Jackie Robinson Stadium

Picture this You stand before Jackie Robinson Stadium. Its history whispers from the outfield grass. This isn’t just a ballpark. It’s a monument. A testament to Jackie Robinson’s legacy. Jackie Robinson Stadium opened in 1981. It’s the home of the UCLA Bruins baseball team. It’s a place where dreams are chased. Where legends are made. The stadium is named after Jackie Robinson. He was a UCLA athlete. He became the first African-American major league baseball player. A statue and mural of Robinson grace the entrance. They silently narrate his incredible journey. The stadium isn’t on the UCLA campus. It’s a short distance away. It sits on the grounds of the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Hoyt Pardee a classmate of Robinson’s donated to its construction. It’s a small ballpark. The seating capacity is only 1820. Yet it has seen incredible moments. In 2010 a crowd of 2613 watched UCLA defeat LSU. The record attendance was 2914. That was a game against rival USC in 1997. The stadium has hosted NCAA tournaments. It has also been a film location. The climactic scene in the movie Never Been Kissed was filmed here. Jackie Robinson Stadium faced a legal battle. There was a court case concerning the land it sits on. UCLA almost lost the right to use the stadium. But the judge reversed the decision. UCLA can continue to use Jackie Robinson Stadium. It’s a place where history is made. It’s a place where history is preserved. It’s a place you should never forget.