» March 18, 1942: Two black players, Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland, request a tryout with the Chicago White Sox during spring training at Pasadena. Manager Jimmie Dykes allows them to work out but dismisses the two without an offer.

» April 16, 1945: Under pressure from local politicians, the Boston Red Sox allow three blacks -- Marvin Williams, Sam Jethroe, and Jackie Robinson -- to work out at Fenway Park. None is signed.

» October 23, 1945: Branch Rickey announces the signing of Jackie Robinson by the Dodger organization.

» October 30, 1945: Branch Rickey signs Jackie Robinson to a Montreal (IL) contract for 1946. Black P John Wright also signs.

» March 17, 1946: In Daytona Beach, the Dodgers take the field against their minor-league farm team, the Montreal Royals. With Jackie Robinson in the lineup for Montreal, the game marks the first appearance of an integrated team in organized baseball in this century. More than forty years later, the field will be renamed Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

» April 18, 1946: Jackie Robinson debuts as 2B for the Montreal Royals (International League) and is the first recognized black in organized ball in this century. A HR and 3 singles versus Jersey City start off the season in which he will win the IL batting championship at .349.

» April 1, 1947: Branch Rickey deflects pressure on Jackie Robinson by keeping him in Montreal, although it is clear the contending Dodgers can use the 1946 International League batting king.

» April 10, 1947: During the 6th inning of the Dodgers-Royals exhibition game at Ebbets Field, the Dodgers announce that they have purchased the contract of Jackie Robinson from Montreal and that "he will report immediately." Rickey says after the game that he reached a definite decision just five minutes before he made the announcement.

» April 15, 1947: Facing Johnny Sain, Jackie Robinson goes hitless in three trips in his debut but handles 11 chances at 1B, a new position for him, in a 5–3 Brooklyn win over the Braves. Coach Clyde Sukeforth, interim manager and the man credited with first scouting Robinson, guides the team to two wins and a loss before he steps down.

» April 17, 1947: The Dodgers win 12–6 over the Braves at home, as Jackie Robinson gets his first ML hit—a bunt single, off Glenn Elliot. Robinson will bunt 42 times, collecting 19 hits, during the year. The Brooklyn offense is lead by fellow rookie Johnny "Spider" Jorgensen, who drives in six runs.

» April 18, 1947: The Giants shell the Dodgers, 10–4, with Jackie Robinson hitting his first home run, off Dave Koslo, in the loss. The Giants counter with six homers—2 apiece by Bobby Thomson and Bill Rigney, and one apiece by Johnny Mize and Willard Marshall. Scout Burt Shotton is the surprise choice to replace Leo Durocher: he watches but does not manage the game.

» April 22, 1947: At Ebbets Field, the Phils test Jackie Robinson by yelling racial slurs and invectives from the dugout. Jackie keeps his cool, singles, and scores in the 8th inning. Hal Gregg allows just one hit and the Dodgers win, 1–0.

» April 30, 1947: In Brooklyn, the Cubs top the Dodgers, 3–1. Jackie Robinson, nursing a sore right arm, is hitless and is 0-for-20 since April 23rd. He'll double tomorrow in his first at bat.

» May 8, 1947: A movement among Cardinal players to protest its first meeting with Jackie Robinson and the Dodgers is aborted by a clubhouse talk from owner Sam Breadon, according to a story by writer Stanley Woodward, League president Ford Frick had warned the team that if a strike occurred, any player involved would be suspended. Cardinal manager Eddie Dyer denies there was any strike talk. The Cards win 5–1, for their 2nd win in a row.

» May 9, 1947: In his first game outside of New York City, Jackie Robinson has two hits and scores twice in the Dodgers 6–5 loss to the Phillies. After the game, the Dodgers give their young first baseman a vote of confidence by selling Howie Schultz, Robby's back up, to the Phils for $50,000. Tomorrow, Branch Rickey announces he's giving up his attempts to pry Johnny Mize away from the Giants.

» May 14, 1947: The Reds Ewell Blackwell whips the Dodgers, 2–0, handing Brooklyn its first shutout of the year. Jackie Robinson collects two of the Dodgers' six hits to run his hitting streak to 11 games.

