Portion of 210 Freeway Renamed After Pasadena Hero Jackie Robinson

A stretch of the Interstate 210 Freeway will soon be called “Jackie Robinson Memorial Highway” after the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer second baseman who was raised in Pasadena and started his illustrious sports career at John Muir High School and Pasadena City College.

California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) has introduced ACR 197 to name a stretch of the freeway after Robinson, who became the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era.

Pasadena Assemblyman Chris Holden jointly authored the measure that would create the Jackie Robinson Memorial Highway between State Route 2 and Orange Grove Boulevard, a route commonly used by fans coming to Dodger Stadium from eastern Los Angeles County.

“Jackie Robinson is not only an inspiring figure to us for his accomplishments in athletics, but also as a civil-rights-era trailblazer who advocated for social change,” Assemblyman Gatto said in a press release. “His contributions to baseball and society have made an everlasting impression on our nation.”

Robinson is best known for breaking the color barrier in baseball when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Before becoming a big-leaguer, Robinson excelled in basketball, football, baseball, and track at John Muir High School and Pasadena City College. He later transferred to UCLA in 1939, where he became the first Bruin to letter in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track.

Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

“It’s only fitting to honor Jackie Robinson by naming this stretch of highway near the home he grew up and lived in,” said Gatto, whose father and uncles were present at Dodger Stadium in 1972 when Robinson had his number “42” retired. “The sacrifices and differences he made will always be remembered.”

Gatto is the Chairman of the Utilities & Commerce Committee and the longest-serving current member of the State Assembly. He represents California’s 43rd Assembly District, which includes Los Angeles, Glendale, and Burbank.