Every year on April 15, the MLB and its 30 teams celebrate Jackie Robinson on the anniversary of his major league debut. As the Los Angeles Angels did not have a game on April 15, they will hold their commemoration on April 16 when they face the Minnesota Twins.
For background on this annual day of celebration, Robinson made his Major League debut at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The MLB has celebrated this day since 2004, and added that players and on-field personnel all wear No. 42 in 2009.
This day is not just meant as a celebration, but as a chance to educate the community about his impact. Meanwhile, the MLB also supports initiatives that help further achieve social and racial equality in our world today.
On one of the most important days of the MLB calendar, we will see the Angels do multiple things to honor the legend of Robinson.
First, all on-field personnel, from players to umpires to managers and coaches, will wear the number 42 instead of their usual jersey number. No. 42 is retired across the entirety of the sport, but is worn league-wide on this day.
Next, the “42” logo will appear on jerseys and the specialty New Era caps with team specific fonts and colors added to it to make it unique across all 30 teams. All licensed royalties from the sale of these hats will go directly to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Finally, all players will also wear a special batting practice tee celebrating The Players Alliance which will not be available for retail purchase.
The Angels posted a simple, but poignant message about Robinson’s impact and why we celebrate him, via Twitter:
Today, we wear 42.
Today, the number on the back outshines the name on the front. #Jackie42 pic.twitter.com/AvSfQymR9b— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 16, 2021
The Angels will begin the first of a three-game set against the Twins on Friday in hopes of continuing the strong start to their 2021 season.
Joe Maddon calls 3-3 road trip a success
Now that the Angels have returned home after a six-game road trip, they can reflect on how they fared in the first trip of the season. They went 3-3 in total against the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.
Joe Maddon was happy with the total record given the injuries, delays, and postponements that happened to the team while they were away.