» May 18, 1947: At Chicago, the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson attract a crowd of 46,572—still a single game paid attendance record at Wrigley. Brooklyn scores after 18 shutout innings and beats the Cubs, 4–2, extending the Cubs' losses to five straight. Robinson goes 0-for-4 to stop his hitting streak at 14 games: he'll start a 21-game streak on June 14. Joe Hatten is the winner while Cubs starter and loser Johnny Schmitz walks eight and strikes out nine before relief comes in.

» May 27, 1947: Before 51,780 fans at the Polo Grounds, the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 7–3. Da Bums score in the first inning when a Dixie Walker single drives home Jackie Robinson.

» June 22, 1947: Ewell Blackwell just misses pitching back-to-back no-hitters when Eddie Stanky of the Brooklyn Dodgers singles with one out in the ninth inning. Blackwell then gets Al Gionfriddo before Jackie Robinson bangs out a second single. Blackwell wins 4-0, his ninth straight win to improve to 11-2. Stanky's hit ends Blackwell's hitless-inning skein at 19.

» June 24, 1947: The Dodgers win 4-2 over the Pirates, as Jackie Robinson swipes home for the first of 19 times in his career.

» September 17, 1947: Jackie Robinson is named Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News 2 weeks before the season is over. At the year's end he has hit .297, led the league in stolen bases and sacrifices. He has 14 bunt hits, and in a game against the Cubs in June he scored from 1B on a sacrifice.

» March 6, 1948: The Braves get veteran 2B Eddie Stanky from the Dodgers for Bama Rowell, minor leaguer Ray Sanders and a reported $60,000. The Dodgers' second base spot is now open for Jackie Robinson. The Dodgers will return Sanders for cash next month.

» July 17, 1948: The Dodgers down the Reds, 8–4 and 10–4 for their 12th win in 14 games. Ralph Branca wins the opener as Jackie Robinson clouts a 3-run homer in the 8th. Paul Minner wins his first ML game in the nitecap with six innings of relief. During an argument with Frank Dascoli, Reds catcher Dewey Williams grabs the ump. Willliams will be fined $100 and suspended for five games. However, with catcher Ray Mueller on the disabled list with a broken ankle, the Reds appeal the suspension, stating they have only one catcher, Ray Lamanno. Ford Frick, National League prexy, will rule that Williams will serve the suspension in the Reds clubhouse, while dressed in full uniform. If anything happens to Lamanno, Williams can substitute, and a game will added to the suspension.

» August 22, 1948: The Dodgers steal eight bases, including a 5th-inning triple steal with Jackie Robinson on the front end. But the Braves win 4–3 to move two games ahead of 2nd-place Brooklyn. In the last 19 steal attempts against the Braves, no Dodger has been thrown out.

» August 29, 1948: The Dodgers sweep a doubleheader, 12–7 and 6–4, against the Cardinals to take over first place ahead of the Braves by three percentage points. In the first game, Jackie Robinson hits for the cycle, scores three runs, drives in 2, and swipes 3B. The Cardinals use 42 players, a major league record, in the two games, with Brecheen and Munger taking the losses. In the American League, only two games separate the Red Sox, Indians, and Yankees.

» May 15, 1949: Boston's Vern Bickford stops the Dodgers, 4–0, allowing just four singles. One is by Gil Hodges, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. Jim Russell switch hits a homer and double to pin the loss on Morrie Martin. The Braves start Al Lakeman at 1B in place of Earl Torgeson, who separated his shoulder yesterday when he attempted to block Jackie Robinson on a double play. Torgeson will be operated on tomorrow and will be sidelined several months.

» May 30, 1949: Jackie Robinson hits a 13th-inning home run to give the Dodgers a 2–1 win at the Polo Grounds.

» July 12, 1949: The NL commits five errors, allowing the AL to record an 11-7 triumph in the All-Star Game at Ebbets Field. The contest marks the first appearance of black players--Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Don Newcombe in the NL lineup and Larry Doby among the AL stars.

» July 28, 1949: A 12-for-25 run raises Jackie Robinson's NL-leading average to .364. Jackie will tail off from that mark but will win the batting title at .342.

» September 9, 1949: Despite terrorizing the NL with bat and baserunning during the season, Jackie Robinson is picked off base by Dave Koslo, the 4th time this year Giants pitchers have nabbed him.

» September 20, 1949: Jackie Robinson steals home in a 5-0 Dodger win against the Cubs. It is his 5th steal of home this year and the 13th in his 3 years in the NL. That is the most in the ML since Ben Chapman stole his 15th and last in 1940, his 11th season.

