A model of this story was initially printed in April 2020.
Jackie Robinson is an unmatched determine in baseball historical past. When he broke the sport’s colour barrier on April 15, 1947, it was a monumental second not solely on the sector, but additionally in world historical past. Since 2004, MLB has celebrated Jackie Robinson Day each April 15, and as we’ve reached that date once more, here is a take a look at the highest 10 Jackie Robinson Day moments from over time.
1) 2004: Selig declares April 15 “Jackie Robinson Day” throughout MLB
Commissioner Bud Selig, together with Sharon Robinson (daughter of Jackie and Rachel Robinson) and Leonard C. Coleman, the chairman of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, introduced that April 15 can be celebrated yearly as “Jackie Robinson Day” throughout Major League Baseball. Seven years earlier, on the fiftieth anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s colour barrier by beginning at second base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Selig introduced that Robinson’s No. 42 can be retired in perpetuity.
2) 2007: Players begin carrying No. 42
Beginning on April 15, 2007, the sixtieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier in baseball, gamers started carrying the No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. It began with Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. asking Rachel Robinson for permission to don the quantity on April 15, and Commissioner Bud Selig inspired different gamers to do the identical. Two years later, it turned a common tribute throughout the Majors, with all gamers carrying the No. 42 every Jackie Robinson Day.
3) 2017: Jackie Robinson statue unveiled at Dodger Stadium
On the seventieth anniversary of when he took the sector for the Dodgers and broke baseball’s colour barrier, Jackie Robinson’s likeness was captured in an exquisite statue outdoors Dodger Stadium. The statue depicts Robinson sliding, harking back to his well-known steals of residence plate, together with his famed swipe of residence towards Yogi Berra and the Yankees within the 1955 World Series.
4) 2022: Jackie Robinson Way unveiled in New York City
As a part of the celebration of the seventy fifth anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s colour barrier in 1947, MLB, in partnership with the City of New York, introduced that forty second Street and Broadway can be briefly renamed “Jackie Robinson Way.” Commissioner Rob Manfred; Sonya Pankey, the eldest granddaughter of Robinson and his spouse, Rachel; Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Mariano Rivera — the final Major Leaguer to put on No. 42 — and Joe Torre; and former massive leaguers Willie Randolph, CC Sabathia and Butch Huskey all took half within the particular unveiling ceremony.
5) 2006: Rachel Robinson participates in pregame ceremony at Shea
In a really particular pregame ceremony on Jackie Robinson Day in 2006, the Mets welcomed Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, again to Shea Stadium previous to their sport towards the Brewers. A video tribute to Jackie was performed on the scoreboard, and afterward Rachel addressed the gang from in entrance of the pitcher’s mound.
6) 2007: Aaron and Robinson throw out ceremonial first pitches
Two of the best Black gamers in baseball historical past, Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, threw out ceremonial first pitches at Dodger Stadium previous to the Dodgers’ sport towards the Padres on Jackie Robinson Day in 2007. Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s profession residence run report on April 8, 1974, when he hit the 715th of 755 profession homers. Robinson stays the one participant in MLB historical past to win the MVP Award in each leagues. He additionally turned the primary Black supervisor in MLB historical past when he took the helm for Cleveland in 1975.
7) 2015: Civil Rights Game at Dodger Stadium
The Dodgers hosted the annual Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day in 2015, and Los Angeles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over the Mariners on RBI singles by Andre Ethier and Scott Van Slyke within the first inning. The Dodgers by no means seemed again, including RBI singles later within the contest by Adrián González and Joc Pederson to again a robust begin from Brett Anderson, who gave up two runs over 5 innings within the 5-2 victory.
8) 2005: Dodgers put on Brooklyn throwback uniforms from 1947
The Dodgers wore replicas of the Brooklyn Dodgers uniform Robinson wore when breaking the colour barrier in 1947. Veteran right-hander Derek Lowe was the hero on this sport, pitching a four-hit shutout of the Padres in a 4-0 victory at Dodger Stadium.
9) 2008: Griffey hits his 595th profession residence run
All gamers round MLB carrying the No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day may be traced again to 1 — Ken Griffey Jr. And Griffey bought ever nearer to the 600-homer milestone on that day in 2008, when he crushed No. 595 off the Cubs’ Ryan Dempster within the third inning of the Reds’ 9-5 loss at Wrigley Field.
10) 2010: Canó, named after Jackie, belts pair of homers; Rivera will get save
Robinson Canó was named after Jackie Robinson. So it was solely pure that Canó would hit two residence runs on Jackie Robinson Day in 2010 towards the Angels. He helped raise the Yankees to a 6-2 victory at Yankee Stadium by hammering a solo homer off Scott Kazmir within the second inning, adopted by a two-run shot off Kazmir within the fifth. In the identical sport, legendary nearer Mariano Rivera, the ultimate participant permitted to put on the quantity 42, picked up the save.
Content Source: www.mlb.com