MLB was dangerously close to losing this year's Jackie Robinson Day due to extended lockout negotiations, but a well-timed agreement saved the league's 162-game season and one of the most important days on the league calendar.
Celebrated every year on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day commemorates the day Robinson broke baseball's color barrier with his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. The league began celebrating the day in 2004 and by 2009, every player, coach and umpire was wearing the No. 42 for a day.
MLB took its celebrations even further this year, doing some things it had previously never done.
All MLB teams wore Dodger blue for Jackie Robinson Day
While teams have worn 42 on Jackie Robinson Day for years, the league's 30 teams made a change to that tradition by wearing the number in Dodger Blue, no matter the team's traditional color scheme.
Teams also wore a special patch commemorating the occasion and No. 42 socks.
On this date 75 years ago, Jackie Robinson made his historic MLB debut.
Today we all wear #Jackie42. pic.twitter.com/agDLc7SPVr
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 15, 2022
4️⃣2️⃣ #Jackie42pic.twitter.com/BSY2GCQsF7
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 15, 2022
Some players, such as New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, extended the No. 42 to their gloves and cleats.
.@Lindor12BC came ready for Jackie Robinson Day. #Jackie42pic.twitter.com/D5uYY3xY1Y
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 15, 2022
New York establishes 'Jackie Robinson Way'
In New York, the city of Robinson's debut partnered with MLB to declare that 42nd Street and Broadway will be temporarily renamed "Jackie Robinson Way."
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, Robinson's eldest granddaughter Sonya Pankey and MLB Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Mariano Rivera and Joe Torre were all on hand for the ceremony where the street sign and a giant No. 42 were revealed.
New York deputy mayor for economic and workplace development Maria Torres-Springer appeared on behalf of mayor Eric Adams' office for the unveiling:
Today, 42nd Street belongs to Jackie. #Jackie42pic.twitter.com/GQKJBakAcR
— MLB (@MLB) April 15, 2022
From MLB.com:
“I wanted to wear it to honor that man because of the sacrifices that he [made] and what he did. If it wasn’t for him, maybe my dad would have never played. Maybe I would have never played,” Griffey said. “I can’t imagine what he’s gone through, and I don’t have to go through that because that man did it for us, and he did it for this country. He did it for each and every one of us to allow us to go out there and play the game that we love.”
Negro Leagues Museum opens 'Barrier Breakers' exhibit at Dodger Stadium
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, located in Kansas City, Missouri, where Robinson played for the Negro Leagues' Kansas City Monarchs, announced a new traveling exhibition titled "Barrier Breakers: From Jackie to Pumpsie."
The exhibition opened at Dodger Stadium in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. Per the museum, it chronicles all players who broke their respective MLB team's color barrier, starting with Robinson and ending with Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, who debuted for the Red Sox in 1959.
Today the NLBM launches a new, powerful traveling exhibition entitled, “Barrier Breakers: From Jackie to Pumpsie.”
It debuts at @Dodger Stadium today in partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers and presented by @BankofAmerica in honor of #Jackie42.
👉https://t.co/JTnPZWvcDXpic.twitter.com/xC9o9RIri8
— Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (@NLBMuseumKC) April 15, 2022
Source: Read Full Article
