Jackie Robinson Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15, 1947. As the first major league team to play a black man since the 1880s, the Dodgers ended racial segregation that had relegated black players to the Negro Leagues for six decades. The example of Robinson’s character, his use of nonviolence, and his unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1997,MLB “universally” retired Robinson’s number 42, across all major league teams; he was the first pro athlete in any sport to be so honored. April 15, 2004, MLB has adopted a new annual tradition, “Jackie Robinson Day”, on which every player on every team wears #42.
