Rays Announce Jackie Robinson Day Celebrations and Grant Recipients
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—The Tampa Bay Rays recognize the 79th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier with an annual investment of $100,000 to support nonprofit organizations breaking barriers in the Tampa Bay community.
When Jackie took the field on April 15, 1947, as the first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he became the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. Major League Baseball has celebrated Jackie’s legacy in an extensive and unified league-wide show of support over the years, including retiring his number throughout the majors in 1997, dedicating April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004, and requesting that every player and on-field personnel wear his No. 42 during games scheduled on April 15 since 2009.
The Jackie Robinson Grant, established in 2020 by the Rays, is awarded to organizations that reflect Jackie’s nine core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. Each of the five recipients will receive $20,000 from the Rays Up Foundation.
The 2026 Jackie Robinson Grant recipients are:
AMIkids
Girls Inc. of Pinellas
Rebuilding Together Greater Florida
Stillpoint Mission
The Studio@620
The Tampa Bay Rays will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at home on April 24 against the Minnesota Twins. The national anthem will be performed by Dr. Sandra Braham, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS) and the first African American woman to serve as board chair of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
The ceremonial first pitch on April 24 will be thrown by Aliciana Harvey-Lopez, MLB and the Tampa Bay Rays Jackie Robinson Foundation scholar. The Rays will also recognize their 2026 grant recipients with an in-game check presentation. For more information on the Jackie Robinson Grant and the 2026 recipients, visit RaysBaseball.com/JackieRobinsonGrant.
In partnership with Nike, nine youth Burg Baseball players will be recognized pregame for exemplifying Jackie’s nine core values, and they will join Rays players on the field for the national anthem. The Rays and The Players Alliance will also host Burg Baseball players and their families at the game.
Additionally, students from the Poynter Institute Write Field Program will interview a Rays player before the game. The writing and mentoring program for African American and Hispanic middle and high school students from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties gives aspiring journalists the opportunity for their stories to be featured in the Tampa Bay Times.
The Jackie Robinson ticket package is still available for the game on April 24 against the Minnesota Twins. The ticket package includes a seat to the game and an exclusive Jackie Robinson button-up shirt. To learn more or purchase, visit RaysBaseball.com/42.