The Mets’ special connection and everyday tribute to Jackie Robinson

Apr 3, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; General view of fans outside Citi Field before a game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; General view of fans outside Citi Field before a game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Day and night, 365 days a year a stunning tribute to the great Jackie Robinson stands at the entrance of Citi Field.

The Jackie Robinson Rotunda which marks the entrance to Citi Field, is a daily tribute to maybe the most influential athlete ever. The rotunda, which replicates the sacred grounds of Ebbets Field, serves not just as a commemoration to the man who broke the color barrier or a history lesson within the museum. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda lets the millions of people who walk through those gates each and every Mets season know just what it took for baseball to get to this point.

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When Mets ownership opened Citi Field for the first time and debuted the Jackie Robinson Rotunda to the fans, it further solidified the presence of Jackie Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the impact they both had on the city of New York, and the rest of the country. That same day in 2009 Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, expressed to Anthony DiComo in an article with MLB.com that she hopes “it (the rotunda) will evoke their most cherished memories, as well as serve as an inspiration to young people who we hope will share the values and ideals by which Jack lived.”

While Major League Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by placing the iconic 42 on the backs of all of its players and coaches, we should give New York Mets ownership the recognition they deserve, for they honor one of baseballs greats on a daily basis. While it’s more common for us as fans to criticize ownership as opposed to giving them any form of credit, there is no denying that the Wilpon’s and the rest of the Mets ownership team hit a home run when it comes to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

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While our country’s legacy has had its ups and downs, it’s important to remember those who have helped us get to where we are today. So, on this Jackie Robinson Day, it’s imperative that we look back at the legacy the late great Jackie Robinson left and realize what this man had to endure just to play the game he loved.

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