The first pitch of a particularly historic World Series was thrown on this day in 1947. It was the first season an African American had played in the major leagues, and Jackie Robinson’s talent on the baseball field helped the Brooklyn Dodgers earn the National League pennant, making it the first World Series to feature a Black player. While that was momentous in itself, the seven-game series debuted many other elements now considered standard in the MLB.
One of the major innovations was that it was the first World Series ever televised, though most parts of the country were only shown two or three of the games. It was only in four big markets (New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Schenectady/Albany, N.Y.) that lucky viewers got to watch all seven games.
As to how the game was actually played, the 1947 World Series was also the first to feature six umpires on the field as well as to see a home run by a pinch hitter. Viewers, at home and in person, were surely thrilled. It also remains the first time that the New York Yankees won Game 7 in their home stadium. This World Series was also historically profitable, earning over $2 million in receipts for the first time from television viewers, radio listeners, and in-person fans at the ballpark.
