When Jackie Robinson was written into the No. 2 spot in the Brooklyn Dodgers' starting lineup on April 15, 1947, baseball -- and sports in general -- changed forever.
Jackie Robinson Day 2015: Shop commemorative T-shirts, jerseys, memorabilia and more
One of baseball’s best -- and definitely most underrated -- holidays is upon us.
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No longer was there a color barrier in what was, at the time, the nation’s most popular professional sports league. Many players in many leagues followed the lead of Robinson, who hit .297/.383/.427 in his rookie season. More than a half-decade later, Major League Baseball took the initiative of permanently honoring the courageous and immensely talented Hall of Famer by declaring every April 15 Jackie Robinson Day.
Every player on every team at every ballpark will wear No. 42 -- otherwise retired by all 30 MLB clubs -- on the backs of their jerseys, symbolizing the strength and unity in the game today while simultaneously paying homage to the contributions of Robinson to the sport.
You, too, can wear No. 42 on one of baseball’s best holidays:
Regarding the action itself, among the starting pitchers -- all No. 42, of course -- slated for Jackie Robinson Day are Mark Buehrle of the Toronto Blue Jays, Tim Lincecum of the Giants and Francisco Liriano of the Pirates. Robinson's longtime team, the Dodgers, will take on the Seattle Mariners in the Civil Rights Game at 10:10 p.m. ET.
Not long before that, the San Diego Padres will face the Arizona Diamondbacks. Several of the uniforms that will be used in the game are available for pre-order, along with a host of other Jackie Robinson Day gear, at the SB Nation sports shop.
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