Dusty Baker's thoughts on the legacy of Jackie Robinson

PHILADELPHIA -- Major League Baseball is honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson today as it has on every April 15 since 2004.

Robinson broke the color barrier on April 15, 1947, becoming the first African-American player to play in the major leagues in the modern era.

To honor the pioneer, every player, coach and manager in the game is wearing his jersey No. 42 at all of today's scheduled games. Those teams - like the Nationals - who are playing on the road will have a future home day where No. 42 is donned by all field personnel.

Nationals skipper Dusty Baker is the only current African-American manager in Major League Baseball. He said yesterday he hopes there will be more African-American managers in Major League baseball soon.

"It means a lot to me because I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for Jackie Robinson," Baker said. "Meant a lot to my parents and most African-Americans of past generations were Brooklyn Dodger fans because of Jackie Robinson. My parents were (fans of Brooklyn).

"I didn't know Jackie Robinson, but I felt like I knew him from the hours and sessions I had from Jim Gilliam, Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella and Satchel Paige and Hank Aaron. There was a little bit of animosity because other guys weren't chosen to be the first guy. But that's natural to be expected.

"Jackie was chosen for the task because he's educated, been around whites and blacks, and was a college educated athlete. He had a lot going for him as to having to be the first to not only handle the pressure but to handle everything. He meant a lot to me.

"This is my 42nd opening day and Jackie's number is 42, so I will be more than glad to wear the uniform."

Baker said even with Robinson and others getting the opportunity to play Major League Baseball, players felt discrimination years later. Even Baker felt it at times.

"It wasn't that long afterwards because Hank Aaron was kind of first generation after that," Baker said. "It wasn't that long before I went through some things. And sometimes the letters I get, you still go through it. It was something you were prepared for as a kid.

"You think about him and what he had to do and the strength he had to exemplify for all of us. We still got a long way to go and hopefully in the near future here will have more African-Americans being represented in upper echelon positions, either (as a manager) or in the front office. In the meantime, life goes on and hopefully we make progress."

* The Nationals' team ERA of 2.22 is the best in the major leagues.

Baker said the strength of the team to begin the season is its starting pitching and that hasn't changed from what he saw in Florida in March.

"I liked it in spring training. The difference between spring training and now is that we were scoring a lot and they were scoring a few," Baker said. "As long as they're not scoring, we got a chance to win. These guys aren't walking many and there's competition within the unit, which is great.

"These guys in the starting rotation, they feed off of each other. One guy does well, the next guy wants to equal or do better, certainly not do worse. So that's a good sign."