Jackie Robinson was an American Major League Baseball second baseman who became the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era.
Robinson broke the baseball colour line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15, 1947.
The Dodgers, by playing Robinson, ended racial segregation that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s.
Robinson played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers’ 1955 World Series championship.
1944: John Inverarity, former Australia Test batsman and chairman of selectors (72).
1947: Nolan Ryan, former MLB pitcher and previous CEO of the Texas Rangers (67).
1955: Virginia Ruzici, former tennis player from Romania who won the 1978 French Open (61).
1984: Jeremy Wariner, American athlete specialising in 400m. He has won four Olympic and six world medals (32).
