LA Dodgers plan special night for Jackie Robinson Day
LA Dodgers plan special night for Jackie Robinson Day
Andrés Soto, USA TODAYWed, April 15, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
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April 15 is celebrated across Major League Baseball as a commemoration of the day that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. And for the Los Angeles Dodgers — the team that Robinson debuted went onto play his entire 10-year career with — that day always carries a little more weight.
Every year on Jackie Robinson Day, a hold a pregame moment of reflection is held with both the Dodgers and the visiting team (in this year's case, the New York Mets) gathering at the eponymous player's statue in the centerfield plaza at Dodger Stadium.
"This is not a one-day situation," Roberts said at last year's ceremony. "It's Jackie Robinson's day for breaking the color barrier, but this is like an everyday sort of mindset, appreciation."
MORE: LA Dodgers are MLB's melting pot, with complex history to show
Members of the Robinson family and other invited guests usually attend as well; NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke at the gathering in 2025. This year's scheduled guests include Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars and Robinson's granddaughters, Sonya Pankey and Ayo Robinson, along with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick.
In addition to wearing Robinson's iconic No. 42 like all 29 other clubs, the Dodgers take it a step further by swapping out their interlocking LA for the Brooklyn B on their hats.
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Among other plans for the game itself, the UCLA women's basketball team — fresh off their national championship and a record six players selected in the WNBA draft — will throw out the first pitch with their trophy in hand. A commemorative 42 jersey will also be given out to fans in attendance.
Even the Dodgers' opponent on Wednesday, the Mets, holds significance as they were created to fill a void left after two former New York teams — Dodgers and Giants — relocated to the West Coast in the 1950s.
MORE: How Dodgers continue to invest in Jackie Robinson legacy
1 / 0Jackie Robinson: A look at the life and career of MLB trailblazerAmerican baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919 - 1972) during his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers, on August 28, 1949.How to watch the Dodgers vs. Mets on Jackie Robinson Day
The finale of the Dodgers' homestand vs. Mets will be televised nationally on ESPN on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:10 p.m. PT. In another cool wrinkle for Jackie Robinson Day, the game will be called by Joe Buck, who left FOX Sports to helm the "Monday Night Football" booth at ESPN in March 2022.
Here's how to watch the Dodgers play the Mets on Jackie Robinson Day:
Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
Time: 7:10 p.m. PT (10:10 p.m. ET)
TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, Fubo
1 / 0From Trolleys to Tinseltown: Follow the Dodgers’ baseball run through the agesPicher Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers winds up to throw a pitch against the Minnesota Twin in game 7 of the 1965 World Series, Oct.14, 1965 at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The Dodgers won the series 4 games to 3. Koufax was the series MVP and played for the Dodgers from 1955-66.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Dodgers' plans to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day
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