The Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball traditionally celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 every year, which is the day he broke the league’s color barrier in 1947. Players across the league wear his No. 42, which otherwise is retired throughout baseball.
With the 2020 season being pushed back, MLB celebrated Jackie Robinson Day on Friday. The reason the league gave for that is Aug. 28 is the anniversary of the March on Washington in 1963, which the Robinson family (Jackie, Rachel and children) attended.
Aug. 28 is also the day in 1945 when then Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey met with Jackie Robinson to discuss his future in the big leagues, paving the way for him to break baseball’s color barrier just a couple of year later.
As a part of this year’s Jackie Robinson Day, MLB and the Jackie Robinson Foundation announced a partnership extension through 2023, which includes $3.5 million to support JRF’s Scholarship Program, the Jackie Robinson Museum and the annual JRF ROBIE Awards.
A number of minority students will receive that money in scholarship form, helping Robinson’s legacy live on forever.
Dodgers rarity on Jackie Robinson Day
The Dodgers began a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at their new stadium, Globe Life Field, on Friday night, celebrating Jackie Robinson away from Dodger Stadium due to the unique 2020 schedule.
Unfortunately, the Dodgers did not play their best game and wound up falling, 6-2, to the Rangers in the opener. With everything going on in recent days though with the Dodgers and teams across the league boycotting games to demand an end to racial injustice, seeing everyone out there wearing Robinson’s No. 42 jersey was still a highlight for all involved.
The Dodgers historically have been at home on the celebrated April 15 day.
Actor who played Robinson in 42 passes away
Unfortunately, Friday ended up being a tragic day as the actor that played Robinson in his biopic “42,” Chadwick Boseman, passed away after a long, undisclosed battle with colon cancer.
Boseman was one of the most important actors of his generation, playing prominent roles like James Brown in “Get On Up,” Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall” and King T’Challa in “The Black Panther.”
He was just 43 years of age at the time of his passing.
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