Hunter Greene makes a special visit for JR Day

A day before Major League Baseball’s annual Jackie Robinson Day, Reds pitcher Hunter Greene surprised a group of baseball and softball students at Cincinnati Public School’s Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School.

Each year on April 15, MLB honors Robinson’s legacy by celebrating his life, values and accomplishments. The Brooklyn Dodgers legend broke baseball’s color barrier when he made his historic debut on April 15, 1947, and the impact of that moment is still prominent today.

At Taft on Friday, members of the school’s baseball and softball teams were escorted to the media center where they were informed just moments before his arrival that Greene was there to visit with them. The 11 baseball players and six softball players eagerly took a seat and awaited their guest. Greene talked to the student-athletes, fielded questions, posed for photos and signed posters.

He began the session by relating the legacy of Robinson to what a lot of the kids might be going through themselves.

“Not only was he an amazing baseball player and athlete, but he was able to leave a true legacy behind,” Greene said. “Being a professional while going through the era of baseball that he played in is pretty crazy. I’m sure you guys feel that you’re in tough positions a lot, being in environments where you might not feel welcomed or valued. I feel like he was able to be that beacon of light, not just for the African American community, but every community.”

He also talked about the off-field impact Robinson has had on him personally.

“Something that I live by through him is always being inclusive,” Greene said. “No matter what a person’s background is, where they come from, their financial status or whatever the case is, being inclusive is about always being somebody that’s able to make someone else feel at home and welcomed as much you can. Whether it’s in the classroom, with teammates, friends or whatever it is. That’s something that Mr. Robinson was able to do and that’s my biggest take away from him.”

While at Taft, Greene wore his Reds jersey, but instead of it featuring his usual No. 21, it had a No. 42. Since 2009, all players and on-field personnel across the league wear Robinson’s number during games scheduled on April 15. Greene was asked about what it was like to see everyone wearing Robinson’s retired number for one game each year.

“To see everyone wearing No. 42 on their jerseys is really special,” he said. “It’s 2023, and everybody is still representing Mr. Robinson. To see the legacy he’s left behind for everybody -- players from all over the world of different backgrounds will be wearing his jersey -- it’s extremely powerful.”

One of the student-athletes in attendance couldn’t believe the star pitcher was visiting his school. Amir Garr, a pitcher and first baseman for Taft’s baseball team, was all smiles after the event.

“I had a lot more questions, I just couldn’t get them out,” he said with a laugh. “But he gave me a lot of inspiration and boosted my confidence really high. To see a Major League player come in today to talk to us, it was amazing.”

Garr was also taken with hearing about Greene’s background and learning how much of an impact Robinson had on the pitcher. He knew a little bit about the former Dodger and had seen the biographical movie "42,” but Greene’s words helped him realize the lasting importance of historical figures like Robinson.

“It is really important to know people that were there before you,” he said. “It can really help you understand and appreciate how we got to where we are now.”