Jackie Robinson – who debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers fifty years ago – recounts his career in sport and business in his book, which he titled I Never Had It Made.
Although known primarily among the general public for his baseball career, Robinson devotes scarcely more than a third of the book to the topic, covering his experiences in politics, business, and raising a family. Two basic lessons that the reader can take away are how adversity affects all sorts of people and it’s important to preserve nonetheless and that it is never to late to change one’s course in life, if one is willing to work and learn.
Robinson’s exploits on the diamond show athletes from all sports the value of smart, aggressive play and a determined, competitive nature. Obviously, his role breaking baseball’s colour barrier and the dignified way that he handled himself is a well-known positive example.
Throughout the autobiography, Robinson isn’t afraid to admit occasions when he did not succeed and would have acted differently if he could choose again. Nobody’s perfect and the ability to self-evaluate and reflect, irrespective of success or failure, is an important skill in life and sport.