April 15: ‘We Are Jackie’ — ‘Not Just Baseball History. He Is America’s History’
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 08:29PM By Barry Janoff
“I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me . . . All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” — Jackie Robinson
April 14, 2026: Some 79 years after Jackie Robinson stepped onto the field for his first regular season MLB game as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers, his impact and legacy is still being felt throughout baseball, sports and by interactions nationwide.
MLB retired Robinson’s No. 42 throughout the Majors in 1997 on the 50th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier,.
They dedicated April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day annually in 2004, and since 2009 has requested that every player and all on-field personnel wear his No. 42 during games scheduled on Jackie Robinson Day., with each team using a Dodger blue ‘42’ regardless of the club’s normal colors.
As has become tradition, Robinson will also be remembered before, during and after games.
Players, managers, coaches and umpires will also wear a ‘42’ patch on the side of their hats.
Each of the 30 MLB teams will wear a hat that features a Jackie Robinson stitch depicting an image of Robinson in a home plate-shaped frame, along with the number 42 in the top right corner
Commemorative base jewels and lineup cards will be used in each game.
A pre-game Jackie Robinson tribute video produced by MLB Network will air in all stadiums, as well as on MLB.com, MLB Network and MLB's social platforms.
Programming throughout the day on MLB Network and MLB The Show game includes modes that honor Robinson's legacy.
Rachael Robinson, Jackie’s widow and business leader, civil rights activist, professor, nurse, wife and mother, now 102, will also be honored as the powerful woman who has continued to support his message.
MLB is launching "We Are Jackie," which will feature a dedicated spot across MLB Media outlets, including MLB Network, MLB.com and MLB.TV; MLB broadcast partners including Fox, ESPN and NBC; across MLB owned social channels and in all ballparks on April 15.
The spot is narrated by Hall of Famer CC Sabathia: “Jackie is not just baseball history, he is America’s history.”
The jewel game of the day is the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the New York Mets (ESPN), when the first 40,000 fans in attendance in Dodger Stadium will received a Jackie Robinson Day Jersey presented by UCLA Health .
The Dodgers will hold ceremonies throughout the day, including at an eight-foot bronze sculpture located in the Centerfield Plaza, depicting him stealing home plate. The statue was veiled in 2017 to mark the 70th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier,
Although he never played for the team in Los Angeles, he attended UCLA and lettered in four sports: baseball, football, basketball and track.
Every member of the UCLA baseball team this week will wear special No. 42 Nike jerseys in games played in the stadium that bears his name.
“The story doesn’t end here,” Sonya Pankey, one of Robinson’s granddaughters, said during a media event at UCLA.
“You guys are the future and I hope you use his story as a guide for your future mission. To the Bruins, wishing you guys continued success to the season, I hope you wear the jersey with pride and let it inspire you to build your own legacy that opens doors and creates opportunities for others to follow.”
On April 15, the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla., will host the Florida State League's Jackie Robinson Celebration Game, which raises funds for the United Way of Indian River County
The Jackie Robinson Museum in New York will have special programming on April 15 and 16,
"Jackie Robinson's iconic contributions greatly impacted the social landscape of the nation," Della Britton, President and CEO, said via the Jackie Robinson Foundation. "He demonstrated how talent, discipline and a dedication to serving the community can impact generations."
Other events in connection with Jackie Robinson Day include:
MLB will host a special Jackie Robinson Day PLAY BALL event on April 18 giving more than 200 kids aged 5-12 from local Indian River County the opportunity to participate in diamond sports. This event will be led by the Trailblazer Series athletes volunteering as coaches alongside MLB PLAY BALL Ambassador Justin Sherman.
MLB ID Tour: Spanning 19 cities and 20 stops, this talent tour focuses on the graduating classes of 2029 and 2030 within underserved communities. The journey, which began on January 20 in Tempe, Arizona, will take place in Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina on Saturday, April 18 and in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, April 19.
This commitment to the future is reinforced by such partners as Capital One, which has donated more than $1 million to the Jackie Robinson Foundation since the Capital One Walk-Offs program began in 2022.
It will continue its support this season by donating $1,000 for every walk-off win during the 2026 season.
MLB The Show 26 will again sell game packs where proceeds will go to the JRF and showcase Jackie’s legacy within gameplay.
Jackis Robinson commemorative items are available at the MLB Shop Web site.
The Baseball Hall of Fame, into which Robinson was inducted in 1962, also has an array of products.
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