Today Is The Day MLB Honors Jackie Robinson Who Broke The Color Barrier With The Brooklyn Dodgers In 1947

April 15th is the day every Major League Baseball team, manager as well as the players are supposed to wear the number 42 on their jersey during games.

Why?

Because today is Jackie Robinson Day .

 In 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey approached Jackie about joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Major Leagues had not had an African-American player since 1889, when baseball became segregated. When Jackie first donned a Brooklyn Dodger uniform, he pioneered the integration of professional athletics in America. By breaking the color barrier in baseball, the nation’s preeminent sport, he courageously challenged the deeply rooted custom of racial segregation in both the North and the South. “according to https://www.jackierobinson.com/biography/

Jackie Robinson was 28 years old when he broke into the Major Leagues, yet he still won the unified Rookie of the Year Award. “according to https://www.jackierobinson.com/fast-facts/

During his ten years in the Major Leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers Jackie Robinson hit 137 home runs, 734 runs batted in and batting average of 311. “according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/26863/jackie-robinson

Jackie Robinson was born January 31st 1919 in Cario Georgia and died October 24, 1972 in Stamford Connecticut. “according to https://www.jackierobinson.com/fast-facts/

But this year unfortunately teams won’t be wearing Jackie Robinson’s number on the diamond. Why? Because of the Corona Virus Outbreak in the United States and around the world.

Here is to hoping that in 2021 that Jackie Robinson gets honored the way he is supposed too and that every manger, team and player will be wearing number forty two on game day!