Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play baseball in the Major Leagues, played his first Minor League exhibition game with the Montreal Royals against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Daytona Beach on this date in 1946. The following season, Robinson was called up to the Major Leagues and played for the Dodgers, winning the MLB Rookie of the Year Award. He was the first African American to break the color barrier in Major League baseball since the 1880s. Robinson played in six World Series, including the Dodgers’ 1955 win against the New York Yankees, and was a six-time All Star. His number, 42, has been universally retired from Major League Baseball.
~Florida Historical Society
