Jan. 31 marks the birthday of former Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947. Robinson passed away in October of 1972 at the age of 53. If he were still alive he would have turned 99 years old on Wednesday.
Robinson played 10 seasons with Brooklyn, finishing with a .311 career batting average to go along with 137 home runs and 197 stolen bases.
The Pasadena, Calif., native was a six-time All-Star and part of the 1955 Dodgers World Series championship team. Robinson had his No. 42 retired by the organization on June 4, 1972, and five years later his iconic jersey number was retired throughout Major League Baseball.
The Dodgers official Twitter account shared a video to celebrate Robinson’s birthday, and the legacy that he left not only baseball but the entire world:
Jackie's legacy lives on. pic.twitter.com/LZeVZvPNT3
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 31, 2018
In 2017, Robinson received the first statue outside of Dodger Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day, which is celebrated throughout the league every April 15, the day he made his Major League debut.
Robinson’s wife Rachel was in attendance for the ceremony, and his children Sharon and David both gave speeches. Then in November of last year, the Rose Bowl unveiled a statue in Robinson’s honor.
Each professional sport has transcendent figures that have left a lasting impact, and when it comes to Major League Baseball, Robinson stands out amongst the rest for his role in breaking the color barrier.
