Jackie Robinson

During World War II, while in the Army Robinson was stationed in Kansas where he played several times with Joe Louis. 

Throughout his major league career, he was an avid golfer.  It’s to note that Jackie developed relationship with his Dodger teammates not in the dugout or during games but on the golf course on off days when not at the field.   

However, the most significant accomplishment in Jackie’s “golf” career was after his legendary baseball career. 

After baseball Jackie decided that he wanted to make his voice heard and took on a column that he penned for the NY Post.   

Robinson’s columns varied from topic to topic, and he occasionally devoted columns to the situation of the African American aspiring golfers.  He took to task the PGA for discriminatory practices and it’s Caucasians’ only clause. He devoted another column to a particular golfer who he felt had the merit to be included on the tour. 

The tour listened to Jackie when it didn’t anyone else.   Charlie Sifford credits Jackie Robinson with assisting with him being the first African American to gain his tour card in 1960 leading to the full repeal of the Caucasians’ only clause in 1961.   

The book “Beyond Home Plate” a publication of all of Robinson’s columns, one titled “A Shattered Dream”, notes his desire to start his own country club and the challenges of negros attempting to secure land and build a clubhouse and course.  Ultimately, the task was too much for his assembled group of Black golfers much to Jackie’s disappointment.    

Robinson continued to play golf until diabetes took his sight, up until the end he was  a lover of golf and champion of the black professional golfer. 

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