Civil Rights Game

The Civil Rights Game was a special baseball game held each year by Major League Baseball. It was created to honor the history of civil rights in the United States. The first two games also marked the end of spring training for the teams.

The game took place every year from 2007 until 2015. During this time, MLB also gave special awards called Beacon Awards to people who helped make a difference in civil rights. The Civil Rights Game was a way to remember and celebrate important efforts toward fairness and equality.

History

The first two Civil Rights Games were played at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee in 2007 and 2008. These games were special preseason matches meant to honor the history of African-American players in baseball and to encourage more young Black players to join the sport. At the time, there were concerns because the number of Black players in Major League Baseball had dropped to just 8.4 percent.

In 2009, the game became part of the regular season. The last Civil Rights Game was held in 2015 on April 15, the same day MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day. After 2015, the game was not held again for reasons that were not explained.

Game results

The winning team for each Civil Rights Game is shown in bold font. These games took place every year from 2007 to 2015.

Team appearances

Game summaries

The first Civil Rights Game was played on March 31, 2007, between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians. The Cardinals won 5–1. Both teams wore special uniforms to honor the history of baseball.

The game continued each year until 2015. Different teams played each time, and the games were held in various cities across the United States. In 2009, the game became part of the regular season, and in 2011, it was held over four days instead of two. The games honored important moments in the fight for equal rights and celebrated the history of baseball.

Beacon Awards

Before each Civil Rights Game, Major League Baseball held a special lunch where they gave out Beacon Awards. These awards included the Beacon of Life Award, the Beacon of Change Award, and the Beacon of Hope Award. Special guests would also speak at these lunches.