Inscribed on Robinson's tombstone is this phrase: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." Jackie Robinson is one of my heroes because of the impact he had, not only on the ballfield, but on America. He was certainly a great player -- Rookie of the Year in that barrier-breaking first year, and he helped transform the Dodgers into one of the most competitive teams in baseball virtually every year -- but he was also a courageous pioneer for civil rights