Jackie
Robinson
Jackie Robinson made history in 1947 when he
broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Prior to that time, black baseball players
and white players competed in different leagues. Jackie Robinson ended that tradition and
became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.
He helped the world see that black people and white people could live
and work together in peace, and with great results.
Robinson had a fantastic baseball career. Over ten seasons, he played in
six World Series with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He was selected to six All-Star Games, and was voted the Most Valuable
Player for the league in 1949 (the first black player ever to get the award). In 1962, he was inducted into the Baseball
Hall of Fame.
What stands out most about Jackie Robinson, however, is not his baseball
success. It’s the way he behaved off
the field. He carried himself with class
and honor.
After he retired, his success continued into the business world. In the 1960s, Robinson helped create the
Freedom National Bank in
After Robinson’s death, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for
all of his accomplishments.
Reading
Comprehension Questions
1) Which of the following phrases best represents the main
idea of the passage?
a.
Jackie Robinson helped create the Freedom National Bank.
b.
Jackie Robinson had incredible athletic skills.
c.
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League
baseball.
d.
Jackie Robinson was honored with a Medal of Honor after his
death.
2) According to the passage above, which of the following events
happened last in Jackie Robinson's baseball career?
a.
he was voted Most Valuable Player for the league
b.
he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
c.
he broke the color barrier in Major League baseball
d.
he was selected to his final All-Star game
3) Using the contextual clues in the above passage, what is the
meaning of the phrase “broke the color
barrier”?
a.
he was the first player from New York to play baseball
b.
he was the first black player to play in the Major Leagues
c.
he was the first black player to get paid for playing
baseball
d.
he was the first baseball player to get involved in Civil
Rights
4) The above passage can best be described as which of the
following?
a.
an autobiography
b.
a newspaper article
c.
a journal entry
d.
a biography
5) Based on the tone of the passage, the author most likely
feels which way about Jackie Robinson?
a.
indifference
b.
jealousy
c.
respect
d.
irritation
Answer Key
1)
Which of the
following phrases best represents the main idea of the passage?
a.
Jackie Robinson helped create the Freedom
National Bank.
b.
Jackie Robinson had incredible athletic skills.
c.
Jackie Robinson broke
the color barrier in Major League baseball.
d.
Jackie Robinson was honored with a Medal of
Honor after his death.
2)
According to
the passage above, which of the following events happened last in Jackie
Robinson's baseball career?
a.
he was voted Most Valuable Player for the
league
b.
he was inducted
into the Baseball Hall of Fame
c.
he broke the color barrier in Major League
baseball
d.
he was selected to his final All-Star game
3)
Using the
contextual clues in the above passage, what is the meaning of the phrase “broke the color barrier”?
a.
he was the first player from
b.
he was the first
black player to play in the Major Leagues
c.
he was the first black player to get paid for
playing baseball
d.
he was the first baseball player to get
involved in Civil Rights
4)
The above
passage can best be described as which of the following?
a.
an autobiography
b.
a newspaper article
c.
a journal entry
d.
a biography
5)
Based on the
tone of the passage, the author most likely feels which way about Jackie Robinson?
a.
indifference
b.
jealousy
c.
respect
d.
irritation