
Today marks the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first game in Major League Baseball. Robinson’s appearance that day in a Brooklyn Dodgers’ uniform, wearing his iconic number 42, allowed Major League Baseball to begin the process of overcoming its devastating and immoral white man problem. And because of Robinson’s remarkable grit and grace Major League Baseball would free itself from the bondage of its “white men only” policy and begin to welcome in some of the greatest American athletes. Such brilliant players as Larry Doby, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente would soon don major league uniforms and enable baseball to truly become America’s pastime.