I thought the baseball commissioner had ruled that no one could wear that number any more in homage to Jackie Robinson.
2007-05-22 11:38:58 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
Retired WITH a grandfather clause.
Any player who was already wearing 42 was allowed to continue to wear it for the rest of his career. All but Mo Vaughn and Mariano Riviera changed their numbers at that time. Vaughn and Riviera kept the number, for the same reason that each has requested it from the beginning of their playing days - out of respect for and as an homage to Jackie Robinson.
Vaughn retired a few years ago, so Riviera is the only player left to whom the grandfather clause applies.
2007-05-22 15:13:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They probably can symbolically, no matter what no one will wear 42 again but most teams make a distinction between Jackie Robinson's number and their retired numbers, so the Yanks could honor Rivera's 42 with the rest of their great players, and continue the league-wide 42 honor separate from him. I don't believe MLB governs what numbers individual teams retire as this is just team policy and the only league-wide rule is that Robinson's 42 is retired.
2016-05-20 04:18:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Players established as wearing #42 at the time MLB announced the league-wide retirement of the number (15-April-1997, the 50th anniversary of Jackie's ML debut) were granted the option to continue wearing it; some did, including Rivera, who is the last active "42" player from that day.
2007-05-22 12:31:07 · answer #3 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When MLB retired the number, Rivera (and 3 others) were wearing it still. They allowed anyone who was still wearing the number to wear it until they retired, or chose to change numbers. Rivera is the only one still playing today, and has no intention of changing numbers.
2007-05-22 11:42:39 · answer #4 · answered by janeynbruce 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Anyone who wore the number when the MLB retired it was allowed to keep it.
2007-05-22 12:00:10 · answer #5 · answered by Daniel A 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Grandfather Clause! He is the last one.
2007-05-22 11:43:41 · answer #6 · answered by JOHN V 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
b/c of the grandfather clause
2007-05-22 11:48:27 · answer #7 · answered by Janet ♥(YFFL) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the Yankees bribed the commissioner with money (they got plenty of it) and now he can. Or he is just that special! BOOOOOO
2007-05-22 11:41:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