Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play major league baseball in the United States, as a first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Not only was he a great athlete, Jackie Robinson was also a great Republican.  He campaigned for Richard Nixon's presidential campaign in 1960 and then supported Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY) for the Republican nomination in 1964.  Robinson worked as a special assistant in Governor Rockefeller’s administration.

The general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey, who hired Jackie Robinson, was also a Republican.  The Missouri Republican Party later offered Rickey the nomination for Governor and Senator, but he preferred baseball to politics.