How Jackie Robinson is still being honored in Central Florida

One of all-time greatest baseball players remembered year-round in Daytona Beach

ORLANDO, Fla. – America's pastime has been around for more than 170 years.

It's a sport that's given us iconic athletes. While Americans celebrate Black History Month, Jackie Robinson, one of the all-time greatest players, is being remembered in Central Florida. 

It was 73 years ago that Jackie made his spring training debut with the MLB, which marked a historical day for the nation.

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On March 17, 1946, Robinson stepped on to the Daytona Beach ball field, making Daytona Beach the first city in the South to allow integrated baseball during a time when segregation laws were strictly enforced. 

"They proved here in Daytona Beach that blacks and whites could peacefully watch integrated baseball, which was historic at the time," said Bill Schumann, a Jackie Robinson Ball Park historian and founder of the Jackie Robinson statue committee.

In 1946, DeLand, Sanford and Jacksonville were among the locations that prohibiited Robinson from playing in their cities. 

Schumann told News 6 the Daytona Beach City Commission ignored segregation laws, and with support from the founder of Bethune-Cookman College, Robinson made his Spring Training debut with the Montreal Royals, a minor league team in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. That day, both blacks and whites cheered for Robinson, Schumann said.

Schumann said the Daytona Beach City Commission ignored laws of segregation and, with support from the founder of Bethune Cookman College, Robinson made his spring training debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers -- a day on which both blacks and whites cheered him on.

"This was a milestone in sports and civil rights history, so Daytona Beach stood alone, and it was a political decision. Technically, it was against the law for any type of integration in the South, and what is unique about this is this happened without a federal court order," Schumann said.

Schumann said it was a historical moment that paved the way for other teams to open up to integrated baseball.

"It was demonstrated here at city island for the first time in the history of modern professional baseball that integrated baseball was a box office attraction. It made money," Schumann said.

Baseball legend remembered at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.

The ball park, located off Orange Avenue, has several images of Robinson, including a statue of him giving a baseball to a child.

"The theme of this statue is Jackie Robinson passing on his contribution to future generations. Jackie Robinson is pigeon-toed -- just like he was in real life -- in the statue," Schumann said about the statue that stands right at the entrance of the ball park. 

Jackie was a one-of-a-kind athlete adored by thousands.

"There were so many things that were amazing and were heroic about Jackie Robinson. Number one: his mental game. He could concentrate when he needed to, and he was a tremendous natural athlete," Schumann said. 

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Around the stadium, fans will also see what some may consider one of the most impactful images: a picture showing black baseball fans segregated from the rest of the stands. 

Today, a replica of that area from where they had to watch the game stands in the same place -- only now, it serves as a picnic area with tables and benches.

George Bates was a bat boy. He met the iconic player when he was 12 years old. A video from the National Baseball Hall of Fame from March 17, 1946, shows Bates handing Jackie a bat.

"It was amazing to start with -- that I was gonna get to be that boy for the team I follow. I remember him as quiet, not saying nothing to nobody and just went about his business. I knew the controversy was going on and all, but it was real peaceful. It really was," Bates recalled about the emotions from that day.

Schumann said the story teaches valuable lessons in more ways than one.

"This story is not just about baseball. This is a story about civil rights. It's a story about how people, fans accepted integrated baseball," Schumann said. 

In honor of that monumental day, Daytona Beach renamed the baseball field Jackie Robinson Ballpark and created the Jackie Robinson Museum within its gates.


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