In coordination with the Robinson Family, MLB Clubs and various partners, Major League Baseball today announced a host of new and refreshed tributes to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic MLB debut on April 15, 1947 as he broke baseball’s color barrier and began to change our society forever.
“Seventy-five years ago, Jackie Robinson took the field under incredibly challenging circumstances and unimaginable pressure. Yet through his courage, character, skill, and values, he brought well-needed change to our game and advanced the Civil Rights Movement in our country,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “During this special anniversary year, it is a top priority for MLB to honor Jackie’s contributions and legacy, recognize the impact Rachel has made through the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and continue to keep Jackie’s memory and values alive for today’s generation of players and fans.”
“Our family is thrilled to see the many wonderful tributes to Jack’s historic moment 75 years ago,” said Rachel Robinson. “We will continue to honor his memory and legacy through our work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. We are proud to have Major League Baseball and so many others as supporters of the young men and women we impact each year.”
Leading up to and on Jackie Robinson Day – Friday, April 15th – Jackie and his legacy will be honored and celebrated in the following ways:
NEW FOR THE 75th ANNIVERSARY
• EXCLUSIVE, MLB-PRODUCED VIDEO, “PLAY, RUN, WIN, RISE” – MLB has produced an exclusive and powerful video – titled “Play, Run, Win, Rise – written by Eljon Wardally and narrated by actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton,” “Many Saints of Newark”). This visual tribute reflects on Jackie’s legacy as a Hall of Fame and trailblazing player, social justice advocate, civil rights icon and pioneer in business and broadcasting. The video also highlights the critical influence Rachel Robinson has had on their family’s legacy, particularly through the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
-- This will appear in all MLB ballparks on Jackie Robinson Day and will run on MLB Network, MLB.com and MLB Social Media.
• 75th ANNIVERSARY LOGO – MLB has created a special logo for this Diamond Anniversary. Jackie’s digital signature sits atop the mark and is a connection to the 50th anniversary patch. This modern design shows an unmistakable illustration of Jackie Robinson and his impending swing in minimal form. The updated technique to this commemorative design takes a digital first approach and presents MLB at the center of the 75 year celebration.
• NUMBER ‘42’ IN DODGER BLUE – As is tradition, players, managers and coaches will once again wear Robinson’s iconic number on April 15th, with all teams for the first time using Dodger blue “42” jersey numbers (regardless of their primary team colors).
-- Additionally, 42 patches with team-specific uniform colors will appear on Nike uniform sleeves and on New Era caps.
• MAYORS TO TIP THEIR CAPS: In association with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, hundreds of Mayors from across the United States and Puerto Rico will participate in a social media campaign to “Tip Their Caps” to Jackie Robinson on April 15th.
• APRIL 15th CELEBRATION IN NEW YORK CITY – On the morning of Friday, April 15th, MLB will honor Jackie at the “Crossroads of the World,” Times Square, with an assortment of public displays. Details will be announced at a later date.
YOUTH BASEBALL & SOFTBALL AND SCOUTING IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
• “42 INNINGS FOR 42” – In a unique call-to-action to the youth baseball & softball community, MLB has provided guidelines to have community leagues – including those in MLB & MiLB Club Markets, Little League, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Pony, Dixie, Ripken and others – to play a total of 42 innings over the weekend of April 15th-17th. Leagues will share content of their games (using #Jackie42) on social media where many will be recognized on @PlayBall (Twitter & IG) and PlayBall.org.
• TRAILBLAZER SERIES – At the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla. (the former Spring Training site of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers), MLB and USA Baseball are hosting the 2022 Trailblazer Series. This annual youth baseball experience for young women, ages 13 and under from across the country, is a three-day event serving as both instructional and developmental. The event is always held in conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day.
