As teams throughout Major League Baseball recognize Jackie Robinson Day, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge took time to reflect on the Brooklyn Dodgers’ trailblazer.
“I wouldn’t be standing here today if Jackie and others hadn’t made those sacrifices,” Judge told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “It’s a humbling reminder, looking back on his story and what he went through just to play this game.”
Judge’s comments come amid a scorching seven-game stretch in which he is hitting.435 with a 1.035 OPS despite failing to homer. The Yankees will host the Kansas City Royals in game two of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Since 2004, the MLB has designated April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day, and players have worn Robinson’s number 42 on that day since 2009. 42 is otherwise retired in Major League Baseball. The day commemorates the anniversary of Robinson breaking the league’s color barrier in 1947.
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Fans across the league were treated to an in-stadium pregame tribute video to Robinson, which featured former professional softball player AJ Andrews. MLB and Nike are also holding volunteer events, and MLB Network broadcasts Jackie Robinson content throughout the day.
Nike also released “Breaking Barriers” t-shirts, which some players wore during batting practice. Additionally, teams use commemorative bases and lineup cards.
The Los Angeles Dodgers also continued their tradition of gathering around Robinson’s statue with opposing team players (this year’s Colorado Rockies). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a Lakers legend, was the featured speaker at the ceremony, which was started by Dave Roberts in 2021.
“I think that we’re starting to establish a pretty cool tradition for the players, to get them together in front of Jackie’s statue, and just have a little bit of time to reflect and go back years and understand impact, legacy and responsibility to us,” Roberts said when he made his 2024 remarks.
Russell Steinberg writes about Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. He has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and other publications throughout his baseball and basketball career.
He graduated from NYU in 2012 and continues to serve as the PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.
