Baseball:Baseball, Signed by the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers

The 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers lineup included major players liked Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, and Jackie Robinson, who broke the Major League Baseball's color barrier when he joined the team in 1947. Dodgers owner and president Branch Rickey orchestrated the hiring both as a money-making proposition and as a form of racial integration. Although many people responded with anger and hatred to this development, the African American community took immediate notice. Named Rookie of the Year in 1947 by The Sporting News and the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1949, Robinson drew praise for his style as well as his statistics. Adult baseball fans found inspiration in his skill and in his sportsmanlike behavior. Children of all colors tried to steal bases just like Jackie does. Robinson's high-powered offence helped lead the Brooklyn Dodgers the 1952 World Series again the Yankees and to win the National League pennant.