Jackie Robinson’s first game as a Brooklyn Dodger was April 15, 1947. To honor Robinson, every Major League Baseball player, manager, coach and umpire wears number 42 on April 15. 

Since 2004 most teams have participated in this tradition. It became part of every team’s schedule in the 2005 season. It’s a simple way to remind everyone in every stadium that baseball was not played at its highest level until at least 1947, and much, much later considering teams with ‘curses’ didn’t bring on Black players until the late 50s. (The Chicago Cubs’ first black player is Ernie Banks, who debuted in late 1952. The Boston Red Sox were the last team to integrate, finally playing Pumpsie Green in 1959, 12 years after Robinson debuted with the Dodgers.)

Jackie Robinson Day is more than just a chance for Major League Baseball to sell some extra merch. It’s a way to acknowledge the game’s blemished history and do better in reaching out to overlooked and intentionally neglected communities and sell some extra merch.

The jerseys on Jackie Robinson Day aren’t that much different for clubs like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox (at least when they’re at home) because those clubs don’t feature players’ last names on the back. For everyone else, it’s quite different. No last names and everyone wearing the same number means it could be a little confusing knowing who is doing what. Which only really matters if you’re doing one ballpark specific activity. 

Keeping score is difficult when every player is the same number. It’s even more difficult when there’s no last name on the back of the uniform. 

I attempted to keep score at a Chicago Cubs game on Jackie Robinson Day. It was a day game. I was not drinking alcohol. I was without a kid. I was with a fellow baseball fan. I was only able to correctly keep score for two-and-a-half innings. 

If you’re going to a Major League Baseball game on April 15, you may want to skip the scorecard.

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