History

Even non-sports fans know parts of the story.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the most popular sport in America, and helped change the way the country thought about racial integration. And Robinson’s legacy goes far beyond the already-amazing feat of breaking the color barrier. Herein, ten ways in which #42’s impact can still be seen.

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Ted Williams, Ernie Banks, Don Mattingly.  You know the names because you've heard them a million times, and strung together you probably already know what the topic is: great players who never won a World Series.

In basketball, football and even hockey to a certain degree, greatness is measured with rings.  Despite complete and utter statistical dominance, Wilt Chamberlain is considered by knowledgeable basketball fans to be inferior to Bill Russell.  Why?  Count the rings.

On today’s edition of This Day in Black Sports History, the 77th birthday of the man who is still widely recognized as Major League Baseball’s home run king is celebrated.

Born in Mobile, AL on Feb. 5, 1934, Henry Louis Aaron grew up in relatively poor surroundings, picking cotton on a farm and hitting bottle caps with sticks because his family couldn’t afford baseball equipment.

It is often forgotten that the 1998 New York Yankees, the team that won more regular season games (114) than the 1927 Yankees (110), were in a dire situation during the playoffs.

After winning the first game of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees lost Game 2 in 12 innings, 4-1.

Jim Thome led off the Indians' 12th with an opposite field single to left field. Enrique Wilson ran for him.

The Atlanta Braves organization has always been one to either stand out from the crowd and wait for someone to knock their crown off; or it's been one to fly under the radar and not really be recognized as a playoff contender.

The Braves are going into 2011 with some great off-season moves (Dan Uggla in particular), but they're also going into this new season with some unproven rookies.

Who was the greatest catcher in Philadelphia Phillies history, at least based on their contributions while they played for the Phillies? If we limit our discussion to those backstops who played for the Phillies in a minimum of five major league seasons, it’s a position that has nine receivers worth mentioning, and one that has some quality depth.

How deep? The one-time major league career leader in games played behind the plate, and a fine defensive catcher, Bob Boone, doesn't even make the first cut.

When Jack Roosevelt Robinson made his major league debut on April 15, 1947 in front of 26,623 spectators at Ebbets Field, including more than 14,000 black patrons, he became the first African-American player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier, which segregated the sport for more than 55 years.

The 1961 baseball season is remembered for the classic home run chase between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, both in pursuit of Babe Ruth's single-season home run record of 60. However, there were other great accomplishments that season.

"Dear fellow Yankee fan,

Man up.

It's Andy Pettitte after a loss. He's going to be completely out of gas, and find a way to hold them to two runs anyway."

Phil Rizzuto joined the New York Yankees in 1941. He batted .307 and played adequate defense at shortstop as the Yankees won the pennant and went on to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series.

The following season, Rizzuto made the All-Star team as the Yankees again won the pennant, but they lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals despite Rizzuto's .381 batting average.