The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon are formally unveiling the highly-anticipated Jackie Robinson statue at Dodger Stadium. The ceremony coincides with the 70-year anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier.
His statue will be placed on the Reserve Level along the left-field line. Dodgers senior vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith said the location was determined by where the most number of fans tend to enter Dodger Stadium. Plus, Smith added, the left field plaza offers grand views of downtown and Elysian Park.
The statue depicts Robinson going into a slide to complete a steal of home plate. He stole home plate 19 times during his 10-year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Most notably was in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series, which is the year Brooklyn won their only championship.
The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. but is not open to the public. For those unable to attend so as to see the statue in person immediately after it is unveiled, Spectrum SportsNet LA will provide live coverage of the unveiling.
Rachel and Sharon Robinson, Jackie’s wife and daughter, are among those scheduled to be on hand. So too are Dodgers part owner Magic Johnson, team president and CEO Stan Kasten, Sandy Koufax, Don Newcombe and Vin Scully, among several others.
The first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance for Saturday’s 6:10 p.m. game against the Arizona Diamondbacks will receive a replica Jackie Robinson statue.
