Jackie Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in his first year of eligibility, on July 23, 1962. Robinson was the first African American player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He helped lead the Dodgers to six pennants in his 10 seasons, was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, stole home 19 times during his career, and won National League MVP in 1949, leading the league in batting (.342) and steals (37), while driving in 124 runs.
MoreJackie Robinson: Breaking the Color Line
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His death shook the baseball world. Three days after his death, the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors amended the eligibility rules for Clemente and shortly thereafter, 93 percent of the Baseball Writers Association voted for Clemente’s inclusion in the Hall. The induction occurred on August 6, 1973 in Cooperstown, New York and Clemente, with so many honors already on his shoulders, became the first Latin American to enter the Hall of Fame.
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