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LOS ANGELES: Sixty years after Jackie Robinson became
the first black player in modern Major League Baseball, his legacy
was honored at games across the United States on Sunday.
Robinson, whose number 42 was
retired for all Major League Baseball clubs at ceremonies 10 years
ago in New York, played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was the
National League’s Rookie of the Year in 1947.
He played his first game for the
Dodgers on April 15, 1947, and 60 years on every member of the Los
Angeles Dodgers donned No. 42 in his memory.
Robinson’s widow, Rachel
Robinson, long-time Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully and major league
commissioner Bud Selig addressed the Los Angeles crowd prior the
game.
Hall of Famers Hank Aaron—the
all-time home run leader—and Frank Robinson—the first black
major league manager—threw out first pitches.
Withstanding racial insults and
slights in an era of discrimination, Robinson was a trailblazer for
black rights and such modern-day stars as Derek Jeter, Barry Bonds
and Ken Griffey Jnr.
It was Griffey who wrote to Selig
and asked permission to wear No. 42 on Sunday.
Selig liked the idea so much he
expanded it, and more than 200 players and managers joined the
tribute.
Even sportsmen outside of
baseball were moved to honor Robinson, who died in 1972 at age 53.
The No. 42 NASCAR stock car of
Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya sported a special Jackie Robinson Day
sticker, while the NBA’s Jerry Stackhouse supplemented his regular
number 42 Mavericks jersey by writing Robinson’s name on his
sneakers.
“I think a lot of people
wouldn’t be in this locker room if it wasn’t for what he did,”
Cincinnati’s Griffey said.
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