Today marks the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he took the field to play first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In tribute, former MLBer and ESPN commentator Doug Glanville narrated a short video piece featuring stunning visuals.
The sand-art animation, which features Robinson sliding safely into home plate, is the work of Joe Castillo who rocketed to fame on America’s Got Talent.
[fusion_title size=”4″]NEVER-ENDING FIRSTS[/fusion_title]
Robison’s life reads like a chronicle of firsts. Aside from being the first black player in MLB, he became the league’s first black television analyst, and later was the first black vice president of a major corporation — coffee brand Chock Full o’Nuts.
The #Dodgers Jackie Robinson statue that will be unveiled tomorrow night. 📷 @arashmarkazi pic.twitter.com/8IT65EgTsi
— DodgersBeat (@DodgersBeat) April 14, 2017
Today, the Dodgers unveiled a statue of Robinson, the first to grace their stadium in its 55-year history. On hand for the ceremony was long-time Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully; pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Newcombe, who were Robinson’s teammates during the team’s World Series-winning campaign in 1955; and current Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson.
[fusion_title size=”4″]FORTY-TWO IN SPACE[/fusion_title]
In 2015, astronaut Terry Virts, orbiting Earth in the International Space Station, donned a No. 42 Dodgers jersey in honor of Robinson’s courage. He posted photographic proof positive to Twitter, complete with floating baseball.
Honoring #JackieRobinson today! #42 pic.twitter.com/4VznEC204R
— Terry W. Virts (@AstroTerry) April 15, 2015
With Virts’ tribute, Robinson became the first baseball player to have his uniform worn in space.
[fusion_title size=”4″]THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY[/fusion_title]
See how many other additional firsts you can glean while watching 1950’s The Jackie Robinson Story — which was the first movie made about the baseball legend.
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