Jackie Robinson Day at Wrigley Field

A portrait of Jackie Robinson with his bat
A portrait of Jackie Robinson with his bat
On this date in 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and became the first African American player in Major League Baseball history. He was 28 years old at the time and had been playing with the Kansas City Monarchs in the negro leagues before signing with the Dodgers. Robinson spent the 1946 season with Brooklyn’s Triple-A affiliate in Montreal.

Robinson was named NL Rookie of the Year in 1947 and NL MVP in 1949. He helped the Dodgers win six pennants and one World Series (1955) before retiring following the 1956 season. Robinson retired as a .311/.409/.474 (132 OPS+) career hitter with more walks (740) and extra-base hits (464) than strikeouts (291). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1962, receiving 77.5 percent of the vote.

Chicago Defender Publisher, Cheryl Mainor enjoying the game Cubs  vs Reds
Chicago Defender Publisher, Cheryl Mainor enjoying the game Cubs vs Reds
Today the Chicago Cubs played the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field winning 5 to 0. The weather was cool  and people were slow to arrive but towards the end of the first ending they came pouring into the stadium which is still under construction. It was a wonderful celebration of Jackie Robinson who all people of color owe much  in relation to breaking the color line in baseball, America’s game.
Wednesday  all on-field personnel wore No. 42 jerseys  to honor Robinson, a true pioneer who changed not only MLB history, but United States history. It’s the seventh consecutive year all players and coaches have worn wear No. 42, which was universally retired in 1997. This is one of the best days of the baseball season, no doubt about it.

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