Jackie was also very dangerous at the plate. Starting in 1949, Jackie finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the NL batting races. A simulation conducted by Diamond Mind placing Robinson in the 2006-2007 Dodgers, Robinson had a .354 batting average, which is a big deal considering Freddy Sanchez led that year with a .344 average. Jackie never hit more than 20 home runs in a season, and under the simulation he would probably average 20-25 a season. He is known as a mid range hitter, but he didn't need to go yard every time. He had good contact, amazing speed and excellent base running ability. According to the simulation Robinson would have had a .430 OBP, just under Pujols with a .431.
Although Jackie was an amazing baseball player it wasn't his athletic ability that changed the course of baseball forever. Jackie wasn't just able to hit, he was able to take a hit. During his years in the majors he took many racial comments. When he first tried out for the majors at a Red Sox tryout the managers were using racial slurs and Robinson eventually left embarrassed. One most remembered event is the 1947 game when the Dodgers played the Phillies. Phillies manager and many players were calling Jackie a "nigger " and telling him to "go back to the Cotton fields ". Branch Rickey, the general manager of the dodgers later said that Chapmen united the dodgers that day more than hurt them. For the first time in history, black players were being openly defended. One notable moment was when Pee Wee Reese while playing in front of his family, put his arm around Jackie while fans were yelling racial remarks and slurs at him. But beyond baseball, this finally gave blacks the chance and motivation they needed to break the race barrier they had been oppressed by for so long. Robinson served more as just a great baseball player. He showed the rest of the black population that just because they're black doesn't mean that they can't be included in everything.