A Treasure Coast sports tradition will return next month after a five-year hiatus.
The Jackie Robinson Celebration Game will be at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach in April to honor one of the most iconic and important players that ever played baseball.
The game, a fundraiser for the United Way of Indian River County, was an annual event from 2014-19, but canceled from 2020-24 because of the coronavirus pandemic and stadium renovations, which were completed in fall 2024.
Here's what to know about the annual Jackie Robinson baseball game in Vero Beach:
When is the Jackie Robinson Celebration Game in Vero Beach?
April 15 — to commemorate the day in 1947 when Jackie Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The gates will open at 5 p.m. The opening ceremony will be at 6 p.m. The game will start at 6:45 p.m.
Jackie Robinson game played at former Holman Stadium
The game will be played at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex at 3901 26th St., across from the airport.
It was called Holman Stadium from 2008-2019, after Bud Holman , a local businessman and philanthropist who played a key role in attracting the Brooklyn Dodgers to the area for spring training.
It was called Dodgertown before that, from 1948-2008, when the Dodgers played spring training games there.
How do I buy tickets for the Jackie Robinson game?
Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 if purchased after March 31 and $15 the day of the game. Admission is free for children under the age of 3. Seating is general admission. Buy tickets here.
What teams are playing in the Jackie Robinson game?
The Clearwater Threshers and the West Palm Beach Cardinals will face off in this Florida State League regular-season game.
There will be concessions, food trucks and a kids zone. Between innings, there will be on-field entertainment throughout the night, including prize-winning games. But there will be no fireworks this year.
Who was Jackie Robinson?
Robinson, who primarily played second base and wore number 42, broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947, when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The historic Jackie Robinson Training Complex holds special significance in Robinson’s legacy, as it was an integrated spring training facility in the South. The first official spring training game there was played on March 31, 1948, a game in which Robinson played.
Robinson retired with a .313 batting average, 972 runs scored, 1,563 hits and 200 stolen bases. He remained active in the game as an announcer, and also lent his support to many societal causes. Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. He died Oct. 24, 1972, according to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Jackie Robinson made my success possible,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said. “Without him, I would never have been able to do what I did.”
Tim O'Hara is TCPalm's environment reporter. Contact him at tim.ohara@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Jackie Robinson Celebration Game returns to Vero Beach, Florida
