April 15, 1947 — 74 years ago today — Jack Roosevelt Robinson made his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and shattered the color barrier as the first black man to play in MLB. And Now, every April 15th, each and every player in baseball dons the iconic number 42 in honor of Jackie.
For most players and coaches it’s an honor. For Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, it’s much more special than that. Ahead of Jackie Robinson Day, Doc reflected on what it means to wear number 42 on the back of the jersey with Dodgers filling the space on the front.