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Saturday marks the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's historic debut with the then-Brooklyn Dodgers. The anniversary will be commemorated with the unveiling a nearly six-and-a-half-foot tall statue of the six-time All-Star second baseman at Dodger Stadium. The statue stands in the Left Field Reserve plaza and depicts the Hall of Famer during his 1947 rookie year sliding into home plate.
“Jackie Robinson was known for stealing home," Branly Cadet, the statue's sculptor, told the Los Angeles Times. "It takes courage and precise timing to steal home."
Select number of lower priced 🎟 available for Sat.! First 40K get replica #JRStatue presented by @BankofAmerica.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2017
🎟: https://t.co/RdBGvTjbXj pic.twitter.com/Z2z52cg5zB
The sculpture will also include three quotes from the Dodger legend:
• “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
• “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
• “There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.”
"Our goal was to both celebrate Jackie Robinson as an athlete and to acknowledge the important role he had in civil rights and social change in America," Janet Marie Smith, senior vice president of planning and development for the Dodgers, told the Associated Press.
"This is going to be a very special time," Sharon Robinson added. "My dad was a humble person and here he is 70 years later being recognized. He used to come home and say, 'I got a standing ovation today,' and he would be so shocked."
According to TMZ, Magic Johnson, co-owner of the team, will be in attendance at the statue's unveiling, along with Vin Scully, Tommy Lasorda, Sandy Koufax, Don Newcombe. Furthermore, the first 40,000 attendees to Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks will receive a miniature replica of the statue.
