Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey: Nobility

By Fritz Knapp

As part of the acclaimed Sports Virtues series, "Branch Rickey & Jackie Robinson: Nobility" discusses the struggles and triumphs of Branch Rickey's and Jackie Robinson's lives. As with each story in the Sports Virtues series, this book assigns a virtue to a celebrated athlete or coach, and uses that person's story to help the reader achieve that virtue for him or herself.

What emerges after reading these stories is not only a greater understanding and appreciation of the virtues that these icons needed to get through life, but also an inspiration for the reader. Each story is followed by a small quotation from literature to amplify the meaning and application of the virtue, and each story is also followed by a series of study/review questions and other interactive activities to help the reader further understand the virtue and how to achieve it.

This book is for people of all ages, but it makes for the perfect gift from parents to children or from adult mentors to their students.

Other books in the Sports Virtues series include:

Lou Gehrig: Appreciation
Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo: Compassion
Roberto Clemente: Dedication
Susan Butcher: Determination
Pele: Devotion
John Wooden: Discipline
Mike Krzyzewski: Encouragement
Cal Ripken, Jr.: Endurance
Walter "Red" Barber: Fairness
Dennis Byrd: Faithfulness
Hank Aaron: Fearlessness
Amos Alonzo Stagg: Honesty
Eric Liddell: Humility
Arthur Ashe: Integrity
Bill Bradley: Intelligence
Jim Valvano: Joyfulness
Dan O'Brien & Dave Johnson: Kindness
Dean Smith: Loyalty
Harvey Penick: Modesty
Branch Rickey & Jackie Robinson: Nobility
Althea Gibson: Persistence
Clarence "Big House" Gaines, Sr.: Respectability
Joan Benoit Samuelson & Wilma Rudolph: Strength
Vince Lombardi: Toughness
Gertrude Ederle: Triumph
Ken Venturi: Trust
The 1980 Men's and 1998 Women's United States Olympic Hockey Teams: Unity
Eddie Robinson: Visionary
Happy Chandler: Wisdom

• Language: English
• Publisher: Price World Publishing
• Release date: Feb 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781619840416

Book preview

Branch Rickey and

Jackie Robinson

Nobility

By Fritz Knapp

Illustrations by Tommy Edwards

Price World Publishing

www.PriceWorldPublishing.com

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2012 by Fritz Knapp

All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without permission.

Illustrations by Tom Edwards

Edited by Michael Wilt

eISBN: 9781619840416

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nobility

Study/Review Questions

Summarizing

Event Mapping

Theme

Non-Print Text Activity

Introduction

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Their nicknames often seem to point to triumph: The Iron Horse, Captain Clutch, The Dominator, Mr. October, The Rocket, The Sultan of Swat, Air Jordan, Dr. J. But the true stories of many sports stars are much like those of any other human being. We all must, at some time or another, work and strive to overcome trouble, problems and hardship. Most of us do so on a smaller stage—no lights, cameras, announcers, or postgame interviews. But there is much we can learn about how to live our own lives by studying the stories of great athletes who have overcome hard times and adversity.

The main characters in this series are well-known athletes and sports figures, men and women who have overcome personal misfortune through strength of character. Their stories inspire greatness in others. About ten years ago, I began to study athletes and the qualities that made them great. I was interested in more than their athletic abilities, impressive as those are in individuals who have made it to the top of their games. I was especially interested in their life abilities, the way they dealt with the variety of setbacks and struggles that all human beings encounter. In my study I read sports biographies by the dozens, and not just those of the most recent superstars. My reading took me as far back as the late 1800s. I found truly captivating accounts of athletes whose attitudes in their weak moments gave them more enduring legacies than they ever would have earned in athletic competition alone. As I entered some difficult personal times, these athletes became my friends and gave me a sense of hope that the struggles in my life would ultimately make me a stronger person.

I can personally identify with each athlete in this series. There is a part of me in every one of their stories. I have battled