Jackie Robinson Quotes: Famous Sayings On The Dodger Great's 99th Birthday

Wednesday marks the 99th birthday of the late Jackie Robinson, the man that broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier. The Brooklyn Dodgers’ second baseman was one of the greatest players in history, but he’s best-known for the impact he made by becoming the first black man to ever put on an MLB uniform.

Robinson was born on Jan. 31, 1919 and made his MLB debut on April 15, 1947. Starting his career under more pressure than anyone before him, Robinson exceeded all expectations. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, and he went on to win the National League MVP award two years later.

During his 10-year career, Robinson was named to six All-Star teams. He helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1955, three years before the team moved to Los Angeles. Robinson won the 1949 batting title with a .342 average and twice led the majors in stolen bases. He retired with a lifetime .311 batting average and four top-seven finishes in the MVP voting.

Robinson died of a heart attack on Oct. 24, 1972. He was just 53 years old.

Twenty-five years after his death, Robinson’s number, 42, was retired throughout the entire MLB. Players are no longer allowed to wear that number, with the exception of April 15 each year, when every player puts on a No.42 jersey.

Below are six quotes that have been attributed to Jackie Robinson.

“I cannot stand and sing the anthem. I cannot salute the flag; I know that I am a black man in a white world. In 1972, in 1947, at my birth in 1919, I know that I never had it made.”

“I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”

“Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life.”

“Civil rights is not by any means the only issue that concerns me — nor, I think any other negro. As Americans, we have as much at stake in this country as anyone else. But since effective participation in a democracy is based upon enjoyment of basic freedoms that everyone else takes for granted, we need make no apologies for being especially interested in catching up on civil rights.”

“Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he's losing; nobody wants you to quit when you're ahead.”

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”