Jackie Robinson was someone who changed and impacted baseball history. On April 15th 1947, he became the first African American player in the major leagues, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He faced racial abuse and harassment throughout his career but put it aside and showed everyone how talented he really was. Robinson was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, a World Series champion in 1955, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. He became the vocal champion for African American athletes and civil rights. On October 24th, 1972, Jackie Robinson, had passed away due to heart problems and complications with diabetes. His death affected many people because of the great impact he left on the sport of baseball. Many new things were introduced in the 1970’s, such as the 26th amendment which was passed by congress on March 23rd, 1971. The 26th amendment changed America by lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. President Nixon signed it into law the following July after the state's promptly ratified it. (“U.S. Timeline”) A few years later President Nixon got …show more content…
The Title IX law forced schools to provide equal access to sports for women. Once this law was passed female participation in sports skyrocketed. (Seeberg 7) The death of Jackie Robinson affected sports because he changed it for African Americans. He opened the door for African Americans in not only baseball, but for equal rights in general. (U.S Timeline) The 50th anniversary of the Yankee Stadium affected millions of baseball fans, players, and the Yankees themselves. Plans were made to remodel, rebuild, and modernize the stadium built by Babe Ruth. Many different features like the bat racks, the bullpen, home plate, seats, and other things were replaced to improve the stadium. (Flemming) These events in the 1970’s changed sports for the