On April 15, 1947, a 28-year-old second baseman named Jackie Robinson stepped onto the field at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn wearing the number 42 on his back. About 26,000 fans packed the stands to watch the Dodgers play the Boston Braves. When Robinson took his position, he became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball - breaking a color barrier that had kept African American athletes out of the big leagues for more than 60 years.
Robinson had been hand-picked by Dodgers president Branch Rickey, who told him he needed a player 'with guts enough not to fight back.' Robinson faced ugly insults from opposing fans, threats from rival players, and teammates who at first refused to play with him. He hit a single in his debut and helped the Dodgers win 5-3. By the end of the season, he had stolen 29 bases, played in 151 games, and been named the very first Rookie of the Year.
Robinson's bravery cracked open the doors of every American sport. Two seasons later, he was the National League's Most Valuable Player. He went on to win a World Series and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. Today, every player in Major League Baseball wears the number 42 on April 15 - Jackie Robinson Day - honoring a man whose calm courage changed America's pastime forever.
