MLB Honors Jackie Robinson with Jerseys, Logo on 75th Anniversary of His League Debut

Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Jackie Robinson Day

Seventy-five years after changing baseball forever, the MLB is still honoring one of its greatest trailblazers.

On Friday — the 75th anniversary of when Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in his MLB debut — the league celebrated the iconic athlete's legacy in a variety of ways, including having players take the field in his No. 42.

For this year's monumental Jackie Robinson Day, the MLB also created a special logo featuring Robinson's signature and an illustration of the late athlete, who died in 1972.

Players, managers, and coaches all wore Dodger blue 42 jerseys, regardless of the team's primary colors, for Friday's games.

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"Seventy-five years ago, Jackie Robinson took the field under incredibly challenging circumstances and unimaginable pressure. Yet through his courage, character, skill, and values, he brought well-needed change to our game and advanced the Civil Rights Movement in our country," MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred, Jr. said in a statement.

Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty

Continued Manfred, "During this special anniversary year, it is a top priority for MLB to honor Jackie's contributions and legacy, recognize the impact [his widow Rachel] has made through the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and continue to keep Jackie's memory and values alive for today's generation of players and fans."

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In her own statement, Robinson's widow, 99, said she was "thrilled to see the many wonderful tributes to Jack's historic moment 75 years ago."

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"We will continue to honor his memory and legacy through our work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. We are proud to have Major League Baseball and so many others as supporters of the young men and women we impact each year."

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During that first game, Robinson endured racist taunts and even some physical violence from fans, opposing teams and his own teammates during play, though according to biography.com, had the staunch support of Dodgers manager Leo Durocher, league president Ford Frick and Dodgers team captain, Pee Wee Reese, among others.

His success ultimately opened the door for other Black players in the months and years that followed.