Second Baseman – Jackie Robinson (1947-1956)
Stats: 10 years, 1382 games played, 61.5 WAR, .311/.409/.474, 137 home runs, 273 doubles, 734 RBIs, 947 runs scored, 197 stolen bases, 740 walks and 291 strikeouts.
Accolades: 1947 NL Rookie of the Year, 1949 NL MVP, 1949 NL Batting Title, 6x All-Star, Hall of Fame Class of 1962
There may not be a single player in the history of baseball that had a bigger impact on the game than Jackie Robinson. The first black player to play in the major leagues, Robinson embraced the pressure and controversy and put together a spectacular playing career.
Built more like a running back than an infielder, Robinson’s abilities were publicly downplayed by newspapers and baseball officials prior to his debut. He responded by taking the league by storm, winning Rookie of the Year his first season and capturing an MVP award two years later. Quick on his feet despite his size, Robinson led the league in stolen bases twice.
Over the course of the ten seasons he played in Brooklyn, not a single second baseman in baseball hit more home runs than Robinson did. He was a dominant force in the batter’s box and was the perfect candidate to break the color barrier in the majors. Between his baseball abilities, resilience and determination, there was no one quite like Jackie Robinson.