University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
The Legend Lives On
The afternoon was not unlike many others on UCLA’s idyllic Westwood campus on Saturday, March 5. Squirrels climbing trees, birds chirping and hundreds of people strolling down Bruin Walk brought the day to life.
Those passing Pauley Pavilion, the site of a men’s basketball game set to take place in just a few hours, stopped by the famous statue of Coach Wooden to reflect, pay their respects or perhaps even explain his legacy to those younger and less familiar with the icon.
A few hundred yards away down Bruin Walk, the main thoroughfare connecting the west and east sides of campus for thousands of Bruins on a daily basis, the final piece of UCLA’s campus-wide recognition of one of its most important and influential figures was being put in place. First Chancellor Block, then Kathy Robinson Young – the niece of the man everyone had gathered to honor, followed by Janina Montero, Dan Guerrero and last but certainly not least, Casey Wasserman. All eloquent. All with words befitting a legend. All excited at what was about to happen.
And moments later, with one grand unveiling, in front of everyone, stood a monument established to link the past with the present and, most importantly, the future.
The final piece of the Jackie Robinson Athletics and Recreation Complex was now in place – made possible by the generosity of Casey Wasserman and the Wasserman Foundation.
As guests and dignitaries applauded and passers-by stopped in their tracks to take in what had just occurred, a bronze plaque placed below the monument spelled it out most succinctly:
“‘A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.’ – Jackie Robinson,” the plaque begins.
“From 1939-1941, Jackie Robinson made his mark at UCLA as a four-sport star for the Bruins: in football, a peerless running back; in basketball, the leading scorer; in track, a national champion; and in baseball, a highly-regarded shortstop.
He forever changed the world on April 15, 1947, shattering the color barrier in Major League Baseball while wearing the number 42.
In 2014, to mark the 75th anniversary of Robinson’s arrival in Westwood, UCLA named its athletic and recreation complex in his honor while also announcing that no Bruin, in any sport, will wear the number 42 ever again.
This monument ensures that Jackie Robinson’s legacy will be carried forward by Bruins for generations to come.”
Above the plaque, a 42-inch tall number 42 bronze sculpture rises prominently from the bronze base – linking the monument to each of the in-ground bronze number 42s that reside at each entry point to UCLA’s training centers, competition sites, fields and stadiums. Each 42 is a reminder of Robinson’s tremendous courage in the face of adversity. For those generations to come, it is an opportunity to ask, “What does 42 stand for?” And for those accompanying them, it is a chance to tell the story of the man whose legacy is forever linked to a number that now stands for inclusion, bravery and perseverance.
As UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero noted during the unveiling ceremony, “Jackie is one of us, he’s a Bruin. And it’s my hope that through this monument, so generously funded by the Wasserman Foundation, generations of future Bruins will walk this campus keeping the legacy of Jackie Robinson in the forefront of both their hearts and their minds.”
As an additional measure to keep Robinson and his legacy a pillar of UCLA and UCLA Athletics, in November 2014, it was announced that no Bruin will be issued the number 42, in any sport, ever again. At the time, three Bruin student-athletes wore number 42 in their respective sports – each of whom was grandfathered in and allowed to represent the Robinson legacy for the remainder of their athletic careers at UCLA.
Ally Courtnall, a class of 2015 defender on the women’s soccer team, reflected at the time of the announcement, “When I think of his number, I think of greatness, strength, courage, and all of those kinds of qualities that Jackie Robinson encompassed and exemplified in his life. If I could only be somewhat close to that, it would be amazing. It is such an honor to have his number on my back. I just see him as such a great example. I look at that number before every game, and I hope to do my family and the number proud.”
While Robinson donned many numbers at UCLA, the number 42 has become as iconic as the man himself. While his legacy is shared by millions of Americans and, moreover, humanity in general, he holds a special place in the heart and soul of this university.
At the naming of the Jackie Robinson Athletics and Recreation Complex some 16 months earlier, with Jackie’s remarkable wife Rachel looking on, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block so aptly noted, “Jackie Robinson’s name and his legacy are an honor to this university and to all the students and student-athletes who will continue to be inspired by his courage, dignity and grace. Jackie detested injustice, fought for civil rights, and his spirit of breaking barriers has been, and always will be, a guiding force of UCLA past, present and future.”
Today, while a legacy was celebrated, UCLA also ensured that Bruins for generations to come will always remember that courage and integrity are eternal.