How the #42 Changed Sports Forever
- ldeaton05
- Apr 15, 2020
- 2 min read
42. That’s the number of a man that changed sports forever. 42. That’s the number of a man that broke down color barriers for African Americans. 42. That’s the number of a man who knew it was going to be tough, but kept fighting for what was right . 42. That’s the number of a man that returned hate with respect and dignity. 42. That’s Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson’s number.
On April 15, 1947, Robinson stepped onto the Dodgers field and changed the sport of baseball forever. Jackie Robinson went on to win Rookie of the Year that year, hitting an impressive .311 during his 10 year tenure with the Dodgers, winning the National League Player of the year in 1949, deemed an All Star from 1949-1954, and won a World Series Championship in 1956. In his career, Jackie had 1,518 hits, 137 home runs, 734 RBI, 740 walks, 947 runs scored, 197 stolen bases. He became a hall of fame member on July 23, 1962.
On April 15, 2020, there were supposed to be 14 teams taking on the field in #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson and the legacy he left on the game of baseball. Of course, we know that is not possible with the recent COVID-19 pandemic cancelling all sports, but that doesn’t mean his legacy cannot be honored. I have seen a number of tweets, and articles regarding virtual celebrations of this man’s bravery and accomplishments. Niko Goodrum, Detroit Tigers shortstop, tweeted, “Dear Jackie, I am honored! I am indebted! You made it possible for me to be able to live out my dreams! The events that you went through day in and day out just to play this game changed the WORLD!” Tim Anderson, White Sox shortstop, said "Just use it as motivation, all of the things that he went through. We all know the negative things that he went through. Just being thankful for the moment” is the biggest thing we can do during this hard time. There is no better advice for us during this hard time. I think we can all learn something from his attitude and his devotion to doing the hard things with courage and honor. Thank you, #42. Your legacy lives on and your impact hasn't been forgotten.
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