The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time. Jackie Robinson More Quotes by Jackie Robinson More Quotes From Jackie Robinson When he (Richard Nixon) took the oath of office, he pledged to be the president for 100% of the people, and I challenge the president to prove that he is being the president for 100% of the people. Jackie Robinson oath-of-officechallengespeople Life is not a spectator sport. Jackie Robinson spectatorslife-issports I guess you'd call me an independent, since I've never identified myself with one party or another in politics. I always decide my vote by taking as careful a look as I can at the actual candidates and issues themselves, no matter what the party label. Jackie Robinson issuesindependentparty I don't think that I or any other Negro, as an American citizen, should have to ask for anything that is rightfully his. We are demanding that we just be given the things that are rightfully ours and that we're not looking for anything else. Jackie Robinson citizensshould-havethinking How you played in yesterday's game is all that counts. Jackie Robinson gamesyesterdayreality It kills me to lose. If I'm a troublemaker, and I don't think that my temper makes me one, then it's because I can't stand losing. That's the way I am about winning, all I ever wanted to do was finish first. Jackie Robinson winningwaythinking You're going to be a great player, kid. Jackie Robinson playerbaseballkids I don't like needing anyone for anything. Jackie Robinson I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect. Jackie Robinson acceptanceinspirational Pop flies, in a sense, are just a diversion for a second baseman. Grounders are his stock trade. Jackie Robinson diversionpopstrade The way I figured it, I was even with baseball and baseball with me. The game had done much for me, and I had done much for it. Jackie Robinson donebaseballgames Are you looking for a Negro who won't fight back? Jackie Robinson fighting It's not easy to be a martyr in the field of race relations. Jackie Robinson civil-rightsfieldsrace I ought to break this trophy into 32 pieces Jackie Robinson trophiespiecesbaseball I'm not goin' anywhere, I'm right here! Jackie Robinson Baseball, like some other sports, poses as a sacred institution dedicated to the public good, but it is actually a big, selfish business with a ruthlessness that many big businesses would never think of displaying. Jackie Robinson selfishbaseballsports It was mostly insults, but you can get those at any ballpark at any time. Jackie Robinson sports The black press, some liberal sportswriters, and even a few politicians were banging away at those Jim Crow barriers in baseball. I never expected the walls to come tumbling down in my lifetime. Jackie Robinson politiciansdownneverblack When I look back at what I had to go through in black baseball, I can only marvel at the many black players who stuck it out for years in the Jim Crow leagues because they had nowhere else to go. Jackie Robinson golookblacki-can I speak to you only as an American who happens to be an American Negro and one who is proud of that heritage. We ask for nothing special. We ask only that we be permitted to compete on an even basis, and if we are not worthy, then the competition shall, per se, eliminate us. Jackie Robinson youcompetitionproudspeak
