Happy Jackie Robinson Day

QUOTE OF THE DAY:                                                                             "At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion when the National Anthem was played. This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else." -- Jackie Robinson

We've honored Jackie Robinson before on this blog, (as recently as January here) but tonight all of baseball will too, wearing the number 42 throughout the country.  Today marks the anniversary that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, paving the way for countless others.  

Other things about Robinson....

• Finished with a career batting average of .311
• First African-American inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame
• Served in the Army....
• Where he became friends with legendary Joe Louis
• Also was a prestigous tennis player as a teen and won the PCNTT
• Made the Negro League All-Star game his first year as a professional
• Played in six World Series
• Stole home 19 times
• Earned the NL MVP in 1949
• Became the highest paid player on the Dodgers
• Became the first MLB player on a postage stamp
• Served on the board of the NAACP
• Was also the first African-American TV Sports analyst
• Won the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Second baseball player to win Congressional Gold Medal
• Won the first ever Rookie of the Year Award in 1947
• Close to 30,000 African-Americans were in attendance in his major league debut.

And this is probably worth posting again.  

If you're wondering why everyone is wearing 42 tonight, Jackie Robinson is why.  

Thank you Jackie, let's play ball!