text: Jack Roosevelt `` Jackie '' Robinson ( January 31 , 1919 â `` October 24 , 1972 ) was the first black Major League Baseball ( MLB ) player of the modern era .
simplified: Jack Roosevelt `` Jackie '' Robinson ( January 31 , 1919 â `` October 24 , 1972 ) was the first African-American Major League Baseball ( MLB ) player of the modern times .