Every year on April 15th, one man is honored all across the country. One man that is considered one of the most influential men in the world of sports, and in the world in general. Jackie Robinson, the man who segregated the game of baseball, Robinson was the first African American to play in the major leagues. He broke the color barrier on April 15th 1947 when he took the field as a Brooklyn Dodger.
Jackie didn’t make baseball about the color of your skin but your love for the game. This year, because of the state of our country the life of Robinson was not celebrated on the field by sporting his number 42, which is retired around the league. Or playing for someone that has paved the way for many players past, present, and future. Although the great speedster of the time who ended his career with almost 200 stolen bases was not able to be celebrated on the field he was celebrated in people’s homes.
Athletes posted social media posts, about what Jackie Robinson meant to them, players relived their first Jackie Robinson day, specifically Dee Gordon who recalls it as his first walk off for the Dodgers in 2012. Robinson is considered one of the greats to play the game but is often times more recognized for the type of person that he was. He played in a time where everyone needed to come together and do their part for what’s right. A way that we should be thinking right now with this pandemic. Although Jackie Robinson day was put on hold at the Ballparks, the legend still lives on and is celebrated throughout the league.
