Denzel Washington Pays Tribute to Jackie Robinson Before MLB All-Star Game At Dodger Stadium

Main League Baseball hit one other residence run tonight.

Because it did final 12 months with Kevin Costner’s look on the Area of Desires sport in Iowa, the league introduced in a Hollywood heavy hitter so as to add just a little televised magic to the All-Star Sport at Dodger Stadium.

Simply earlier than gamers took the sphere, Denzel Washington walked out within the late afternoon solar and gave the gang a laconic however stirring remembrance of quantity 42 and all he meant, not simply to the Dodgers or baseball or sports activities, however to the world. Fox Sports activities captured the second.

“Ebbets Area, Brooklyn, 1947,” stated Washington setting the scene. “When Jackie Robinson stepped onto a Main League Baseball subject for the primary time, armed with supreme expertise and unshakable character and carrying a Dodgers uniform, he modified the sport of baseball and a lot extra.”

He continued, “What he carried with him, what he represented, was towering. On the sphere, he the rookie of the 12 months, a most useful participant, a world champion and a seven-time all star. Past the sphere, Jackie Robinson challenged us to change into higher variations of ourselves.

“Enterprise chief, household man, activist, Corridor of Famer. He stated that life is just not a spectator sport, and he lived that motto to the fullest. Whether or not it was charging down the baseline or standing tall for alternative and justice, quantity 42 blazed a path that may mild the way in which for folks from each stroll of life and each shade and to this very day. That inspiration, that profound influence, looms simply as massive at this time because it did 75 years in the past.”

With that, Washington walked off the sphere.

Sharing video of the second, the MLB summed it up succinctly on Twitter: “Denzel Washington honors Jackie Robinson. Chills.”

Whereas the second celebrated Robinson’s MLB debut — which was really on April 15, 1947 — at this time really marks the one hundredth birthday of Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, who’s herself a power of nature.

Dodgers famous person Mookie Betts didn’t let the milestone go unnoticed. With all of the gamers gathered at residence plate earlier than the sport, he took the mic and requested the whole stadium to want Robinson a “Completely satisfied Birthday, Rachel.”

The one factor lacking — in addition to quantity 42 himself — was the person who performed him so ably onscreen, Chadwick Boseman. Nonetheless, a well timed publish on the actor’s official Twitter account at this time paid tribute.

“At the moment, on her one hundredth birthday, we honor Rachel Robinson’s unbelievable accomplishments as a nurse, professor, spouse, mom and humanitarian- together with the fantastic work she’s executed via the @JRFoundation. Completely satisfied birthday!”