<p>Before Barry Bonds, before Reggie Jackson, before Hank Aaron, baseball's stars had one undeniable trait in common: they were all white. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke that barrier, striking a crucial blow for racial equality and changing the world of sports forever. <i>I Never Had It Made</i> is Robinson's own candid, hard-hitting account of what it took to become the first black man in history to play in the major leagues.</p> <p><i>I Never Had It Made</i> recalls Robinson's early years and influences: his time at UCLA, where he became the school's first four-letter athlete; his army stint during World War II, when he challenged Jim Crow laws and narrowly escaped court martial; his years of frustration, on and off the field, with the Negro Leagues; and finally that fateful day when Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers proposed what became known as the "Noble Experiment" -- Robinson would step up to bat to integrate and revolutionize baseball.</p> <p>More than a baseball story, <i>I Never Had It Made</i> also reveals the highs and lows of Robinson's life after baseball. He recounts his political aspirations and civil rights activism; his friendships with Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, William Buckley, Jr., and Nelson Rockefeller; and his troubled relationship with his son, Jackie, Jr.</p> <p>Originally published the year Robinson died, <i>I Never Had It Made</i> endures as an inspiring story of a man whose heroism extended well beyond the playing field.</p>