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Ecco Press I Never Had It Made : The Autobiography Of Jackie Robinson by Jackie Robinson , Alfred Duckett
The bestselling autobiography of American baseball and civil rights legend Jackie RobinsonBefore Reggie Jackson, before Hank Aaron, baseballs stars had one undeniable trait in common: they were all white. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke that barrier, striking a crucial blow for racial equality and changing the world of sports forever. I Never Had It Made is Robinsons own candid, hard-hitting account of what it took to become the first black man in history to play in the major leagues.I Never Had It Made recalls Robinsons early years and influences: his time at UCLA, where he became the schools first four-letter athlete; his army stint during World War II, when he challenged Jim Crow laws and narrowly escaped court martial; his years of frustration, on and off the field, with the Negro Leagues; and finally that fateful day when Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers proposed what became known as the Noble Experiment--Robinson would step up to bat to integrate and revolutionize baseball.More than a baseball story, I Never Had It Made also reveals the highs and lows of Robinsons life after baseball. He recounts his political aspirations and civil rights activism; his friendships with Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, William Buckley, Jr., and Nelson Rockefeller; and his troubled relationship with his son, Jackie, Jr.I Never Had It Made endures as an inspiring story of a man whose heroism extended well beyond the playing field.show more