Florida

Jackie Robinson Ballpark poised to become a national landmark, under new bill

Central Florida Public Media | By Joe Byrnes

Published April 16, 2024 at 8:04 AM EDT

Jackie Robinson, shown here in a Dodgers uniform in 1950, played his first minor league game with the Montreal Royals in Daytona Beach in 1946.

A bipartisan bill introduced Monday would begin the process to make theJackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach a National Historic Landmark.

Central Florida congressmen Mike Waltz, a Republican, and Darren Soto, a Democrat, co-sponsored the bill. They timed it for Monday, April 15, also known as Jackie Robinson Day.

Waltz said the entire state delegation is supporting the legislation, which is called the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Commemorative Site Act.

Waltz also said Sen. Marco Rubio is introducing a Senate version.

The legislation honors the stadium where, in 1946, Robinson broke baseball's color barrier and played his first game with the Montreal Royals, a minor league team affiliated with the Dodgers.

The next year Robinson put on No. 42 for the Dodgers and integrated Major League Baseball.

Daytona Beach has a special part in preserving that history, Waltz said. "That stadium up in New York no longer exists. And obviously, the Dodgers are now in LA. So this National Historic Landmark would be incredibly important, I think, for preserving and celebrating his legacy."

Waltz said: "And from everything I'm hearing from the community, everyone's over the moon. Jackie Robinson was not only just a great ballplayer, he was a great man. And we're thrilled to be part of his legacy."

That's certainly the case for Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry.

In a text, he described the bill as "awesome news."

Soto is "thrilled" to introduce a bill honoring Robinson’s legacy, he said in a prepared statement. "It's a vital step towards preserving his historic contributions.”

If it becomes law, Waltz said the Department of Interior will begin "an extensive vetting process" for possible landmark status.

City Island Ballpark is shown in the aeria photograph from 1946.

The 110-year-old, city-owned stadium, formerly known as City Island Ballpark, was named for Robinson in 1990 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

The Daytona Tortugas, a Cincinnati Reds farm team, uses the stadium now. It's also the home stadium for Bethune-Cookman University.

“We are extremely honored to be entrusted with further stewarding the legacy of Jackie Robinson in Daytona Beach,” said Bob Fregolle, Tortugas co-owner and operating partner.

Lynn Thompson served as athletic director at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach for 30 years, from 1991 to 2021.

“For us to be able to play in the field that Jackie played in, from a recruiting standpoint … it was priceless,” he said.

Thompson said his late father, Herbert Thompson, would tell him about watching Robinson play at City Island Ballpark. Black citizens of Daytona Beach, like his dad, felt tremendous pride.

Thompson said Black spectators were segregated along the right field line at that time.

“The whole town,” he said, referring to the Black community, “was committed to make sure he felt welcome.”