by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
April 15 was the 79th anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in the league
On the 79th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut in Major League Baseball, becoming the first Black player to enter the league, every player, coach, umpire, and on-field staff for every MLB team honored his legacy by wearing his uniform number, No. 42.
Major League Baseball announced that the occasion would be celebrated through its MLB Together program at every game on April 15. On Jackie Robinson Day, everyone on the baseball field wore royal blue socks with 42 on them; the uniforms all bore 42 in the Dodgers’ royal blue, with a side patch matching Robinson’s number.
The league also introduced a campaign narrated by National Baseball Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, which debuted across MLB Media outlets, called “We Are Jackie.” It features social media interviews with current and former players speaking about the impact of Robinson’s legacy on their careers.
In Los Angeles, where the New York Mets took on the Dodgers, two of Robinson’s granddaughters, Sonya Pankey Robinson and Ayo Robinson, appeared with both teams, along with several scholars from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
“My ask is that we remember how we got here,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s one thing to appreciate where we’re at, the fruits of all that we have. We’re all the beneficiaries of what Jackie did and sacrificed.”
MLB also announced that each team had its own Jackie Robinson Day initiative.
Jackie Robinson made history when he made his debut on April 15, 1947, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
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Source: Black Enterprise
