Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays Honor Jackie Robinson

More than 100 Major League Baseball players wore the number 42 on their backs today in respect of the man who broke the color barrier of MLB. Curtis Granderson, Craig Monroe, Gary Sheffield, Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez and coach Lloyd McClendon of the Detroit Tigers along with three Toronto Blue Jay players, participated in the change of jerseys for todays game. The main MLB Ceremony was held at Dodger Stadium prior to the beginning of the Dodgers-Padres game in which the entire Dodger Team wore Robinson' number 42.

Jackie Robinson played the first major league game of his 10 year career on April 15, 1947, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. Jackie was voted Rookie of the Year in 1947, was an All-Star six times and in 1949 was the National League MVP. Robinson finished his career with a .311 batting average. Breaking into the major leagues was no small task for Robinson, as he sustained the name calling, threats and total disrespect from baseball fans, as well as, people involved with the Major Leagues at that time. Only a very special kind of person can persevere through the hatred that Jackie Robinson broke through. Jackie Robinson spent the years after his retirement from baseball, as a businessman and also contributed to the civil rights movement of the 60's.

Today, in baseball, USA Today reports that 8.3% of all MLB roster players are African American, that is nearly 20% less than in 1975, when 27% of Major League Baseball roster players were African American. Many MLB players are trying to step in and promote baseball in the inner cities to combat this issue. As Major League Baseball Teams appear to be more interested in recruiting from the International sports marketplace, the African American youth has been left behind. Teams, like the Detroit Tigers, have started organizations, to once again, develop home grown players. The Detroit Tigers Foundation, raises money to supply inner city youth with well maintained baseball fields and the equipment to play the game. Youth baseball clinics are an ongoing part of the Foundations work also, where MLB players hold workouts with kids participating in the programs.