{"id":198849,"date":"2026-04-16T01:18:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/198849\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T01:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:18:20","slug":"mlb-celebrates-jackie-robinson-day-as-every-player-wears-no-42-on-anniversary-of-his-historic-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/198849\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day as every player wears No. 42 on anniversary of his historic debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

By BETH HARRIS<\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 Major League Baseball honored\u00a0Jackie Robinson<\/a>\u00a0on Wednesday with every player, coach and umpire wearing his No. 42 to mark the 79th anniversary of the infielder breaking\u00a0the sport\u2019s<\/a> color barrier.<\/p>\n

Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors, become a six-time All-Star and the 1949 National League MVP. He played in six World Series, and won his only championship in 1955 with the Dodgers.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery player of color who now enjoys our great sport, they owe it to this man,\u201d said Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.<\/p>\n

Robinson made his pro debut with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1945. He was there five months before Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey interviewed him for possible selection to Brooklyn\u2019s International League farm club. Rickey wanted to make sure Robinson could withstand the racial antagonism without reacting angrily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat he did was incredibly difficult under some of the most harsh circumstances you could ever imagine,\u201d Kendrick said. \u201cHe had to go out there and deal not only with the racial hatred but he was carrying 21 million Black folks on his back when he walked across those lines. Had he failed, an entire race of people would have failed. That\u2019s an enormous amount of pressure. How he did it with such grace, class and dignity is absolutely incredible. And no, we should never forget Jackie Robinson.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0New York Mets<\/a> gathered around the centerfield statue of Robinson stealing home at Dodger Stadium. Among the Dodgers were Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez, Will Smith, Roki Sasaki, Alex Vesia and Will Klein. Shohei Ohtani, who has attended previously, was not there ahead of pitching against the Mets later.<\/p>\n

\"Jackie<\/p>\n

Jackie Robinson\u2019s granddaughter, Sonya Pankey Robinson, speaks as members of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets gather for a ceremony before a baseball game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Jae C. Hong)\n<\/p>\n

\"Arizona<\/p>\n

Arizona Diamondbacks players wear No. 42 to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day, as they observe the national anthem before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo\/Stephanie Scarbrough)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cincinnati<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds\u2019 Eugenio Su\u00e1rez, wearing No. 42 to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day, reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Cincinnati, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster)\n<\/p>\n

\"Philadelphia<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Phillies\u2019 Edmundo Sosa, wearing No. 42 to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day, takes batting practice ahead of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Jonathan Aranda wears a shirt with the number 42 for Jackie Robinson Day before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/Erin Hooley)\n<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

FILE \u2013 Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers\u2019 first baseman, is shown at Ebbets Field, April 11, 1947. (AP Photo\/File)\n<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

FILE \u2013 From left, Brooklyn Dodgers third baseman John Jorgensen, shortstop Pee Wee Reese, second baseman Ed Stanky, and first baseman Jackie Robinson pose before a baseball game against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, N.Y., in this April 15, 1947, file photo. (AP Photo\/Harry Harris, File)\n<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

FILE \u2013 Brooklyn Dodgers\u2019 infielder Jackie Robinson is photographed on April 18, 1948. (AP Photo\/File)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 8<\/p>\n

Jackie Robinson\u2019s granddaughter, Sonya Pankey Robinson, speaks as members of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets gather for a ceremony before a baseball game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Jae C. Hong)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cA special day, especially for me as a Latino. I wouldn\u2019t be here if it wasn\u2019t because of him,\u201d Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. \u201cTalk about dealing with pressure at this level, imagine what he dealt with back in the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave Roberts, one of just two Black managers currently in the majors, told the teams Robinson would be proud that they reflect his dream and vision of what equality and unity would look like.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy ask is that we remember how we got here,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

In Pittsburgh, Pirates manager Don Kelly said, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem like one day is enough to really give back to Jackie and what he meant to baseball and to people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two of Robinson\u2019s granddaughters joined the teams at Dodger Stadium, not far from Robinson\u2019s adopted hometown of Pasadena. He was a four-sport star at Pasadena Junior College before going on to UCLA, where the Georgia native was better known for football than baseball.<\/p>\n

Last year, a historical marker honoring the Robinson family was unveiled by the city of Pasadena at their former home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really carrying the legacy now and it\u2019s an incredible honor,\u201d said granddaughter Ayo Robinson, whose father David is Robinson\u2019s youngest son. \u201cIt\u2019s a weight that feels good because it keeps you grounded in what is so important. I feel like the legacy is just as important today as it has ever been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robinson\u2019s widow, Rachel, turns 104 in July. She lives in New York and still visits the Jackie Robinson Museum.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s the strong matriarch of our family, surrounded by love and intention to continue to allow her to live a life that she wanted,\u201d said granddaughter Sonya Pankey Robinson, whose father was Jackie Robinson Jr.<\/p>\n

Also on hand in Los Angeles were recipients of scholarships from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.<\/p>\n

For the first time in at least two decades, the percentage of Black players on opening day rosters\u00a0increased this season<\/a>. Major League Baseball says 6.8% of players on opening day rosters, injured lists and the restricted list were Black, up from 6.2% at the start of the 2025 season and 6.0% at the start of 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an icon,\u201d Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. \u201cTo take this day and make it something special says a lot about the character of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

AP Sports Writers Will Graves in Pittsburgh and Steve Megargee in Milwaukee contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

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