2007-04-28 12:16:15 · 9 answers · asked by bulldogmike24 2 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Any players who were wearing #42 at the time MLB announced the league-wide retirement of the number in honor of Robinson (15-April-1997, the 50th anniversary of his historic debut) were granted continuing permission to wear it until they chose to give it up, or quit playing. Nine players were wearing #42 and kept it: Lenny Webster, Butch Huskey, Mike Jackson, Scott Karl, Jose Lima, Mo Vaughn, Tom Goodwin, Rivera, and Rangers blip-in-history Marc Sagmoen, who had been called up earlier in the day.
Rivera is the last one still active.
Griffey wore #42 on the big night in 1997 in tribute to Jackie.
2007-04-28 13:34:46 · answer #1 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
When MLB decided to retire 42 in 1997, acting commissioner Bud Selig announced that to honor Jackie Robinson no player from now on will be issued the late Hall of Famer's number. However, the players who currently wear the number can keep it for the rest of their careers. The 12 major-league players wearing No. 42 as of Tuesday night: Mo Vaughn, Boston Butch Huskey, New York Mets Tom Goodwin, Kansas City Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees Mike Jackson, Cleveland Lenny Webster, Baltimore Jason Schmidt, Pittsburgh Jose Lima, Houston Scott Karl, Milwaukee Dennis Cook, Florida Kirk Rueter, San Francisco x-Marc Sagmoen, Texas x-Sagmoen, who made his major-league debut Tuesday night, was randomly assigned 42 by the Rangers when he joined the team. After the game, he announced he would switch to No. 37 because he did not feel ``worthy'' to wear 42.
2016-05-21 02:18:40 · answer #2 · answered by jodie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At the time the number 42 was retired, anyone still wearing that number could keep it if they wanted. Rivera is one of those people.
2007-04-28 12:24:50 · answer #3 · answered by JazzSinger 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
He was already wearing the number at the time it was retired in honor of Jackie Robinson. Rivera, as well as anyone else already wearing the number at the time, were allowed to wear the number for the rest of their careers.
2007-04-28 13:44:02 · answer #4 · answered by frenchy62 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He had 42 before MLB retired it for Jackie Robinson. He is the last player to be grandfathered in for the number.
2007-04-28 12:21:23 · answer #5 · answered by Jason B 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The league let anyone wearing the number keep it, although I am sure they figured those players would have enough integrity to switch numbers. Obviously they figured wrong.
2007-04-28 14:06:03 · answer #6 · answered by Ballzy 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Like everyone else said he was wearing it before they retired it.
2007-04-28 14:30:14 · answer #7 · answered by metsgurl716 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He was wearing it before it was retired.
2007-04-28 12:21:10 · answer #8 · answered by Nunnya 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's called a grandfather clause.
It's also called this is about the 10th time in the last couple of weeks that this question has been asked and answered, and the answers don't change. Did you check any of them?
2007-04-28 15:59:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