It has been 75 years since Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color line, and the cheers are only getting louder.

Jackie Robinson Day was celebrated at ballparks across the nation last Friday, April 15, in honor of Robinson breaking the color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.

Since 2004, when Jackie Robinson Day became official on the Major League level, all players, managers, coaches and umpires have worn No. 42 to commemorate the historic day. Also, No. 42 has been retired across America. No other player will ever wear that number except on April 15.

This year, there was an added touch. All uniformed players wore No. 42 in Dodger Blue regardless of the ball club’s traditional colors. On their own initiative, many players wore blue cleats and blue socks.

The Diamond: The Richmond Flying Squirrels got into the act with about 1,000 fans receiving commemorative No. 42 jerseys. In addition, a bold No. 42 was painted behind home plate.

California Dreamin’: The Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, a year after Robinson retired. On April 15, a mural marking Robinson’s achievement was unveiled at his alma mater, John Muir High School in Pasadena, Calif. Attending the ceremony was Robinson’s 99-year-old wife, Rachel Robinson.

Counting players of color: Based on opening-day rosters, only about 8 percent of current big leaguers are African-American. That is extremely misleading to the more casual fans. Counting players of color from the talent-rich Caribbean, the figure jumps to about 30 percent.

The Philadelphia Phillies are an example of that. The 2022 Phils have no African-Americans on the squad. However, they have eight players of color, including starting infielders Didi Gregorious, who grew up in Curaçao, and Jean Segura from the Dominican Republic.

Rookie Robinson: It didn’t take No. 42 long to show he belonged. In his first season with the Dodgers, he was named Rookie of the Year and finished fifth in MVP balloting. In 701 plate appearances, he struck out only 36 times. MLB’s Rookie of the Year award is named in Robinson’s honor.

Local sightings: Robinson played in at least four exhibition games in Richmond at Mooers Field and Parker Field. He also came to Richmond several times to support civil rights and political causes. He had speaking engagements at Virginia Union University, the former Mosque and Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church.

Close behind: While Robinson is most celebrated, four other Black players debuted in 1947 with MLB, most notably outfielder Larry Doby with the Cleveland Indians, now the Cleveland Guardians. Doby was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time American League home-run leader and, in 1988, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Bill Veeck: As Cleveland owner, Veeck tried as early as 1942 to sign African-Americans and dark-complexioned Latinos. His efforts were thwarted by baseball Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis, an unapologetic racist.

By 1947, Landis had been replaced by a more fair-minded Happy Chandler, and the doors began to crack. Veeck signed Doby in 1947 and Satchel Paige in 1948 and Cleveland went on to win the 1948 World Series. In 1951, Veeck signed Cuban Minnie Minoso, the first Black Latino to play in the big leagues.

Don’t forget Moses: Robinson is the first Black MLB player of the “modern era,” but not first ever. Long before No. 42, Moses Fleetwood Walker was the catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings—then a major-league team—in 1884. It was soon after that a “gentleman’s agreement” among owners kept Blacks out of baseball until Robinson’s storied arrival in 1947.