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Jackie Robinson Day 2011: Red Sox, MLB Will Honor Robinson By Wearing His No. 42

Sixty-four years ago today, Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in a game against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. Robinson hit second, went 0-for-3 with a run scored as the Dodgers won, 5-3. And, as the first black player to play in a MLB game, he also forever changed baseball, and the American landscape.

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Friday around the league, Robinson's lasting legacy will be remembered throughout the Majors -- MLB is commemorating this year's anniversary with the launch of the IAM42.com online campaign, and, once again, every players and on-field personnel will wear No. 42, Robinson's number that was retired by baseball in 1997. (It's a scorekeeper's nightmare.)

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"Each year, Jackie Robinson Day is an occasion for us to pause and reflect on the game's proudest and most powerful moment," said Commissioner Bud Selig. "Jackie's legacy is as strong and vibrant as ever throughout Major League Baseball. I am proud that the No. 42, which has come to stand for Jackie's courage and grace, will again be worn in honor of our game's greatest pioneer."

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The Red Sox welcome the Toronto Blue Jays and old friend John Farrell to Fenway Park for Jackie Robinson Day Friday night.

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