LOS ANGELES — Main League Baseball honoured Jackie Robinson on Wednesday with each participant, coach and umpire sporting his No. 42 to mark the 79th anniversary of the infielder breaking the game’s color barrier.
Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He went on to win Rookie of the 12 months honours, develop into a six-time All-Star and the 1949 Nationwide League MVP. He performed in six World Collection and received his solely championship in 1955 with the Dodgers.
“Each participant of color who now enjoys our nice sport, they owe it to this man,” mentioned Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri.
Robinson made his professional debut with the Kansas Metropolis Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1945. He was there 5 months earlier than Dodgers common supervisor Department Rickey interviewed him for attainable choice to Brooklyn’s Worldwide League farm membership. Rickey needed to verify Robinson might stand up to the racial antagonism with out reacting angrily.
“What he did was extremely tough beneath a few of the harshest circumstances you might ever think about,” Kendrick mentioned. “He needed to go on the market and deal not solely with the racial hatred, however he was carrying 21 million Black of us on his again when he walked throughout these strains. Had he failed, a complete race of individuals would have failed. That is an infinite quantity of stress. How he did it with such grace, class and dignity is totally unbelievable. And no, we should always always remember Jackie Robinson.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets gathered across the centre-field statue of Robinson stealing residence at Dodger Stadium. Among the many Dodgers have been Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández, Will Smith, Roki Sasaki, Alex Vesia and Will Klein. Shohei Ohtani, who had attended beforehand, was not there forward of pitching in opposition to the Mets later.
“A special occasion, particularly for me as a Latino. I would not be right here if it wasn’t due to him,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned. “Speak about coping with stress at this stage, think about what he handled again within the day.”
Dave Roberts, one in all simply two Black managers at present within the majors, instructed the groups that Robinson could be proud that they mirror his dream and imaginative and prescient of what equality and unity would appear like.
“My ask is that we keep in mind how we acquired right here,” Roberts mentioned.
In Pittsburgh, Pirates supervisor Don Kelly mentioned, “It doesn’t seem to be sooner or later is sufficient to actually give again to Jackie and what he meant to baseball and to folks.”
Two of Robinson’s granddaughters joined the groups at Dodger Stadium, not removed from Robinson’s adopted hometown of Pasadena. He was a four-sport star at Pasadena Junior Faculty earlier than happening to UCLA, the place the Georgia native was higher identified for soccer than baseball.
Final 12 months, a historic marker honouring the Robinson household was unveiled by town of Pasadena at their former residence.
“We’re actually carrying the legacy now, and it’s an unbelievable honour,” mentioned granddaughter Ayo Robinson, whose father, David, is Robinson’s youngest son. “It’s a weight that feels good as a result of it retains you grounded in what’s so necessary. I really feel just like the legacy is simply as necessary at this time because it has ever been.”
Robinson’s widow, Rachel, turns 104 in July. She lives in New York and nonetheless visits the Jackie Robinson Museum.
“She’s the robust matriarch of our household, surrounded by love and intention to proceed to permit her to dwell a life that she needed,” mentioned granddaughter Sonya Pankey Robinson, whose father was Jackie Robinson Jr.
Additionally readily available in Los Angeles have been recipients of scholarships from the Jackie Robinson Basis.
For the primary time in not less than twenty years, the proportion of Black gamers on opening day rosters elevated this season. Main League Baseball says 6.8 per cent of gamers on opening day rosters, injured lists and the restricted record have been Black, up from 6.2 per cent firstly of the 2025 season and 6.0 per cent firstly of 2024.
“He’s an icon,” Milwaukee Brewers supervisor Pat Murphy mentioned. “To take this present day and make it one thing particular says lots in regards to the character of the sport.”
