Before Making History in Baseball, Jackie Robinson Was Also a Talented Football and Track Star


Jackie Robinson is best known as the first player to break the color barrier in baseball, and for his undeniable ability to play baseball. He played for six all-star teams during his career, and eventually earned a spot in the baseball Hall of Fame. But he played more than just baseball!
In high school and college, he played at the varsity level in three other sports: football, basketball, and track & field. In 1940, he even won an NCAA championship in the long jump.

In basketball, he led the Pacific Coast Conference Southern Division in scoring two years in a row. Later, Robinson played professional basketball for a racially integrated team called the Los Angeles Red Devils.

On the football field, Jackie Robinson also played with great skill. During his peak, the NFL did not yet allow teams to have Black players, so he played semi-professionally for the Pacific Coast Football League with the Los Angeles Bulldogs and Honolulu Bears.