, [...]