Jackie Robinson Day: Baseball Remembers a Legend and Pioneer

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Getty Images / Kevork Djansezian

Los Angeles Dodgers Kids in the Field honor Jackie Robinson in 2009 by wearing his #42 during a pre-game ceremony

April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day, a chance for baseball fans everywhere to honor a hero.

Today marks 64 years since Jackie Robinson played his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and in doing so became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. Robinson, a supremely talented infielder who played in six World Series and helped the Dodgers win a title in 1955, made his historical debut in 1947. In 1962 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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The Dodgers, who have since moved to Los Angeles, will pay tribute with a series of commemorative ceremonies and a panel discussion about his effects on baseball and society. Baseball players across the country will wear his retired number 42 in a show of respect for his contributions to the sport.

Major League Baseball chose to celebrate the eighth annual Jackie Robinson Day with the launch of their new website “Iam42“, a digital campaign to honor his impact. MLB Network plans to air a documentary on Sunday called “Letters From Jackie: The Private Thoughts of Jackie Robinson.” Today they feature the film’s preview on their website.

NewsFeed admires his impact and wishes everyone a happy Jackie Robinson Day.

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