The past and present of Los Angeles sports stars caught up on Monday as Lakers legend Magic Johnson and Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani posed for a picture together.
Johnson, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers, was at Dodger Stadium to celebrate Jackie Robinson day as they played the Washington Nationals.
Teams around Major League Baseball celebrated the 77th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier on Monday.
The Dodgers paid their own tribute during an afternoon ceremony involving both teams at his statue in Centerfield Plaza.
Every player around the majors wore Robinson’s retired No. 42 on Monday and fittingly, the Dodger Stadium attendance was 42,677.
Shohei Ohtani and Magic Johnson posed for a picture at the Dodgers’ game on Monday night
But Johnson also took to the field before the first pitch to speak about Robinson. He was given a rapturous reception from those in the crowd.
He said: ‘On behalf of Dodger ownership group, our amazing 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. He also in his first year was named rookie of the year. He won the MVP of the National League. He won a World Series ring.
‘Last but not least, not only was he great on the field but he was great 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.
‘Everybody in MLB is wearing Jackie’s number 42 today and this is really an outstanding day, not only for the Dodgers, but for major league baseball.’
Johnson took the microphone and paid a moving tribute to Robinson before the first pitch
Ohtani and the Dodgers struggled on the field, though, and were beaten by the Nationals 6-4
It did not turn out to be an outstanding day for the Dodgers on the field, though.
Mitchell Parker won his major league debut and Luis García Jr. hit a three-run homer, his first of the season, as the Nationals won 6-4.
Parker became the first Nationals pitcher to win his big league debut since Stephen Strasburg in 2010. ‘Speechless,’ Parker said. ‘That’s awesome.’
He allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked none after getting called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Rochester.
‘After we got the first inning out of the way, it kind of started to become normal,’ Parker said.
‘I kept telling myself all day it’s the same game I’ve been playing all my life, so try not to overthink any of it.’
Parker struck out 2018 AL 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.