MLB History: Jackie Robinson Day Announced
By David Hill
The MLB has done a great job of honoring their past, and keeping the history of the game close. They continued that tradition on this day in 2004, with the announcement that Jackie Robinson Day would be celebrated every April 15th.
Over the long and vibrant history of the MLB, there may not have been another player as important as Jackie Robinson. When he made his debut on April 15, 1947, he broke the unspoken color barrier in baseball. When he went on to win the Rookie of the Year award and finish fifth in the MVP balloting that year, he helped open the floodgates to the integration of the game.
Robinson went on to an incredible career with the Dodgers. In his ten years in the Majors, he posted a .311/.409/.474 batting line, hitting 137 homers and stealing 192 bases. He won the 1949 MVP award, leading the league with a .342 batting average and 37 steals. Robinson was also an incredibly versatile player, making at least 150 positions at left, first, second, and third.
Given his stature in the game, he had already been honored by the MLB. His number 42 was retired around the league in 1997, on the 50th anniversary of his debut. On this day in 2004, Bud Selig continued to make sure that Robinson would remain in the spotlight, proclaiming April 15 to be Jackie Robinson Day.
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On that day, everyone in the game gets to wear Robinson’s iconic 42 for one more time. Robinson’s legacy gets celebrated every year, as his journey from the Negro Leagues and his battles against racism as he destroyed segregation in the game once and for all.
His legacy also went beyond the game. As he was finding success at the Major League level, segregation throughout the country was beginning to be challenged. Robinson’s presence and leadership inspired many social crusaders, who fought their own battles for equality for everyone.
Robinson also helped to bring that battle to the front pages. Activists like Martin Luther King Jr. considered him to be a legend and a symbol of hope. It was Robinson’s success, upon which an entire segment of the country depended upon, that began to fan those flames of discontent into a greater movement.
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On this day in 2004, Jackie Robinson Day was announced. It is a fitting tribute to a great player, and an even greater symbol of equality. In these divisive times, Robinson’s legacy is even more important to remember.