On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball with his appearance for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Boston. His on-field accomplishments were made even more incredible by the adversity he faced as he dealt with racism in the form of insults and violence. By not retaliating against those who questioned his worth based solely on the color of his skin, Robinson became a role model for athletes of every race and paved the way for blacks to participate on an equal footing with whites in sports across the United States.

One of those athletes inspired by Robinson’s legacy is UW sprint and relay coach LaMonte Vaughn.

“I come from a predominantly African-American community in Chattanooga, Tennessee,” Vaughn said. “In the South, race is a huge deal, and Jackie Robinson was the first athlete I heard about. When you’re a kid discovering your gifts, the first person you hear about has a huge influence.”

Many initially resented Robinson’s presence as a black man on a big league team. He faced racist taunts from rival coaches, players and fans, and received hate letters and death threats. His ability to maintain self-control and remain silent in the face of such bigotry was an inspiration to blacks dealing with discrimination across the country.

“I remember my father constantly talking about Jackie Robinson, and telling me stories about all of the threats,” UW basketball coach Lorenzo Romar said. “As I got older, I appreciated even more how he handled them.”

Before he began to break records in Major League Baseball, Robinson was an outstanding college athlete as well. He received a scholarship to UCLA, where he became the first student-athlete there to letter in four varsity sports: football, basketball, baseball and track.

Scholar-athletes today still appreciate Robinson’s legacy.

“He opened the door for the success of all of us college athletes,” UW tailback Louis Rankin said. “During Jackie Robinson’s period, he had to go through a lot. He risked his life, and now we don’t have to go through what he did in dealing with racism.”

In honor of the 60th anniversary of Robinson’s major league debut, April 15 was declared Jackie Robinson Day by MLB commissioner Bud Selig. Players, coaches and managers donned uniforms bearing his number, 42, which was retired 10 years ago in honor of his achievements in the sport.

Robinson was named Rookie of the Year in his first season, and National League MVP in 1949. Over the course of his 10-year career, he led the Dodgers to six National League pennants and a World Series victory in 1955.

Robinson’s impact went beyond his achievements on the baseball diamond, though — he changed the way blacks were perceived in the world of sports.

“Jackie Robinson changed the face of American culture,” Vaughn said. “Without Jackie Robinson, there would be no Michael Jordan, there would be no Tiger Woods, there would be no Tyrone Willingham or Lorenzo Romar.”

This week’s celebration of Robinson’s legacy not only reminds us of what he did for the sport of baseball, but of what he did for black athletes in all sports at both the college and the professional level. By breaking the color barrier in baseball, Robinson inspired black athletes and created opportunities for them that had not existed before.

“When you have a Jackie Robinson Day, it revisits his impact and how special he really was,” Romar said. “But it also forces us to have accountability and to look at where we stand today.”

At the university level, black athletes have a strong presence on sports teams, making up large percentages of the student-athletes in various sports, especially revenue sports like football and basketball. Although black coaches are not as well represented, progress is being made.

“The representation is improving at this point,” Romar said. “I think here at UW we are making bigger strides than anyone in that regard.”

Vaughn also feels that the presence of blacks, especially black women, at the administrative level is limited.

“We need more African-American women in coaching and administration,” he said. “This door has not been opened as much. For real equality, we need progress in terms of both race and gender.”

Robinson passed away at age 53 in 1972, but his accomplishments transcend time and have done much to pave the way for black athletes in sports today. With his major league debut 60 years ago, Robinson changed the world of American sports forever.

“He opened a wide door that was never opened before,” Vaughn said. “Seeing how he carried himself intelligently and eloquently and how he performed with class, dignity and education is an inspiration to us all.”

Reach reporter Risa Pavia at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.