Members Of MLB Players Alliance Donating Salaries On Jackie Robinson Day
BOSTON (CBS) -- With Major League Baseball set to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on Friday, current and former players are stepping up to the plate to help Black communities. More than 100 players will donate their salaries to combat racial inequality.
Members of The Players Alliance, a nonprofit organization of current and former players who use their collective voice and platform to create opportunities for the Black community, announced Thursday that members will donate their salaries from Aug. 27 and 28 to the organization.
"We cannot stand idly by and wait for change -- in our game or in our country," Thursday's statement read. "We encourage our allies and fans to join us in taking action. With your support we can and will rewrite our story, creating a more equal world we can all live in together."
We cannot stand idly by and wait for change✊????
— Players Alliance (@PlayersAlliance) August 27, 2020
Join The Players Alliance in our movement: https://t.co/GF2xq96IZp pic.twitter.com/kwZCsLtXo5
Members of The Players Alliance include Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., and former Red Sox and current Dodgers Mookie Betts and David Price.
The announcement came after several games were postponed across Major League Baseball on Thursday, in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The NBA, NHL and WNBA all postponed games on Thursday.
Jackie Robinson Day is usually held on April 15, but was pushed back this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The day honors the legacy of Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.