Dodgers announce statue in honor of Jackie Robinson
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball continued one of its greatest traditions: the celebration of celebrating Jackie Robinson Day.
This year, the event marked the 68th anniversary of Robinson’s historic debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, which officially broke baseball’s color barrier.
The celebration goes league wide, and rightfully so. The impact Robinson had on the game can’t be limited to just one city, or for that matter one generation of fans or players. His courageous efforts helped change the culture within the game and opened doors that remain wide open nearly seven decades later.
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With that said though, the day understandably holds extra significance for the Dodgers organization. It was their Hall of Fame president and general manager Branch Rickey who extended Jackie Robinson the opportunity and helped make it possible for Robinson to pave the road not only in baseball, but all professional sports.
In conjunction with that remarkable history and the connection that exists between Robinson, his family and the Dodgers organization, team president and CEO Stan Kasten announced on Wednesday that Jackie Robinson will soon be honored with the first ever statue erected outside Dodger Stadium.
Let that sink in for a moment. There are no statues currently on the grounds at Dodger Stadium, and despite the fact that Robinson never played in Los Angeles or at the ballpark, his statue will be the first.
That’s a pretty cool tip of the cap from an organization that has employed such greats as Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale on the field, Tommy Lasorda in the dugout and even Vin Scully in the broadcast booth, and according to Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, it’s a dream come true for her family.
“I’ve been waiting years and years for this,” Robinson said with a laugh following the announcement on Wednesday. “It’s the fulfillment of a dream.”
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According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, a designer, design and location have not been selected yet, The Dodgers will work directly with Rachel Robinson and the family to finalize those decisions in the coming months, but the project is a full-go. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the statue unveiled as part of next season’s Jackie Robinson Day festivities.
Logistics aside, it’s simply a remarkable honor that further cements Robinson’s legacy and forever recognizes his unmatched contributions to baseball and human kind. We add our congratulations to his family, and a tip of the cap to the Dodgers for their gesture.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
