ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Major League Baseball had excluded Black players since the 1880s; Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey spent years planning a integration experiment and scouting athletes who could withstand racist abuse.
What happened
Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, at Ebbets Field, playing first base and going 0-for-3 while handling relentless hostility from opponents and crowds.
Why it still matters
Robinson's courage opened the door for Larry Doby, Roy Campanella, and a generation of Black stars, though full league integration took more than a decade. Memorable detail: MLB now retires his number 42 league-wide every April 15.
Background
Branch Rickey's signing preceded full MLB integration.