On October 24, 1972, Hall of Famer Jackie RobinsonĀ , weakened by complications of heart disease and diabetes, dies of a heart attack in his home in North Stamford, Connecticut. The 53 year-old nearly blind baseball pioneer and social activistās death comes nine days after his appearance at the World Series, where he threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 at Cincinnatiās Riverfront Stadium, during his last appearance Robinson championed the face there needed to be more Negroās in the dugout as managers and upper management positions. Robinson had become the firstĀ black major league playerĀ of theĀ 20th centuryĀ with theĀ 1947 Dodgers.