Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson’s Story Led Through Austin, TX

It's been about 70 years since baseball legend Jackie Robinson made his big league debut in 1947. MLB celebrates Jackie's career today on the anniversary of his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers some 69 years ago. Many know that Jackie was the first African American to join a Major League baseball team, but before his career took off, the legendary number 42 spent some time living right here in the Lone Star State.

Robinson coached the 1944-1945 Samuel Houston College Basketball team (now known as the Huston-Tillotson University Rams) in Austin Texas. Members of that long-ago team who are still here today described the Baseball legend as teaching his players that respect is earned and not given. Roland Harden of Austin who played on Jackie's basketball team, described Robinson as "Never using a profane word", and that Jackie "never got on a bus without a suit and tie on to go on a trip". Before Robinson inspired the Nation, he was doing the same for the athlete's of Austin, Texas.

Baseball teams all over the country will be paying tribute to number 42 today! In 2013, Harrison Ford released the Film "42" based on the Jackie Robinson story.

If your looking for more on the life of Jackie Robinson, PBS will be airing the Ken Burns documentary about Robinsons life off the field throughout the week.