‘He’s the ultimate citizen’: Why Jackie Robinson’s legacy inspires KC Royals
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- Marcus Thames displays photo with Rachel Robinson and collects Jackie Robinson artifacts.
- MLB will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day marking the 79th anniversary on April 15.
- The Royals will host 100 students for a tour of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Kansas City Royals hitting coach Marcus Thames has a picture, in his office, with Rachel Robinson — the wife of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
It’s one of his prized possessions.
“I was blessed enough, when I was playing in 2010, to meet his wife and have a picture taken with her at home plate at Yankee Stadium,” Thames said. “It was actually pretty cool. Anytime you are able to represent him is really special.”
Thames also collects Jackie Robinson artifacts. He has a special chest protector — designed to honor Robinson — and several other items. They each serve as a reminder of Robinson’s sacrifice and his legacy today.
“It’s important to our culture because of what Jackie went through just to pave the way so we can be sitting in this dugout talking to each other,” Thames said.
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. It will be the 79th anniversary since Robinson broke the MLB color barrier on April 15, 1947.
Each team will wear No. 42 jerseys to commemorate Robinson’s legacy. It’s the number he wore with the Brooklyn Dodgers that season.
However, a big part of Robinson’s baseball journey went through Kansas City. He starred for the Kansas City Monarchs — a Negro League Baseball powerhouse — in 1945. From there, he was discovered by Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey.
Robinson posted a .375 batting average with the Monarchs. He played alongside KC stars such as Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith, among others.
After joining the Dodgers, Robinson faced several hardships. He faced discrimination and racism at each turn. Yet, it was his perseverance that opened the door for other Black players behind him.
“He had the courage to go out there and be a difference maker,” Royals utilityman Tyler Tolbert said. “He was a trailblazer for us. And, he really set the path for us to be courageous and just do things that are out of the ordinary.”
Tolbert will experience his second Jackie Robinson Day as a big-leaguer. The chance to honor Robinson isn’t lost on the Birmingham, Alabama native.
Robinson played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham early in his career. It’s a place that resonates with Tolbert and his family.
“It’s the history,” Tolbert said. “I remember being younger and “42” came out and you watch the movie because you hear about it in the history books. You go to the Civil Rights Museums in Birmingham and all the other baseball museums. You hear about it and you learn about it. But, seeing the motion picture is different. Just the emotions and everything he had to go through.”
Take the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy, for example. It’s a place for young Black kids to learn the game of baseball and its history.
Tolbert is heavily involved in the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy. He enjoys spending time at the facility and making a difference.
He also emphasized the importance of education. It’s the same principle Robinson embodied as a former UCLA student-athlete.
“Education is the most important thing because we all (one day) are not going to be athletes,” Tolbert said. “You know, sports is going to end for us. We got to fall back on education, and school is big. I try to tell kids to make good grades. Those grades, the connections you make and the things that you learn in school are going to last forever.”
And education is more than just hitting the books. It’s also about understanding Robinson’s plight and what it means to represent culture through sports.
“Just anytime the kids in the Urban Youth Academy get to see you, talk with you and you get to interact with them, it shows that (playing professional baseball) is possible,” Tolbert said. “Nothing is too far away.”
Currently, Black players make up 6.8% of MLB rosters. The number has increased in recent years, but work still needs to be done.
There are different programs for Black kids. MLB has the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program and the MLB Develops camp. Of the 64 Black players on opening day rosters, 20 of them came from the diverse programs.
And the Royals hope those numbers continue to grow.
“I think we just got to keep promoting the game in a positive way,” Royals first base coach Damon Hollins said. “It’s so expensive nowadays, and I think that’s the biggest thing. So I don’t know what that answer is, but hopefully, you’d still see young kids out in Little League, summer ball and just still continuing to hone their skills.”
The Royals are doing their part in that mission. The club will host 100 students from the area and welcome them with a self-guided tour of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Wednesday.
There is also a chance to attend a future Royals game on April 20 at Kauffman Stadium. The special event is a part of their Jackie Robinson Day celebration.
The Royals will continue their road series in Detroit on Wednesday night. It’s a place where civil rights drew a spotlight in the 1960s. And the Detroit Stars were a Negro League team in the early iterations and a lot of former stars came from the organization.
As Robinson broke the color barrier, the history of Black players and the history of the Negro Leagues were ultimately recognized and preserved by the MLB. Robinson stood for all Black baseball players, and it’s why his day will continue to be celebrated for years to come.
And it’s why Robinson will forever be a part of baseball and America’s history.
“He was just like the ultimate citizen,” Royals outfielder Isaac Collins said. “Like that’s what America is all about. And he epitomized that. So it’s really cool that we get to memorialize him forever.”
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
