Fifty years after his death, Jackie Robinson continues to make an impact on baseball and society. That impact will be celebrated across the sport on Saturday.
In 2023, Jackie Robinson Day is not only a tribute to Robinson’s historic debut with the Dodgers 76 years ago, but also a salute to the 50th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF), established to honor Jackie’s widow Rachel Life and mission just months after his death in October 1972.
“I am delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Foundation along with the first year of our new Jackie Robinson Museum,” 100-year-old Rachel Robinson said in a statement. “Thank you to Major League Baseball, the teams, players and fans for celebrating this legacy on Saturday and throughout the year. On behalf of our family, I want to wish everyone a truly wonderful Jackie Robinson day.”
The Jackie Robinson Museum opened in New York City last year after more than 14 years of planning and construction. It sheds light on both Robinson’s work in baseball and in the civil rights movement. JRF — a national non-profit organization that provides scholarships for higher education to minority youth — ensures the work to level the playing field continues to this day.
Here’s an overview of how and where the man who broke the color barrier is celebrated on Jackie Robinson Day, which has been celebrated in MLB every year since 2004.
As has become MLB tradition, all players, managers and coaches will wear Robinson’s No. 42 for Saturday’s games, with all teams regardless of their main team colors using the blue Dodger jersey numbers.
There will also be a “42” side patch on all New Era caps worn on the day, with Nike Breaking Barriers t-shirts worn during batting practice. Stance socks will feature a commemorative “42” logo, and commemorative base jewels and deployment cards will be used for each game.
MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” program will be broadcast live from the Jackie Robinson Museum for the first time Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET, featuring host Harold Reynolds and special guests including NBA star Charles Barkley, actor Chris Jackson from “Hamilton ‘ Negro Leagues historian Larry Lester, JRF President and CEO Della Britton and Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Costas to speak of Robinson’s enduring legacy. The show will also include a recorded tour of the museum with the twins’ Byron Buxton and Nick Gordon.
MLB video game The Show will continue incorporating Robinson into its Negro Leagues storytelling content introduced during Black History Month. Sony will again be selling a $5 charity pack, with proceeds from each copy going to JRF.
Youth Baseball and Softball
At the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., MLB and USA Baseball are hosting the 2023 Trailblazer Series, an annual youth baseball experience for young women under the age of 13 from across the country. Sonya Pankey, Jackie and Rachel Robinson’s first grandchild, will be present to observe the event and speak to the athletes. A special cue ball event will also be held at the training complex, drawing hundreds of children from across the region.
ID Tour events will be held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday and in Anderson, SC on Sunday. The ID Tour, which will reach a total of 18 cities this year, identifies Black and Latino baseball talent in Grades 8 through 10 in underserved communities across the country with the goal of inviting them to future development programs such as the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series or Hank Aaron Invitational.
“New Wave” is a two-part digital series created by SpringHill Company/UNINTERRUPTED, Grapefruit Tree Media and MLB. It follows four high school baseball players – Termarr Johnson, Jayson Jones, RJ Austin and Justin Crawford – during the events leading up to the 2022 amateur draft and the life-changing decisions the young athletes had to make. Directed by former minor league catcher Matt Paré, executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, CC Sabathia, Amber Sabathia and Nick Trotta, and produced by Paré and Jackson New-Smith in association with MLB.
The panel will feature Commissioner Rob Manfred, the aforementioned Sonya Pankey, Sabathia and SpringHill Company President Devin Johnson for an in-depth conversation about the next generation of black baseball leaders.
Printable educational activities aimed at providing children with information about Jackie’s life and legacy are available at MLB.com/42.
JRF grantees at MLB parks
Many current JRF grantees and alumni will be recognized by the clubs and MLB.com this weekend. In 2020, MLB expanded its partnership with JRF to include greater investment in the JRF Scholarship Program and greater coordination of MLB and club internships, full-time employment opportunities and exposure to MLB careers. MLB has reserved summer internship spots specifically for JRF Scholars. The $3.5 million pledge to JRF also includes support for the Jackie Robinson Museum. In the past, MLB and its clubs have donated approximately $20 million to JRF, including college scholarships for more than 150 JRF scholarship recipients.
Capital One, MLB’s official banking and credit card partner, has pledged $1,000 to JRF for every Capital One Walk-Off this year and has committed to a minimum total donation of $250,000.
Every MLB team — home and away — will or had some recognition for Jackie Robinson Day.
Earlier this week, for example, Guardians players Triston McKenzie and Steven Kwan visited eighth graders at the Valley View Boys Leadership Academy in Cleveland to present them with commemorative Jackie Robinson Guardians jerseys and to talk about its enduring importance. The D-Backs are hosting a teen movie night Friday at the Diamondbacks Branch Teen Center with a screening of the movie “42” and a panel discussion with former The Players Alliance pitcher Edwin Jackson. The Cubs will raise “42” flags around the marquee at Wrigley Field April 15-20 and include both the Black National Anthem and the National Anthem in pregame celebrations ahead of their next home game on April 20.
Among the teams hosting games on Saturday, the Braves will host 55 children and companions from the Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club in Cairo, Georgia, Robinson’s birthplace. The Reds are giving out Jackie Robinson baseball cards to those in attendance at the Great American Ball Park, and the Mariners, Tigers and Cardinals are giving out Robinson caps.
The Bank of America baseball clinic “Play It Forward” in Jesse Owens Park in south LA will feature current Dodgers pitcher Andre Jackson and former Dodgers Andre Ethier, James Loney and Jerry Hairston Jr. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will hold a brief reflection with the entire team near the Jackie Robinson statue before Saturday’s game against the Cubs, with several guests scheduled to have their say, including Jackie’s granddaughter Ayo Robinson and several JRF -scholars. All fans in attendance will receive a retro-style Jackie Robinson jersey sponsored by UCLA Health, and 50 JRF scholars and alumni will circle the “42” in the outfield to celebrate the foundation’s 50th anniversary.