Rays announce Racial Equity Grant recipients and Jackie Robinson Day celebrations
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—The Tampa Bay Rays will honor the 76th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947 with community events and an annual investment of $100,000 to support organizations committed to ending systemic racism.
The Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund have announced the recipients for the 2023 Racial Equity Grant. Each recipient will receive $20,000 in funding to support their community efforts to make an impact in the areas of housing, workforce development, health equity, criminal justice reform, education and youth development. In honor of Jackie Robinson Day, the Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund are pleased to announce the following organizations as the 2023 Racial Equity Grant recipients:
- Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg
- St. Petersburg College Foundation
- University Area Community Development Corporation Inc.
- United Negro College Fund
- United Way Suncoast-Campbell Park Resource Center
Saturday, April 15 - In recognition of Jackie Robinson Day, the Rays will host a softball clinic at Tropicana Field in partnership with the St. Petersburg Police Department. The clinic will feature various on-field stations with Eckerd College’s Associate Director of Athletics Bill Matthews and official scorekeeper of the Rays. Girls ages 6-14 will have the opportunity to participate in the softball clinic that takes place from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Friday, April 21 - Prior to the game against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field, students from the Poynter Institute’s Write Field Program will have the opportunity to interview Bally Sports Sun analyst Denard Span. For the ceremonial first pitch, the Rays will invite American film producer Will Packer, founder of Will Packer Productions and Will Packer Media, and Mordecai Walker, the oldest living resident of the former Gas Plant District. The five Racial Equity Grant recipients will be recognized during the game. For ticket information, visit RaysBaseball.com/42.
For more information on the Racial Equity Grant recipients and the Rays commitment to social justice, visit RaysBaseball.com/SocialJustice.
Major League Baseball has celebrated Jackie Robinson’s legacy in an extensive and unified league-wide show of support over the years, including retiring his number throughout the majors in 1997, dedicating April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004, and requesting that every player and all on-field personnel wear his No. 42 during games scheduled on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009.