SJR73INTRODUCED
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SJR73
FK11H5D-1
By Senators Coleman, Albritton, Allen, Barfoot, Beasley, Bell,
Butler, Carnley, Chambliss, Chesteen, Coleman-Madison,
Elliott, Figures, Givhan, Gudger, Hatcher, Hovey, Jones,
Kelley, Kitchens, Livingston, Melson, Orr, Price, Roberts,
Sessions, Shelnutt, Singleton, Smitherman, Stewart, Stutts,
Waggoner, Weaver, Williams
RFD:
First Read: 15-Apr-25
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10 FK11H5D-1 04/15/2025 lg (L)lg 2025-1647
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First Read: 15-Apr-25
SJR___ RECOGNIZING APRIL 15, 2025, AS JACKIE ROBINSON DAY IN
THE STATE OF ALABAMA.
WHEREAS, on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made
history when he stepped onto the field with the Brooklyn
Dodgers as the first African American to play Major League
Baseball in the modern era, breaking the league’s color
barrier and marking a turning point in both the sport and
the American Civil Rights Movement; and
WHEREAS, the Alabama State Legislature is proud to
join Major League Baseball and the Jackie Robinson
Foundation in recognizing and celebrating the life, legacy,
and enduring influence of this baseball giant and American
hero; and
WHEREAS, Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January
31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, near the Alabama state line,
and would go on to break barriers not only on the baseball
diamond but throughout American society; and
WHEREAS, Robinson's career intersected with Alabama
history, including playing in the Negro Leagues at historic
Rickwood Field in Birmingham, one of the oldest professional
ballparks in the country, which also hosted many other Negro
League and Major League greats; and
WHEREAS, Alabama is proud of its deep baseball roots
and contributions to the Negro Leagues, including legendary
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and contributions to the Negro Leagues, including legendary
players such as Satchel Paige and Willie Mays, both of whom,
like Jackie Robinson, used their platforms to challenge
segregation and pave the way for future generations; and
WHEREAS, Jackie Robinson attended the University of
California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he became the school's
first four-sport varsity letter winner, excelling in
football, basketball, track and field, and baseball; and
WHEREAS, Robinson served with distinction in the
United States Army during World War II, rising to the rank
of Second Lieutenant before receiving an honorable
discharge; and
WHEREAS, in 1945, he began his professional career in
the Negro Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs, and later
that year became the first African American signed to a
Major League organization in the modern era, joining the
Brooklyn Dodgers' minor league affiliate, the Montreal
Royals; and
WHEREAS, in 1947, Robinson broke baseball's color
barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, was named Rookie of the
Year, and went on to earn National League Most Valuable
Player honors in 1949 and lead his team to a World Series
Championship in 1955; and
WHEREAS, his Hall of Fame career included a .311
batting average, 137 home runs, 734 RBIs, 197 stolen bases,
and leadership on and off the field; and
WHEREAS, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, and his number, 42, was
permanently retired by every Major League team in 1997 in
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permanently retired by every Major League team in 1997 in
honor of the 50th anniversary of his debut; and
WHEREAS, Jackie Robinson's post-baseball career
included breaking barriers in business and media, founding
Black-owned financial institutions, championing civil
rights, and advocating for social and economic justice until
his passing in 1972; and
WHEREAS, since 2004, Major League Baseball has
celebrated Jackie Robinson Day each April 15, and since
2009, every MLB player and coach has worn No. 42 in his
honor on that day; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alabama, in honoring Jackie
Robinson's enduring legacy, affirms its commitment to
equality, inclusion, and the fight against discrimination in
all forms; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That April 15, 2025, be
recognized as Jackie Robinson Day in the State of Alabama,
in celebration of his profound contributions to the game of
baseball, to civil rights, and to the betterment of American
society.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Alabama State
Legislature proudly joins Major League Baseball and the
Jackie Robinson Foundation in acknowledging and honoring
this towering figure whose courage, dignity, and
determination forever changed the face of American sports
and culture.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
resolution be provided to the Jackie Robinson Foundation,
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resolution be provided to the Jackie Robinson Foundation,
Major League Baseball, and other appropriate organizations
as an expression of the State of Alabama's deep respect and
recognition of Jackie Robinson’s lasting legacy.
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