» October 6, 1949: Another 1-0 game, and Preacher Roe wins this one for Brooklyn to knot the Series. Gil Hodges' single drives in Jackie Robinson in the 2nd for the winner.

» November 18, 1949: NL batting leader (.342) Jackie Robinson is picked for the NL MVP award.

» January 24, 1950: Jackie Robinson signs a contract for $35,000, reportedly making him the highest paid Brooklyn player in history.

» April 25, 1950: Joe Hatten gives the Dodgers (5-1) their fifth straight win, stopping the Braves 3–0 on two hits. Vern Bickford loses to Brooklyn for the first time after three wins. Jackie Robinson is 3-for-3 with a walk, to pace an 8-hit attack.

» June 1, 1950: Marty Marion, Sid Gordon, and Hank Thompson hit grand slams for the Cards (5–2 over Brooklyn), the Braves (14–2 over the Pirates), and the Giants (8–7 in the first of two at Cincinnati) respectively. Gordon adds a second homer as he drives home seven runs for Boston, winners over the Pirates, 10–6. The Cards lose the services of C Joe Garagiola, who separates his shoulder after tripping over Jackie Robinson covering 1B, and Tommy Glaviano, who sprains his ankle. Hitting .347 at the time, Garagiola won't return until September 3 (as noted by Bill Deane) and will hit only 2-for-13 the rest of the season. But the grand slam, the first in Marion's 11-year-career, moves the Birds into a tie for first place with the Dodgers.

» June 24, 1950: The first-place Dodgers lose to New York's Sunday curfew when their game with the Pirates is halted with one out in the 8th, Brooklyn leading 19–12. Five homers are hit including Jackie Robinson grand slam in the 8th. The game will be completed later.

» August 1, 1950: The Dodgers complete a suspended game of June 24th with the Pirates, by scoring 2 more runs in the eighth to post a 21–12 win, outhitting the Pirates 25 to 8. Roe is the winner over Bill Werle. 12 extra base hits are made by the 2 teams, including 5 HRs. Jackie Robinson hits his second career grand slam as the Dodgers score 7 runs in both the third and eighth innings. In the regular contest, Erv Palica gives the Brooks a 3–1 win.

» August 16, 1950: Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers denies news reports that Jackie Robinson, last year's MVP, will be traded. The latest tempest was started by the second baseman's comments after he was removed from the lineup on August 12th by Bert Shotton after making an error. "I wouldn't be surprised if I was traded," Jackie was quoted as saying.

» June 17, 1951: In Boston, the Dodgers win the first of two, 3–1, behind Carl Erskine's 2-hitter. Gil Hodges hits his 34th homer in support. The Braves jump on Johnny Schmitz for three runs in the first inning and take the nitecap, 4–3. Jackie Robinson leaves 13 baserunners in the two games.

» June 18, 1951: Preacher Roe (16-2) returns after a 10-day absence and subdues the Braves, 5–3. Jackie Robinson snaps a 2–2 tie with a homer in the eighth off Chet Nichols.

» June 22, 1951: A power failure at Forbes Field delays the start of the game with Dodgers by two hours. Rain holds up play in the sixth inning by another 36 minutes, pushing the ending to 1:56 a.m., the latest game played to date. Brooklyn has no power problems as Jackie Robinson's homer helps Da Bums to an 8–4 win. Of the 24,966 on hand at the start, 10,000 are still on hand at the end.

» August 22, 1951: The Dodgers sweep a pair of 10-inning games from St. Louis, with Clyde King picking up both come-from-behind victories. King goes three innings in Game One and one inning in game 2. Jackie Robinson is 5-for-6 in the nitecap including a 2-out single in the 10th off Al Brazle. Andy Pafko has a homer in the nitecap, while Stan Musial hits his 29th in game 1. Furillo has three hits on the afternoon and a pair of assists in game 1, bringing his season total to 21. The Dodgers have now won 14 straight from the Cards.

» August 26, 1951: The Pirates club the Dodgers, 12–11 to win the opener of two with the league leaders. Brooklyn chases Howie Pollet and takes a 9–2 lead but the Bucs roar back with eight runs in the 7th inning. Clyde King, unscored on in his last eight games, is the loser. The Dodgers load the bases in the 9th, and Murry Dickson walks pinch-hitter Cal Abrams to force in a run and make the score 12–11. But Carl Furillo and Pee Wee Reese fail to deliver. Pete Castiglione has two homers for the Pirates. Brooklyn wins the second game, 4–3, when Jackie Robinson homers in the 10th, off Ted Wilks. Andy Pafko homers in the 8th, off Bob Friend, and Preacher Roe (17-2) goes all the way.

