Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Gatto recently introduced an Assembly Concurrent Resolution to rename a stretch of Interstate 210 after former Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson.
The portion on Interstate 210, between State Route 2 and Orange Grove Blvd., will be known as “Jackie Robinson Memorial Highway,” which is a route used frequently to get to Dodger Stadium for fans traveling from Eastern Los Angeles County.
“Jackie Robinson is not only an inspiring figure to us for his accomplishments in athletics, but also as a civil-rights-era trailblazer who advocated for social change,” said Assemblyman Gatto in the press release.
“His contributions to baseball and society have made an everlasting impression on our nation. Gatto also noted the significance of the selected location of the Interstate, which is close to where Robinson grew up in Pasadena.
“It’s only fitting to honor Jackie Robinson by naming this stretch of highway near the home he grew up and lived in,” Gatto said. “The sacrifices and differences he made will always be remembered.”
Robinson, a former multi-sport star at UCLA, played 10 seasons for the Dodgers in which he hit .311/.409/.474 with 137 home runs, 734 RBIs and 197 stolen bases. During his illustrious career, Robinson was a six-time All-Star, won Rookie of the Year in 1947, and was named MVP in 1949.
More importantly, Robinson is a celebrated figure for breaking the color barrier in baseball in 1947. Robinson’s number, 42, was retired in the MLB in 1997. Robinson is also honored each year throughout baseball on April 15 when all on-field personnel wears his iconic No. 42.
This is not the first measure taken by the Los Angeles City Council to honor Dodger greats, as earlier this year the city council renamed a portion of Elysian Park Avenue to Vin Scully Avenue to recognize the team’s legendary broadcaster who will retire after the 2016 season.
