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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2015

LOS ANGELES DODGERS TO HOST THE SEATTLE MARINERS IN THE 2015

CIVIL RIGHTS GAME ON JACKIE ROBINSON DAY, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH
Baseballs Annual Civil Rights Tribute to be Held
In Conjunction with Jackie Robinson Day for the First Time
The Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day Will Air on ESPN2
Major League Baseball today announced that the Los Angeles Dodgers will host the Seattle
Mariners at Dodger Stadium in the 2015 Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day, Wednesday, April
15th. It will mark the first time that Baseballs tribute to civil rights leaders and figures will be held in
conjunction with its annual commemoration of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson breaking Baseballs color
barrier on April 15, 1947. The Civil Rights Game on
Jackie Robinson Day will air nationally on ESPN2, with
coverage scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. PT (10:00
p.m. ET), as part of the networks Wednesday Night Baseball package.
The Civil Rights Game was developed by MLB to pay tribute to the spirit of the civil rights
movement and to honor those who embodied the struggle for equal rights for all Americans. This is the
first Civil Rights Game hosted by the Dodgers and second one they have played in (2012), while this
will be the first overall for the Mariners.
It is truly an ideal pairing to have the franchise of Jackie Robinson and the city of Los Angeles join
our National Pastime in recognizing leaders of the past and present who have done so much for the
benefit of our country, said Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. Together with the
Dodgers, Major League Baseball will proudly celebrate the civil rights movement, the courageous
people like Jackie who contributed to it, and its many lessons that continue to resonate today.

Were proud of the role the Dodgers have played in professional sports history as pioneers of
social change since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 during the teams days in
Brooklyn, said Dodger owner Earvin Magic Johnson. From Jackie to Sandy Koufax to Fernando
Valenzuela to Hideo Nomo to Chan Ho Park to now Yasiel Puig and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Dodgers have
sought to lead the way and be a model of inclusion in sports and American society as a whole.
Thanks to Jackie Robinson and the Dodgers, baseball was at the forefront of the civil rights
movement, integrating long before other parts of our nation caught up," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric
Garcetti. "I'm proud that Los Angeles will play home to this game honoring the legacy of Jackie
Robinson and all those who stand for freedom and equality."
In addition to the Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium, Major League
Baseball and the Dodgers will honor MLB Beacon Award recipients, conduct a youth baseball-focused
event and host the Baseball & Civil Rights Movement Roundtable Discussion. Details for these and all
other Civil Rights Game and Jackie Robinson Day-related efforts will be announced at a later date.
Tickets and information for the 2015 Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day are available on
MLB.com/civilrightsgame and Dodgers.com/civilrightsgame.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson signing his first professional contract with
the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in 1945, which was the first step toward his eventually breaking of
the color barrier on April 15, 1947.
ABOUT THE BASEBALL & THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

A group of prominent participants will discuss the pivotal role Baseball played in the civil rights movement and the games
continued presence as a social institution in American society. Previous panelists have included Sharon Robinson, Ernest
Green, Dolores Huerta, Bob Kendrick, Martin Luther King III, Arte Moreno, Branch Rickey III, Ambassador Shabazz, Thomas
Tull, and Ken Williams. Also included in the list of past participants are Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez,
and Dave Winfield; Dodgers legend Don Newcombe; Hall of Fame journalist and MLB Network analyst Peter Gammons; and
MLB Network & FOX Sports analyst Harold Reynolds, among others. The Baseball & the Civil Rights Movement Roundtable
Discussion will be streamed on MLB.com and Dodgers.com prior to the Civil Rights Game.

ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS GAME

The 2015 Civil Rights Game is the ninth installation of an annual event that began in Memphis in 2007, centering on an
exhibition game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians. After another exhibition game in Memphis in 2008,
the Civil Rights Game moved to Cincinnati (2009-2010), Atlanta (2011-2012), and Chicago (2013) as regular season contests,
and last year was hosted in Houston by the Astros.

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Contact: Matt Bourne or Steve Arocho, Major League Baseball, (212) 931-7878, @MLB_PR
Yvonne Carrasco, Los Angeles Dodgers, (323) 224-4220, yvonnec@ladodgers.com