PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Every year it seems we find out more and players get a deeper understanding of what Jackie Robinson endured at the start of his Major League Baseball career. Tuesday, all MLB players continue the tradition of wearing his number 42.
“It means a lot especially for me being an African-American player,” said Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. “Without him I wouldn’t be here.”
“It’s great,” said Pirates veteran Andrew McCutchen. “There’s nothing like it. You only get to wear it for one game. Try to make the most of it, shine as if Jackie was there watching. If I’m in there (Tuesday), hopefully I can have a good game.”
McCutchen said he feels like a broken record when asked about Robinson. It doesn’t mean it’s any less special. For reliever Justin Lawrence, he said it’s his first MLB jersey he wanted to display at his house.
“Everything that he’s done for us,” Lawrence said. “The teammates that I’m able to have. The inclusivity of everyone. It brought so many people together at a tough time. Being able to wear that number, it truly is an honor and humbling.”
"I don't know who's changed this game more than Jackie Robinson did,” said Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. “It's the legacy of the game, it's cool. To use this game to make changes, obviously in baseball he did what he did, but he made changes in the real world, too.
That's pretty cool.”
It’s the first Jackie Robinson Day for Skenes in the majors and he said it will be pretty cool to wear number 42 in his honor. Skenes said they are in a unique situation in Pittsburgh as they also have a deep understanding of Roberto Clemente’s impact on the game. They participate annually in a day of service to honor his legacy. Skenes said you must remember the history of the game and continue the legacy of players like Robinson and Clemente.
“Definitely a special moment whenever you wear 42 and 21 for Clemente,” Hayes said. “Some of the pioneers in all of baseball. Definitely a special day for all of us to bring his name back in the game.”
Hayes started to hear the stories from his 14-year MLB veteran father when he was little and said he can only imagine the stuff that Robinson went through. With everything swirling around the country at that time, Robinson made a stand for all by playing a sport.
“Definitely special, especially for me, to be able to keep his name alive,” Hayes said.