» September 2, 1951: Don Mueller hits two more home runs, giving him five in two days, to tie an ML mark. His 2nd homer, again off Phil Haugstad, comes a minute after he learns he is a new father. Bobby Thomson adds his 25th homer and Jim Hearn beats the Dodgers 11–2. After Mueller's 2nd homer, Haugstad decks Thomson and hits Mays with a pitch, evoking a warning from Al Barlick. Barlick had earlier thumbed Branca and Dick Williams in the 5th inning, Newcombe in the 6th when he objected to a call, and Jackie Robinson and rookie Clem Labine. Dressen then clears his bench to avoid any more thumbings. The Giants move to five games behind Brooklyn. The Dodgers are suspicious of the losses at the Polo Grounds, and later there are revelations about signs being flashed to Giant batters from the CF scoreboard. Did it happen? Sal Yvars later said, "yes," while Mueller remarked, "as for my home runs and the sign stealing, this has been much talked about and I would prefer not to comment." On the Dodgers side, Buzzie Bavasi denied it occurred, but Clyde Walker concluded, "it did happen."

» September 8, 1951: The pennant race heats up, as Dodger ace Don Newcombe 2-hits the Giants, 9–0, beating Jim Hearn. Jackie Robinson has three hits and three runs, scoring one run from 3B when he provokes Jim Hearn into wild pitching. Giants pitchers contribute 10 walks.

» September 9, 1951: Sal Maglie wins his 20th game to give the Giants a 2–1 win over the Dodgers' Ralph Branca. Monte Irvin's two-run homer in the 4th gives New York all its scoring, The Dodgers score in the 8th on a double by Snider and a triple by Jackie Robinson. But 3B Bobby Thomson snags a ground, tags Robby, and throws to first for a DP. The Dodgers still lead the Giants by five 1/2 games.

» September 30, 1951: Jackie Robinson hits an upper deck home run in the 14th inning off Robin Roberts, who came on in the 8th, to give the Dodgers a critical 9–8 win over the Phils. Robbie saves the game in the 13th by making a great catch of an Eddie Waitkus line drive and throwing to 2B for a DP. In the process, he injures his elbow. Reliever Bud Podbielan is the winner, the victory keeping Brooklyn in a first place tie with the Giants. Catcher Andy Seminick of the Phils walks five times, the first Phillie to do so in a game. The Dodgers overcome a 6–1 deficit to win and set the stage for a playoff with the Giants.

» October 2, 1951: The Dodgers bounce back as rookie Clem Labine evens the playoff with a 10–0 win, besting the Giants' Sheldon Jones. Home runs are smashed by Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Andy Pafko, and Rube Walker. Willie Mays grounds into three double plays.

» October 7, 1952: In Game 7 the Yankees take their 4th consecutive WS championship, as Allie Reynolds, one of 3 relievers, defeats Joe Black 4-2. Billy Martin saves the day by snaring a 2-out, bases-loaded IF pop off the bat of Jackie Robinson. Gil Hodges goes hitless again and is 0-for-21 in the Series. Each Yank will receive a winners' share of $6,026, and each Dodger, a losers' share of $4,200.

» November 30, 1952: On a local TV program, Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson charges that the New York Yankee management is racist for its failure to bring up a black player. George Weiss of the Yanks denies the allegations.

» December 2, 1952: Dodger executive Buzzie Bavasi dismisses the Yankees reaction to Jackie Robinson's charges. Commissioner Ford Frick plans no action against Robinson.

» April 24, 1953: Jackie Robinson walks twice in the 6th inning, as the Dodgers score 6 runs en route to a 12-4 pasting of the Giants.

» August 30, 1953: The Dodgers rip St. Louis 20-4 with the help of two big innings. Dodger Jackie Robinson fans twice in the third inning, while Gil Hodges walks twice in the sixth. Roy Campanella's five RBIs ties the NL season mark of most RBIs by a catcher (122).

» October 8, 1953: The city of Birmingham, AL, bars Jackie Robinson's Negro-White All-Stars from playing there. Robinson gives in and drops the white players from his group.

