Branch Rickey

Full Name: Wesley Branch Rickey
Profession: Baseball Player and Sports Executive

Nationality:

Biography: Helped break Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson.

Rickey also encouraged the Major Leagues to add new teams and introduced the batting helmet.

Born: December 20, 1881
Birthplace: Stockdale, Ohio, USA
Star Sign: Sagittarius

Died: December 9, 1965 (aged 83)
Cause of Death: Heart failure during a speech about physical courage in Columbia, Missouri, for his election to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Historical Events

1907-06-28 MLB Washington Senators steal a record 13 bases off of New York Highlanders catcher Branch Rickey
1942-10-29 Branch Rickey named president and general manager of Brooklyn Dodgers
1945-05-07 Branch Rickey announces formation of the US Negro Baseball League
1945-10-30 Branch Rickey signs Jackie Robinson to a contract with the Montreal Royals, the top minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers
1947-04-10 Jackie Robinson becomes first black player of the 20th century to sign a MLB contract; Brooklyn GM, Branch Rickey announces Dodgers had bought Robinson’s contract from Montreal Royals
1950-10-26 Branch Rickey resigns as Brooklyn Dodgers president
1950-11-03 Branch Rickey signs 5-year contract as Vice-President and General Manager of MLB Pittsburgh Pirates
1955-10-25 Branch Rickey steps down as GM of the Pirates
1959-08-18 Branch Rickey resigns as MLB Pittsburgh Pirates' CEO to be President of new baseball Continental League
1960-02-18 Continental League President Branch Rickey and Toronto team owner Jack Kent Cooke announce the opening date of their new baseball league as April 18, 1961
1967-01-29 Branch Rickey and Lloyd Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame