Remembering Robinson
Tomorrow Major League Baseball will be celebrating Jackie Robinson day. As what appears to have become an annual tradition a number of players and teams will don his retired number 42 on their backs as a sign of respect to the man known for breaking the baseball color barrier on April 15, 1947. Robinson’s number has been retired throughout the MLB since 1997. Because players/coaches who had been wearing the number at the time were grandfathered in Mariano Rivera is the last player to display the number on his back on a daily basis. This year 39 American League players/coaches, 24 National Leaguers, along with seven entire teams will honor Robinson (complete list below). Honoring Jackie Robinson for the Chicago Cubs, will be: Derrek Lee, Daryle Ward, Lester Strode, and Gerald Perry.
What often gets lost in the discussion of Jackie Robinson is that besides breaking the color barrier he was a great baseball player. In rookie year Robinson lead the Brooklyn Dodgers in; Games, At-Bats, Runs, Hits, Total Bases, Singles, Doubles, Home Runs, Steals, and Sacrifices. Robinson hit .297 and got on base at a .383 clip his rookie year, Robinson took home the 1947 Rookie of the Year award and finished fifth in the MVP voting. Robinson went on to win the 1949 MVP award and made six consecutive All-Star games 1949-1954. Over his ten year career Robinson hit for a .311BA, 273 Doubles, 137 Home Runs, 734 R.B.I., 197 steals, and 740 walks, while only striking out 291 times. Robinson, also had a career .983 fielding percentage which is very impressive considering he played the vast majority of his games at second base. Jackie Robinson was one of the greatest players to ever play the game of baseball. His career statistics are Hall of Fame worthy on their own, but they are even more impressive when the hardships he faced as the first African American player are taken into consideration.
A year after Robinson passed Rachel Robinson (Jackie’s wife) founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Foundation is a not-for-profit, that awards four-year college scholarships to academically gifted students of color with financial need, enabling them to attend the college of their choice. To donate to click here.
Jackie Robinson’s career numbers
More Jackie Robinson Day coverage
| Adam Jones (BAL) | Eric Byrnes (ARI) | |
| Coco Crisp (BOS) | Orlando Hudson (ARI) | |
| DeMarlo Hale (BOS) | Lee Tinsley (ARI) | |
| David Ortiz (BOS) | Justin Upton (ARI) | |
| Harold Baines (CWS) | Chris Young (ARI) | |
| Jeff Cox (CWS) | Mark Kotsay (ATL) | |
| Jermaine Dye (CWS) | Derrek Lee (CHI) | |
| Ozzie Guillen (CWS) | Gerald Perry (CHI) | |
| Nick Swisher (CWS) | Lester Strode (CHI) | |
| Jim Thome (CWS) | Daryle Ward (CHI) | |
| C.C. Sabathia (CLE) | Dusty Baker (CIN) | |
| Grady Sizemore (CLE) | Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN) | |
| Curtis Granderson (DET) | Matt Herges (COL) | |
| Jacque Jones (DET) | Willy Taveras (COL) | |
| Lloyd McClendon (DET) | Yorvit Torrealba (COL) | |
| Gary Sheffield (DET) | Bo Porter (FLA) | |
| Marcus Thames (DET) | Michael Bourn (HOU) | |
| Dontrelle Willis (DET) | Cecil Cooper (HOU) | |
| Joey Gathright (KC) | Entire team (LA) | |
| Jose Guillen (KC) | Prince Fielder (MIL) | |
| Trey Hillman (KC) | Entire team (NYM) | |
| Luis Silverio (KC) | Jimmy Rollins (PHI) | |
| Entire team (LAA) | Entire team (PIT) | |
| Matt Guerrier (MIN) | Entire team (STL) | |
| Livan Hernandez (MIN) | Tony Clark (SD) | |
| Craig Monroe (MIN) | Calix Crabbe (SD) | |
| Denard Span (MIN) | Scott Hairston (SD) | |
| Jerry White (MIN) | Ray Durham (SF) | |
| Delmon Young (MIN) | Entire team (WAS) | |
| Robinson Cano (NYY) | ||
| Joe Girardi (NYY) | ||
| Derek Jeter (NYY) | ||
| Mariano Rivera (NYY)* | ||
| Entire team (OAK) | ||
| Miguel Batista (SEA) | ||
| Adrian Beltre (SEA) | ||
| Yuniesky Betancourt (SEA) | ||
| Mike Morse (SEA) | ||
| Entire team (TB) | ||
| Entire team (TEX) | ||
| Shannon Stewart (TOR) | ||
| Frank Thomas (TOR) | *MLB.com | |
| Vernon Wells (TOR) |
