Two local nonprofits — the Business Association of West Parkside and Parkside Association of Philadelphia — are joining forces to host a Jackie Robinson Day celebration on Tuesday, April 15.
The event will take place at the Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park at Belmont and Parkside avenues in West Philadelphia.
“Jackie Robinson was a true pioneer, not just in sports but in the fight for racial equality, when in 1947 he broke the color line in Major League Baseball by becoming its first Black player,” Dennis Lee, president of BAWP, said in a press release. “Similarly, the Philadelphia Stars were pioneers for their sport and the Black community when they played as part of the Negro league in the 1930s, 40s and early 50s.”
At the event, attendees will get the opportunity to meet former Philadelphia Phillies player Milt Thompson, a player from the 1993 National League champions. Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins from the 1965-1966 Phillies team, the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, will also be in attendance.
This year marks the 20th year since the first Jackie Robinson Day in West Parkside and the unveiling of the park.
Lee said that the group is launching a $100,000 fundraising campaign to help restore the memorial wall and install new art.
The plan is for the improvements to be completed by April 2026.
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