Friday is Jackie Robinson Day, and the Texas Rangers have quite a big weekend planned. They will have Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth throw out the first pitch. Players will all wear #42 jerseys, and Charley Pride's son will sing the anthem. Press release below:
The Texas Rangers will celebrate two very significant anniversaries this Friday, April 15 when the club hosts the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m. at Globe Life Field.
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers versus the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field.
On April 15, 1972, the Texas Rangers played their first regular season game after the franchise’s move from Washington, D.C., losing a 1-0 decision to the California Angels in Anaheim.
The Rangers will honor these two anniversaries with several pre-game ceremonies and events.
Jackie Robinson Day will be celebrated throughout Major League Baseball on Friday as players, managers and coaches will once again wear Robinson’s iconic number, with all teams for the first time using Dodger blue “42” jersey numbers (regardless of their primary team colors). Additionally, 42 patches with team-specific uniform colors will appear on Nike uniform sleeves and on New Era caps.
Opal Lee, who is often called the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for her efforts in making Juneteenth a National Holiday, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Rangers-Angels game. The 95-year-old Ms. Lee’s efforts resulted in Senate Bill S. 475 being passed and signed by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021 which made Juneteenth a National Holiday. Ms. Lee is a retired teacher and counselor from Marshall, Texas. She will be accompanied to the mound by former Rangers stars Ferguson Jenkins and Al Oliver.
The Rangers will also be hosting African-American community leaders at the April 15 game and providing them with Opal Lee’s Juneteenth Book. The club will also host youth from the Rangers Foundation’s just keep livin programs and participants from the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy Breaking Barriers Essay Contest.
Proceeds from the team’s Texas 2 Split Raffle on April 15 will be donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation and The Players Alliance.
The first 15,000 fans in the ballpark on Friday will receive a Charley Pride Bobblehead, presented by Medical City Healthcare. The bobblehead captures the late country music legend and long-time friend of the Texas Rangers performing one of his famous clubhouse concerts.
Charley Pride’s son, Dion will sing the National Anthem before Friday’s game.
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