Efforts to declare Jackie Robinson Ballpark a National Commemorative Site continue, as the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill moving the process forward to President Joe Biden for his signature.
If signed by Biden, the Daytona (Fl.) ballpark would be named a National Commemorative Site, with the Secretary of the Interior launching a feasibility study to further designate the ballpark a National Historic Landmark.
Jackie Robinson Ballpark is currently home to the Daytona Tortugas (Single-A; Florida State League) and Bethune-Cookman University baseball. Before making his April 15, 1947 debut with the Dodgers Robinson spent a year with the Montreal Royals in the 1946 MiLB season, training with the International League team in Florida, first in Sanford and then in Daytona.
The Montreal Royals camp was initially located at Sanford Municipal Athletic Field, near downtown Sanford and next to the current Sanford Memorial Stadium, with workouts also slated for Kelly Field. Training camp did not start smoothly for Robinson: on the second day he was warned that Sanford residents did not want him there, leading Rickey and the Dodgers to move the Royals training camp to Daytona Beach. (It’s an interesting story; we cover both the Sanford and Daytona drama in The Complete Guide to Spring Training 2025 / Florida, including the other existing landmarks from Robinson’s 1946 and 1947 spring travails in central Florida.)
On March 17, 1946, Robinson made his Montreal Royals debut at City Island Ballpark against the Dodgers, before a crowd of over 4,000. Rickey, a devout Methodist, was not on hand for the Sunday game, but he didn’t miss much past the history of Robinson integrating pro baseball: the Dodgers won, while Robinson went hitless and scored a run. There were no incidents in the stands or on the field, and Robinson won praise from Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher, who said he “looked like a real ballplayer out there.”
On Dec. 10 the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan, bicameral Jackie Robinson Ballpark National Commemorative Site Act, introduced by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA). The House version, introduced by Congressmen Mike Waltz (FL-06) and Darren Soto (FL-09), passed the House of Representatives earlier last week. The bill is co-sponsored by the entire Florida House delegation and has the support from both Major and Minor League Baseball.
“Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach has been a landmark in the history of the Civil Rights movement and of Florida,” Waltz said via press release. “On March 17th, 1946, Jackie Robinson changed professional baseball forever when he stepped out onto the field and broke the color barrier in the sport. His courage that day not only redefined the game but also signaled a profound step forward in the fight for civil rights in America. This bill preserves and honors Jackie Robinson’s legacy, the pivotal role he played in Daytona Beach’s history, and the lasting impact he made on America as a whole. I’m deeply thankful for Senator Rubio and Senator Warnock’s leadership on this bill in the Senate, and I call on President Biden to sign it into law.”
Today, Jackie Robinson Ballpark is a revered site in professional baseball, as the city embarks on renovations allowing the Tortugas to meet MiLB’s facility guidelines. Jackie Robinson Ballpark is considered the oldest ballpark in Minor League Baseball, opening on June 4, 1914.
RELATED STORIES: Jackie Robinson Ballpark up for national recognition; Tortugas announce Kelly Field renovation plan