• ID TOUR – Beginning on April 9th, MLB will begin a 12-city tour to identify African-American and Latino baseball talent (in grades 8-10) within underserved communities across the country. The goal is to discover the best athletes, whether they are playing baseball or not, to invite them to future baseball development programs, such as the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series or Hank Aaron Invitational, many of which will be held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
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Jackie Robinson 75th anniversary tributes (mlb.com)
“Seventy-five years ago, Jackie Robinson took the field under incredibly challenging circumstances and unimaginable pressure. Yet through his courage, character, skill, and values, he brought well-needed change to our game and advanced the Civil Rights Movement in our country,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “During this special anniversary year, it is a top priority for MLB to honor Jackie’s contributions and legacy, recognize the impact Rachel has made through the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and continue to keep Jackie’s memory and values alive for today’s generation of players and fans.”
“Our family is thrilled to see the many wonderful tributes to Jack’s historic moment 75 years ago,” said Rachel Robinson. “We will continue to honor his memory and legacy through our work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. We are proud to have Major League Baseball and so many others as supporters of the young men and women we impact each year.”
Leading up to and on Jackie Robinson Day – Friday, April 15th – Jackie and his legacy will be honored and celebrated in the following ways:
NEW FOR THE 75th ANNIVERSARY
• EXCLUSIVE, MLB-PRODUCED VIDEO, “PLAY, RUN, WIN, RISE” – MLB has produced an exclusive and powerful video – titled “Play, Run, Win, Rise – written by Eljon Wardally and narrated by actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton,” “Many Saints of Newark”). This visual tribute reflects on Jackie’s legacy as a Hall of Fame and trailblazing player, social justice advocate, civil rights icon and pioneer in business and broadcasting. The video also highlights the critical influence Rachel Robinson has had on their family’s legacy, particularly through the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
-- This will appear in all MLB ballparks on Jackie Robinson Day and will run on MLB Network, MLB.com and MLB Social Media.
• 75th ANNIVERSARY LOGO – MLB has created a special logo for this Diamond Anniversary. Jackie’s digital signature sits atop the mark and is a connection to the 50th anniversary patch. This modern design shows an unmistakable illustration of Jackie Robinson and his impending swing in minimal form. The updated technique to this commemorative design takes a digital first approach and presents MLB at the center of the 75 year celebration.
• NUMBER ‘42’ IN DODGER BLUE – As is tradition, players, managers and coaches will once again wear Robinson’s iconic number on April 15th, with all teams for the first time using Dodger blue “42” jersey numbers (regardless of their primary team colors).
-- Additionally, 42 patches with team-specific uniform colors will appear on Nike uniform sleeves and on New Era caps.
• MAYORS TO TIP THEIR CAPS: In association with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, hundreds of Mayors from across the United States and Puerto Rico will participate in a social media campaign to “Tip Their Caps” to Jackie Robinson on April 15th.
• APRIL 15th CELEBRATION IN NEW YORK CITY – On the morning of Friday, April 15th, MLB will honor Jackie at the “Crossroads of the World,” Times Square, with an assortment of public displays. Details will be announced at a later date.
YOUTH BASEBALL & SOFTBALL AND SCOUTING IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
• “42 INNINGS FOR 42” – In a unique call-to-action to the youth baseball & softball community, MLB has provided guidelines to have community leagues – including those in MLB & MiLB Club Markets, Little League, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Pony, Dixie, Ripken and others – to play a total of 42 innings over the weekend of April 15th-17th. Leagues will share content of their games (using #Jackie42) on social media where many will be recognized on @PlayBall (Twitter & IG) and PlayBall.org.
• TRAILBLAZER SERIES – At the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla. (the former Spring Training site of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers), MLB and USA Baseball are hosting the 2022 Trailblazer Series. This annual youth baseball experience for young women, ages 13 and under from across the country, is a three-day event serving as both instructional and developmental. The event is always held in conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day.
• ID TOUR – Beginning on April 9th, MLB will begin a 12-city tour to identify African-American and Latino baseball talent (in grades 8-10) within underserved communities across the country. The goal is to discover the best athletes, whether they are playing baseball or not, to invite them to future baseball development programs, such as the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series or Hank Aaron Invitational, many of which will be held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
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Jackie Robinson 75th anniversary tributes (mlb.com)
