Jackie Robinson Day 2015: How Sports World Is Honoring MLB Icon

Jackie Robinson Day has become an annual tradition across Major League Baseball as teams and players recognize the impact of the legend who broke the color barrier. It comes on the anniversary of his first MLB game on April 15, 1947.

That was the first day of a terrific career with the Brooklyn Dodgers that spanned 10 seasons. He finished with a .311 average, 197 stolen bases and 137 home runs. Those numbers were good enough for six All-Star appearances, a Rookie of the Year Award and a National League MVP in 1949.

MLB noted the 2015 edition of the celebration:

On Wednesday, every player will once again wear Robinson's iconic No. 42 as a way to honor the man who changed the course of baseball with grace and humility despite adversity.

Darren Rovell of ESPN showcased some of the intense backlash:

The league's official site lists nine character traits that allowed Robinson to open the door for other African-American baseball players: courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment and excellence.

It's far from a comprehensive list, of course. But it lays the foundation in explaining what made Robinson, who passed away in 1972, a special person who just happened to play baseball at an extremely high level.

Bob Dutton of The News Tribune passed along comments from Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow, who thanked the league for continuing to honor her husband:

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On behalf of our family and the Jackie Robinson Foundation, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Major League Baseball for honoring Jack's historic achievements and his fight for equality both on and off the ball field.

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The report also mentions Rachel will throw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium as the Seattle Mariners take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the annual Civil Rights Game. Magic Johnson and Frank Robinson will also be honored during the ceremony.

It's also an opportunity Mariners starter Taijuan Walker has been eagerly awaiting. He explained his enthusiasm on social media:

The Dodgers plan on erecting a statue of Robinson at Dodgers Stadium, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. He added:

Paul Severino of MLB Network thinks the jersey tradition is truly special:

NASA astronaut Terry W. Virts is even taking part:

The importance of celebrating Robinson isn't lost on Walker's manager, Lloyd McClendon, either. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports provided insight from baseball's only current black manager:

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Obviously being a young man that had an opportunity to play Little League and fell in love with the game who aspired to one day be Jackie Robinson on the playing field—I came up a little short—but in some ways I hope I'm making him proud. It's certainly an honor to be here and be able to wear No. 42. Hopefully I'll do him proud tomorrow.

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The Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, showcased wearing No. 42 extends to the minor leagues, as well:

While Jackie Robinson Day is about celebrating the accomplishments of the past, MLB also hopes it helps spark interest for the future.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports fewer than 8 percent of players on Opening Day rosters were African-American, which is down from 19 percent in 1986. Yet, there are signs of upward movement with seven first-round picks being African-American in 2013.

New MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told the outlet he's encouraged by the progress:

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We see really, really encouraging signs that we're turning this around. You don't have something that's developed over decades and turn it around overnight. You've got to go through a couple of (draft) cycles until you see any improvement. It took us awhile to get to where we find ourselves. And quite frankly, it might have come faster than we had hoped.

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Angie Goff of NBC Washington notes having an impact on others was always important to Robinson:

James Hill of ABC passed along a letter the then-retired baseball star wrote to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958:

Robinson's impact is felt on a daily basis. Taking a day each April 15 to remind everybody, including the next generation of African-American baseball players, about his willingness to fight for equality is a tradition that should live on.

Look for athletes across the sports spectrum, but particularly around MLB, to pay their respects on Wednesday—Jackie Robinson Day.