April 15th, 2021 at 10:00 am 
by Jayann Kellogg April 15, 1947, marks a day in both Dodgers history and baseball history that changed the world. It is now celebrated and known as Jackie Robinson Day, the day that Robinson became the first African American to break the color barrier and play in the Major Leagues, where his skill made him one of the best to play the game.
Robinson had speed, he was a great defender, and he had one heck of a swing. Robinson helped the Brooklyn Dodgers win six pennants and one World Series title during his ten years in Major League Baseball. As evidenced by his 1947 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the ’49 NL MVP Award, Robinson’s influence was felt right away. Robinson’s character, his calm nature, and his talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation.
In 1997, MLB retired Robinson’s uniform number 42 across all major league teams. He was the first professional athlete in any sport to be so honored. Since 2004 it has been a tradition that Major League Baseball and Clubs will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day at ballparks throughout the league on Thursday, April 15th – the anniversary of Robinson’s historic MLB debut as he broke baseball’s color barrier – or Friday, April 16th. The extra day allows for teams not playing on a traditional “off-day” of the Regular Season to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day appropriately.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
In addition to commemorating Jackie Robinson Day, all players, coaches, and managers throughout all thirty major league baseball teams will be wearing Robinson’s retired uniform number 42. In a recent media release, the MLB announced all licensed royalties from the sales of caps featuring the “42” logo will be donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation was founded in 1973 by Rachel Robinson (Jackie’s wife). The Foundation has advanced higher education by providing generous, multi-year scholarship awards coupled with a comprehensive set of support services to highly motivated JRF Scholars and Extra Innings Fellows attending colleges and universities throughout the country. Major league baseball has estimated that since Jackie Robinson Day’s introduction, the league and the thirty clubs have contributed approximately $20 million to the foundation.
Thank you, Jackie Robinson, for your courage, love for the game, and for making the world a better place.
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” – Jackie Roosevelt Robinson
Let’s Play Ball!
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Don’t take the following to degrade Jackie Robinson Day in the least, but…
I think Branch Rickey, the Dodgers GM who signed Robinson, or the Commissioner at the time, Happy Chandler, do not get the credit they deserve for helping to integrate MLB. While Rickey’s efforts are well chronicled, Chandler approved the Robinson contract when he could have rejected his deal with the Dodgers. Later, Chandler threatened the Phillies and their manager with disciplinary action for any further racial taunting. Chandler also supported NL President Ford Frick’s threat to suspend any players who refused to take the field because of Robinson.
To me, Jackie will always be one heck of a ballplayer.
Someone needs to set Charlie Steiner straight on the Robinson trade to the Giants. On-air he stated that Robinson said no way and retired. Not correct. He had already decided to retire and had accepted an executive position with candy company (Chock Full o Nuts) but did not tell anyone because he had sold rights to his retirement story to Look magazine
Steiner is flat-out useless. My best guess is that he has compromising photographs of Dodgers Senior Vice President of Broadcasting Erik Braverman.
THE best Dodgers radio broadcasting team is (was) Rick Monday and Kevin Kennedy.
I don’t wish anything bad on Steiner, I just wish he would go away.