Jackie Robinson’s spirit — and his number — will be everywhere this week at the UCLA home baseball stadium that bears his name.
Every Bruin player will wear a special No. 42 jersey as part of a tribute to the famous alumnus who went on to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.
That cream-colored jersey with dark blue lettering was unveiled on campus Monday, one of Robinson’s descendants pulling away a cloth covering a mannequin as part of a grand unveiling.
“It’s a retro jersey and it’s classic,” said Sonya Pankey, Robinson’s eldest granddaughter. “I love the weight of it, it’s modern because that’s what we want to do, we want to contemporize this brand. We’ve got a winning team wearing it, so I’m excited.”
Pankey will throw out the first pitch Tuesday evening at Jackie Robinson Stadium as part of a special ceremony before top-ranked UCLA faces UC Santa Barbara.
The Bruins (33-2) are riding a 27-game winning streak that’s both the longest in the nation and in program history. Players will also wear the special Robinson jersey during a three-game weekend series against Minnesota.
“I think it’s cool,” second baseman Phoenix Call said, “just because we have a lot of diversity on this team and we’ll all be wearing the same number.”
As part of a partnership with Nike, UCLA is reviving its special Robinson jerseys after a 10-year hiatus. After being presented with one of the jerseys featuring her name on the back, Pankey spoke about how her grandfather helped change the world after playing baseball, basketball, football and track at UCLA.
Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, before going on to champion civil rights. The anniversary of that date will be celebrated throughout Major League Baseball on Wednesday as part of Jackie Robinson Day.
“Jackie Robinson was a true visionary, an advocate for social justice, a progressive change agent and not just a number on a jersey,” Pankey said. “He was a pioneer, he used his platform to challenge injustice, inspire change and open doors for generations to come.”
As part of its Jackie Robinson promotional schedule this week, UCLA will give the first 142 fans $1 hot dogs on Friday; the first 300 fans will receive Robinson legacy bats on Saturday; and the first 142 fans will receive Robinson prize vouchers on Sunday in addition to raffle prizes each day.
“The story doesn’t end here,” Pankey told the UCLA players gathered for the jersey unveiling. “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.”
