Who was the first player named Rookie of the Year in Major League Baseball?
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play in modern Major League Baseball. The first player to “cross the color line” would have to be able to withstand intense public scrutiny and to avoid confrontation even when met with insults and hostility. After a year on a minor league team to sharpen his skills, he put on his first Dodgers uniform (number 42) in April 1947. Not only was Robinson able to quell opposition to his presence on the field, but he quickly won the respect and enthusiasm of the fans. He finished his first season batting .297 and led the National League in stolen bases with 29, earning baseball’s first Rookie of the Year Award. Two years later in 1949 he won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award, leading the league with a .342 batting average and 37 stolen bases.
