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Jackie Robinson Day tributes pour from Andrew McCutchen, Mookie Betts, more (Video)

ByPatrick Schmidt|
Andrew McCutchen #42 of the Philadelphia Phillies touches the arm patch of Jackie Robinson #42 after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 28, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The day honoring Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Andrew McCutchen #42 of the Philadelphia Phillies touches the arm patch of Jackie Robinson #42 after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 28, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The day honoring Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Andrew McCutchen honored Jackie Robinson after hitting a home run on Jackie Robinson Day across baseball.

MLB had to wait a little longer than usual for its annual Jackie Robinson Day due to the delayed start of the season. But the celebration and tributes and remembrances that typically take place on April 15 took place on Friday, Aug. 28.

Two reasons for the Aug. 28 are special. The first is Aug. 28, 1945, was the first meeting between Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers president and general manager Branch Rickey. That meeting led to Robinson breaking MLB’s color barrier. Second, Aug. 28 marks the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King leading the March on Washington in 1963 when he delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Andrew McCutchen honors Jackie Robinson on Jackie Robinson Day with 422-foot home run.

What’s also cool enough to make the hair on your neck stand up is the home run was measured to travel 422 feet. Baseball is amazing.

McCutchen is one of the few dozen Black players in MLB who donated his salary from Thursday and Friday’s games to support racial justice initiatives, in honor of Jackie Robinson Day and in protest of Jacob Blake’s shooting by police. Other front office executives followed suit, including Theo Epstein of the Chicago Cubs.

In addition to McCutchen’s tributes, Mookie Betts, Dominic Smith, Tim Anderson also shared their messages through social media.

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