During his playing days, sportswriters, who were turned off due to his outspokenness about basically anything unfairly treated Robinson. While at Pasedem, he played brilliantly against the White Sox in an exhibition game. After the baseball game the White Sox Manager said,"Geez if that kid was white I would sign him right now". Jackie Robinson had to deal with that and many others throughout his lifetime. When at a dinner with his wife in Sanford, Florida, Sanford official informed the Royals that black and white people would not be allowed on the same playing field together. Fearing that a mob might threaten the Robinson's, they were immediately sent back to Daytona Beach. Carl Eskine, one of his teammates said, "Robinson spoke out about everything when the writers though he should be focusing on baseball"(Rampersad). Robinson's arrival on the major league scene in 1947 prompted a slew of racially motivated actions. Pitchers ofthen threw the ball directly at Robinson, base runners tried to spike him, and he was subjected to a steady stream of racial insults on and off the field. In his autobiography " I Never Had It Made", he said " I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect"(Rampersad). Instead of shooting back with his mouth Robinson decided to let his playing do the talking and before long he known as one of the most exciting players in baseball. Very soon fans, both black and white were filling ballparks to see him in action and the Dodgers set new attendance records. Most of his teammates fully supported him as they became convinced of Robinson's value to the club.
Soon after his playing days were over, Robinson's health drastically declined. He had begun receiving insulin shots for diabetes and once fell into a diabetic coma. His diabetes would eventually take away his sight in one eye and dramatically reduce the sight in the other. After his retirement Robinson became a successful businessman and active supporter of political causes, devoting many of his efforts to help black people live a better life.
