Jackie Robinson Day facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jackie Robinson Day |
|
|---|---|
Robinson in 1954
|
|
| Observed by | Major League Baseball |
| Type | Cultural |
| Significance | Honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson |
| Observances | All players and umpires wear uniform number 42 |
| Date | April 15 |
| Frequency | Annual |
Jackie Robinson Day is a special day in Major League Baseball (MLB). It happens every year on April 15. This day celebrates and honors Jackie Robinson and the day he first played in the major leagues.
On Jackie Robinson Day, all players, coaches, managers, and even the umpires wear Robinson's uniform number, 42. April 15 was the Opening Day in 1947 when Robinson played his first game.
This special day started on April 15, 2004. It honors Jackie Robinson because he was the first black major league baseball player in modern times. His first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) ended about 80 years of baseball segregation. This was known as the baseball color line, or color barrier. Jackie Robinson was later added to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Contents
Who Was Jackie Robinson?
Before 1947, baseball players of Black African descent were not allowed to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made history. He played his first major league game for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. More than 26,000 people watched, and over 14,000 of them were black. By the late 1950s, many black players were on Major League teams.
After his baseball career, Robinson worked hard for the NAACP. This group fought for civil rights. He worked with important leaders like President Richard Nixon and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
In 1997, MLB decided to retire his uniform number, 42, for all major league teams. This meant no player in any team could wear number 42 again. He was the first professional athlete in any sport to receive this honor.
How Jackie Robinson Day Started
The First Celebration in 2004
In March 2004, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced that Major League Baseball would honor Robinson on April 15. He called it "Jackie Robinson Day." He made this announcement with Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson's daughter.
The first Jackie Robinson Day was on April 15, 2004. This day started an annual tradition in Major League Baseball. It was a reminder of what happened 57 years earlier when Jackie Robinson became an MLB player. Festivities took place at 13 ballparks where games were scheduled.
Commissioner Selig said that Jackie Robinson's debut was baseball's "proudest moment." He said Robinson "brought down the color barrier." Selig wanted to make sure Robinson's "incredible contributions and sacrifices" would not be forgotten.
Special events happened that day. Sharon Robinson rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson's wife, also took part. The baseballs used in games had a "42" logo. Students from the Jackie Robinson Foundation threw out the ceremonial first pitch before each game.
Making it an Annual Tradition
On April 15, 2005, it was the 58th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut. Commissioner Bud Selig officially said that every April 15 would be Jackie Robinson Day. It would be celebrated every year across all of Major League Baseball.
Unlike 2004, every ballpark in the United States celebrated the day. Each ballpark showed a video tribute to Robinson. Many also brought Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars onto the field. In Cincinnati, Ohio, Ken Griffey Jr. spoke about how much black baseball players owe Robinson. He said Robinson was chosen to break the color line because of his courage.
Wearing Number 42
April 15, 2007, was the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut. Ceremonies were held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. During the 2007 season, Ken Griffey Jr. asked Bud Selig for permission to wear number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. He also got special permission from Rachel Robinson.
Remember, number 42 had been retired for all Major League Baseball teams in 1997. This meant no future player could wear it. The last player to regularly wear number 42 was Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees. He retired at the end of the 2013 season.
Commissioner Selig liked Griffey's idea. He encouraged other teams to have a player wear number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. Soon, many players started wearing the number.
Some players felt that too many people wearing number 42 might make it less special. Torii Hunter said, "This is supposed to be an honor." He thought having entire teams wear it might "kill the meaning." CC Sabathia agreed, saying it "waters it down." But Griffey said, "This is a tribute for what the man has done." He saw it as a day to celebrate.
More than 240 players wore number 42 in 2007. This included the entire teams of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Growing Celebrations
On April 15, 2008, the 61st anniversary, over 330 team members wore number 42. This was more than the previous year. All players, managers, and coaches wore number 42 at every ballpark with a game. Bob DuPuy, an MLB official, said the day's importance was growing.
In 2009, for the 62nd anniversary, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was dedicated at Citi Field. This is the New York Mets' home stadium. Also, for the first time, all uniformed people (players, managers, coaches, and umpires) wore number 42 for the day.
In 2011, for the 64th anniversary, a new MLB website, www.iam42.com, was launched. In 2014, the 67th anniversary was celebrated at Historic Dodgertown in Florida. This was where Robinson and his teammates used to train.
Recent Celebrations
In 2017, to mark the 70th anniversary, the Dodgers revealed a bronze statue of Robinson at Dodger Stadium. The statue shows Robinson sliding into home plate. In 2018, some teams honored Robinson's legacy on different dates due to rain.
In 2019, the 72nd anniversary was observed on both April 15 and 16. This was because not all teams played on April 15. David Price of the Boston Red Sox thought MLB should have all 30 teams play on April 15.
In 2020, no games were played on Jackie Robinson Day because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the on-field celebrations happened on Friday, August 28. This date marked the 75th anniversary of Robinson meeting with Branch Rickey to join the Dodgers. It was also the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington.
In August 2020, some professional athletes boycotted games to protest police actions. This included some Major League Baseball players. The boycotts extended to the August 28 Jackie Robinson Day. For example, the game between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics was postponed. Both teams walked off the field to protest.
Starting in 2022, the number 42 on the back of all team uniforms was changed to Dodger blue. A special patch celebrating the 75th anniversary of Robinson's debut also appeared on all uniforms.
See Also
- List of Major League Baseball retired numbers, Robinson's 42 is retired across all of MLB
- Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award
- Jackie Robinson Foundation