» April 23, 1954: Jackie Robinson steals 2B and 3B, then swipes home on the front end of a triple steal with Gil Hodges and Sandy Amoros in the 6th against the Pirates. The Dodgers win 6–5 in 13 innings, when Robinson doubles home Junior Gilliam.

» June 2, 1954: After being banished during a rain-splashed victory over the Braves, Dodger star Jackie Robinson accidentally flings a bat into the stands, injuring a spectator.

» August 1, 1954: Dodgers Clem Labine beans Joe Adcock in the fourth. Though he is wearing a batting helmet, Adcock is taken out of the game as a precautionary measure. His helmet apparently saves him from a serious injury. He will appear in the starting line-up the next day. Gene Conley reciprocates by knocking down Jackie Robinson in the sixth. Robinson ends up scrapping with Eddie Mathews. The Braves win 10-5, their 10th win in a row, as Conley runs his record to 10-5.

» April 22, 1955: Though the Dodgers take a 3-0 lead into the 8th, their streak ends as the Braves' Max Surkont beats Johnny Podres 5-4. Don Zimmer is called out at home on a squeeze play by Jackie Robinson that would have tied the game.

» May 2, 1955: At Ebbets, Carl Furillo raps his 8th home run with Jackie Robinson on base in the 12th inning to give the Dodgers a 2–0 win over the Braves. Carl Erskine wins his 4th straight, beating Gene Conley, as both pitchers go the distance.

» September 28, 1955: The Yanks win the first game of the WS, as Whitey Ford beats Don Newcombe, 6-5. In a controversial play with Frank Kellert at bat, Jackie Robinson steals home in the 8th to bring the Dodgers to within a run of a tie. Films later disclose that Robinson is out by a whisker, but Yankee C Yogi Berra actually balked on the play, receiving Whitey Ford's pitch before Kellert could swing at it.

» October 9, 1956: The Dodgers bounce back. Clem Labine comes out of the bullpen to pitch a 1-0 victory in 10 innings. Enos Slaughter misjudges Jackie Robinson's fly ball, and Jim Gilliam scores from 2B.

» December 13, 1956: The Dodgers trade Jackie Robinson to the Giants for P Dick Littlefield and $35,000. Robinson retires rather than accept the trade.

» January 5, 1957: Jackie Robinson retires, voiding the December deal with the Giants.

» January 23, 1962: Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

» July 23, 1962: Bob Feller, Jackie Robinson, Bill McKechnie, and Edd Roush are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

» March 17, 1965: Jackie Robinson is signed as a member of the ABC-TV baseball broadcast team, becoming the first black to receive a network position broadcasting baseball. ABC provides the first-ever nationwide baseball coverage with weekly Saturday broadcasts on a regional basis.

» February 13, 1968: The Giants trade C Tom Haller and P Frank Kasheta to the Dodgers for infielders Ron Hunt and Nate Oliver. This is the first trade between the two clubs since 1956 when Jackie Robinson was sent to the Giants but retired instead.

» October 24, 1972: Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson dies of heart disease at age 53. Robinson had become the first black ML player of this century with the 1947 Dodgers.

» May 11, 1980: In a 7–3 win over the Reds, Philadelphia's Pete Rose, 39-years old, steals 2B, 3B, and home in one inning. It is the fifth time since 1928 that this has been accomplished: The last National Leaguer to pull this feat was Jackie Robinson in 1954.

» July 14, 1987: The BBWAA votes to rename the Rookie of the Year Award in honor of Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier on the way to winning the first Rookie of the Year Award in 1947.

» November 3, 1987: Oakland 1B Mark McGwire wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award, now called the Jackie Robinson Award, joining Carlton Fisk (1972) as the only player to win that league's award unanimously. McGwire set a rookie record with 49 homers and was the first rookie to lead the majors in homers since Al Rosen in 1950.

» November 4, 1987: Padres catcher Benito Santiago is a unanimous selection as the National League Rookie of the Year, now called the Jackie Robinson Award, while Pirates pitcher Mike Dunne is the second choice on 22 of 24 ballots.

» June 15, 1991: Former baseball commissioner Albert "Happy" Chandler dies of a stroke at age 92. As commissioner from 1945 to 1951, Chandler held office when Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.

» February 18, 1999: The U.S. Postal Service issues a Jackie Robinson stamp as part of their "Celebrate the Century" program. Robinson was selected to represent the 40's, the 2nd ball player chosen. Babe Ruth, last May, represented the 1920s.