Jackie Robinson's family throws out first pitch before Game 1 of World Series

Chris Cwik
·Staff writer

If first pitch selections are supposed to fire up the home crowd, then the Los Angeles Dodgers nailed their choice for Game 1 of the World Series. The club had Rachel Robinson, widow of Jackie Robinson, toss the first pitch in anticipation of the team’s first World Series in 29 years.

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It’s the ideal choice to inspire the team and get the fans on their feet. Robinson, 95, came out and delivered the first pitch with her family standing by on the 45th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s death.

Teams normally keep their first pitch selections pretty quiet until the last second, and that was the case with the Dodgers on Tuesday. The news that Robinson’s family would be there for the first pitch didn’t break until roughly an hour-and-a-half before the game. That will likely be the case with Game 2 as well, so we won’t know which Dodgers legend they tap for that opportunity.

Whoever it is will have tough shoes to fill. The Robinson family is not only beloved among Dodgers fans, but Rachel Robinson seemed to bring the team luck. Chris Taylor led off the game with a first-pitch home run off Dallas Keuchel to give the team an early 1-0 lead. The Dodgers would go on to win Game 1 after Clayton Kershaw’s gem, beating the Houston Astros 3-1.

Rachel Robinson, wife of Jackie Robinson, threw out the first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series. (Getty Images)
Rachel Robinson, wife of Jackie Robinson, threw out the first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series. (Getty Images)

We’re going to guess many fans and commenters would love to see Vin Scully make his return to Dodger Stadium, but he’s expressed a desire to stay out of the spotlight — at least as far as broadcasting goes. We’ll assume that’s his stance for anything involving the World Series, so we’ll be pleasantly surprised if shows up Wednesday.

Robinson’s impact and legacy on the game is still significant today, not just for Dodgers fans, but for anyone who loves baseball. Seeing his wife and family out there throwing out the first pitch was the perfect way to kick off the 2017 World Series.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik