I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson, Alfred Duckett

Harper Collins, May 6, 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 320 pages

Before Barry Bonds, before Reggie Jackson, before Hank Aaron, baseball's stars had one undeniable trait in common: they were all white. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke that barrier, striking a crucial blow for racial equality and changing the world of sports forever. I Never Had It Made is Robinson's own candid, hard-hitting account of what it took to become the first black man in history to play in the major leagues.

I Never Had It Made recalls Robinson's early years and influences: his time at UCLA, where he became the school's first four-letter athlete; his army stint during World War II, when he challenged Jim Crow laws and narrowly escaped court martial; his years of frustration, on and off the field, with the Negro Leagues; and finally that fateful day when Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers proposed what became known as the "Noble Experiment" -- Robinson would step up to bat to integrate and revolutionize baseball.

More than a baseball story, I Never Had It Made also reveals the highs and lows of Robinson's life after baseball. He recounts his political aspirations and civil rights activism; his friendships with Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, William Buckley, Jr., and Nelson Rockefeller; and his troubled relationship with his son, Jackie, Jr.

Originally published the year Robinson died, I Never Had It Made endures as an inspiring story of a man whose heroism extended well beyond the playing field.

Contents

• A Dream Deferred: 3
• The Noble Experiment: 26
• Breaking the Color Barrier: 37
• The Major Leagues: 53
• Just Another Guy: 71
• My Own Man: 78
• The Price of Popularity: 87
• The Growing Family: 104
• The Ninth Inning: 116
• After the Ball Game: 123
• New Horizons: 125
• Campaigning for Nixon: 135
• The Hall of Fame Award: 141
• Conflict at the Apollo: 145
• Crises at Home: 151
• On Being Black Among the Republicans: 162
• Differences with Malcolm X: 176
• The Freedom Bank: 183
• Hope and Disillusionment in White Politics: 198
• The Influence of Martin Luther King Jr: 210
• Jackies Prison: 217
• Politics Today: 236
• And He Was Free: 244
• Aftermath: 259
• Epilogue: 268

Bibliographic information

• Title: I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson; Real people
• Authors: Jackie Robinson, Alfred Duckett
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Harper Collins, 2003
• ISBN: 0060555971, 9780060555979
• Length: 320 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Cultural Heritage; Biography & Autobiography / Sports; Social Science / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies