Dee Gordon reached into his locker and grabbed an Under Armour shoebox. He opened it to display a pair of brand-new spikes in the colors of off-white, royal blue and gold with the No. 42 on the soles and the letter “B” in script and the word Bruins on the back.
No, these weren’t for the Mariners’ Sunday alternate home uniforms. The occasion was much more important than a marketing ploy to sell more swag. These shoes were made special by Under Armour for players to wear for the celebration Monday of Jackie Robinson Day. The blue and gold are the colors of UCLA, where Robinson was a standout four-sport letterman in baseball, basketball, football and track.