In Reply to: No mention of Jackie Robinson?* posted by TheNewBruinPrototype on May 18, 2010 at 19:09:04
The question is whether he was truly an 'other sports' athlete. Just in the sense that he was playing both football and basketball. If he were playing today, the ncaa would see him as a football player (that is where is scholarship would come from) even though he competed in four sports.
I also have to note that Robinson's track years corresponded to the war time cancellation of the Olympics. He was the college record-holder in the long jump so I assume he might have made the Olympic team if he'd had the chance.
His track career was pretty short as there was no place for professionals and he quickly turned to semi-pro football. But he would have been eligible for the 1940 Olympics.