One hundred years ago today, Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born. Most commonly known as Jackie Robinson, he was the first African American Major League Baseball player. Born in Cairo, Ga., Robinson began playing sports at a young age. He attended University of California Los Angeles, where he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports. Unfortunately, he withdrew from college due to financial struggles and decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. It was only two years later he left the army with an honorable discharge from objections with racial discrimination run-ins. In 1945, he joined the Negro Baseball League where he played for one season with the Kansas City Monarchs. Two years later in 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey talked with Robinson on joining the Dodgers. The MLB had not had an African American baseball player since 1889 when baseball became segregated. Robinson was the first baseball player to break the Major League Baseball’s color barrier that stood for over 50 years. Robinson was a brave player who had an amazing career. Achieving many accomplishments, Robinson was named the National Rookie of the Year with 12 homers, a league-leading 29 steals and a .297 batting average. With many other awards received through his time in the MLB, it wasn’t until 1962 when his greatest accomplishment was acquired. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. A name that will never be forgotten, Robinson is remembered as a very important figure both for athletics and history.