April 13, 200917 yr MLB ready to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day By request of Commissioner Bud Selig, as Major League Baseball celebrates the 62nd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking its color barrier on Wednesday, all big league players and uniformed personnel have been asked to wear the late Hall of Famer's famous No. 42 on the field when the 30 teams celebrate the occasion. The past two years, as the momentum to wear Robinson's number steamrolled through Major League clubhouses, Selig asked, but the act of wearing it was voluntary. Not so this year. "April 15, 1947, is a day that resonates with history throughout Major League Baseball," Selig said. "With all Major League players, coaches and umpires wearing Jackie's No. 42, we hope to demonstrate the magnitude of his impact on the game of baseball. Major League Baseball will never forget the contributions that Jackie made both on and off the field." This year's main celebration of Robinson putting on a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform in a regular-season game for the first time, thus integrating MLB forever, is being hosted at Citi Field, the new home of the Mets. But there will be ceremonies in all the other 14 ballparks across the nation, with 62 Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars being honored. Ok, so I understand the importance of Robinson. What he did was important for the game... and the county. but do we REALLY need to honor him every single year? DO we really need to force everyone to wear 42? i can understand on "major" anniversaries like 50, 60, 70, 75... you get the idea. But we have to honor him EVERY year? come on. And of course, this is sooooo important, that Bud Selig needs to be there, oh wait, he wont be.... Bob DuPuy will represent Selig at the rotunda dedication and the evening ceremony at Citi Field before the Mets play the Padres. He'll be joined by Rachel Robinson; New York Gov. David Patterson; U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York; and Fred Wilpon, the owner of the Mets, who grew up in Brooklyn as a devoted Dodgers fan and has long admired Robinson.
April 13, 200917 yr I don't think it's too much to ask to honor him every year... now to make everyone wear 42, that's a little over the top.
April 14, 200917 yr I smell a protest by the Players' Union. There are some players who are very supertitious about what number that they wear.
April 14, 200917 yr Selig is a hack... I can't wait until baseball gets a new commissioner. As for the 42 thing, it should be completely optional. Why don't we make a Babe Ruth day? No one has done more for baseball then him.
April 14, 200917 yr QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 04:51 PM) It was way cooler when it was by choice. This is just stupid. Exactly. They are honoring a guy who broke down barriers, by forcing their will on everyone. Brilliant. I can't think of a more inappropriate way to honor Robinson.
April 14, 200917 yr 2010 Selig is going to make every road team wear a road Brooklyn #42 jersey and every home team will have the home version on.
April 14, 200917 yr This is just dumb. Make it optional once a year if players choose to do so. Don't make everyone do it. I read this last night and just laughed. Selig is such a joke.
April 14, 200917 yr QUOTE (zenryan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 09:43 PM) 2010 Selig is going to make every road team wear a road Brooklyn #42 jersey and every home team will have the home version on. And all white players will have to be in blackface...y'know, like Ted Danson.
April 14, 200917 yr QUOTE (Whitewashed in '05 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 08:45 PM) and lol @ Steve's avi... thats wrong... yet it still makes me laugh. heh and NICE a google image search nets a nipslip! Edited April 14, 200917 yr by Steve9347
April 15, 200917 yr The MLB Network said all players and uniformed employees are "encouraged" to wear 42 today, so it's like someone posted above, with the union I don't think they can make it mandatory
April 15, 200917 yr QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 01:10 PM) MLB ready to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day Ok, so I understand the importance of Robinson. What he did was important for the game... and the county. but do we REALLY need to honor him every single year? DO we really need to force everyone to wear 42? i can understand on "major" anniversaries like 50, 60, 70, 75... you get the idea. But we have to honor him EVERY year? come on. And of course, this is sooooo important, that Bud Selig needs to be there, oh wait, he wont be.... Is this over the top, maybe, but we absolutely need to honor him every year. The guy changed the face of baseball and arguably America.
April 15, 200917 yr so about 10 years ago the tribute was to retire his number so nobody could wear it. Now everybody has to wear it. not sure where this makes sense.
April 16, 200916 yr QUOTE (BearSox @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 09:26 PM) Selig is a hack... I can't wait until baseball gets a new commissioner. As for the 42 thing, it should be completely optional. Why don't we make a Babe Ruth day? No one has done more for baseball then him. No kidding, I think a Babe Ruth day is in order.
April 16, 200916 yr Author QUOTE (earthshiner @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:57 PM) so about 10 years ago the tribute was to retire his number so nobody could wear it. Now everybody has to wear it. not sure where this makes sense. Here is something interesting I thought last night... so, the way to honor the man who introduced DIVERSITY into majr leage baseball... is to force everyone into uniformity. Ironic.
April 22, 200916 yr Does anyone have a Branch Rickey day to honor him? I have absolutely no idea what these repetitive honor days accomplish. I suspect it has become one of those events that someone is afraid to discontinue because it will be construed as disrespectful. Hogwash to that. Just like the pre game patriotic songs and such. When they were initiated, they had a specific purpose and were honorable. Now they have become trite and ritualistic while losing the impact of the original concept Just another one of those PC issues. Does anyone actually believe that civil rights will be abolished if Jackie Robinson tributes are toned down?
April 22, 200916 yr QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 09:27 PM) Exactly. They are honoring a guy who broke down barriers, by forcing their will on everyone. Brilliant. I can't think of a more inappropriate way to honor Robinson. QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 16, 2009 -> 07:36 AM) Here is something interesting I thought last night... so, the way to honor the man who introduced DIVERSITY into majr leage baseball... is to force everyone into uniformity. Ironic. Or you read it in this thread three days ago.
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