The past and present of Los Angeles sports stars caught up on Monday when Lakers legend Magic Johnson and Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani posed for a photo together.
Johnson, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers, was at Dodger Stadium to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day while they played the Washington Nationals.
Major League Baseball teams on Monday celebrated the 77th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.
The Dodgers paid their own tribute during an afternoon ceremony involving both teams at their statue in Centerfield Plaza.
Every major league player wore Robinson’s retired No. 42 on Monday, and accordingly, attendance at Dodger Stadium was 42,677.
Shohei Ohtani and Magic Johnson posed for a photo at the Dodgers game on Monday night.
But Johnson also came out on the field before the first pitch to talk about Robinson. The crowd gave him an enthusiastic reception.
He said: ‘On behalf of the Dodger ownership group, our incredible manager Dave Roberts and our great baseball team and all the players of Dodger Nation, welcome to Jackie Robinson Day.
‘Jackie was the first black baseball player to play in the major leagues. Also in his first year he was named rookie of the year. He won the National League MVP. He won a World Series ring.
‘Last but not least, he was not only great on the field but also off the field. He created the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
‘Through the Jackie Robinson Foundation, they have sent many students to college and some of them are here today.
“Everyone in MLB is wearing Jackie’s number 42 today and this is truly an extraordinary day, not only for the Dodgers, but for Major League Baseball as well.”
Johnson took the microphone and paid a touching tribute to Robinson before the first pitch.
However, Ohtani and the Dodgers struggled on the field and were defeated by the Nationals 6-4.
However, it didn’t turn out to be an outstanding day for the Dodgers on the field.
michel parker won his major league debut and Luis García Jr.. He hit a three-run homer, his first of the season, and the Nationals won 6-4.
Parker became the first Nationals pitcher to win his major league debut since Stephen Strasburg in 2010. “Speechless,” Parker said. ‘That’s great.’
He allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked none after being called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Rochester.
“After we finished the first inning, everything started to become normal,” Parker said.
“I told myself all day that it’s the same game I’ve played my whole life, so try not to think about it too much.”
Parker struck out 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts to start the game. He then retired Betts, struck out two-time AL MVP Ohtani, and got 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman to ground out in order in the third.