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In 1997, Foremost League Baseball honored Jackie Robinson by making his No. 42 the first uniform quantity to be retired across the sport.
That acknowledged, gamers who were wearing No. 42 on the time were grandfathered in, which implies they would maybe well maybe furthermore bewitch to continue wearing it till they retired. Thus, some teams appreciate had a participant put on No. 42 more lately than others — and a few appreciate under no circumstances handed out that uniform to any individual.
Here’s a gape on the last participant to position on No. 42 for every MLB team:
Blue Jays: Xavier Hernandez (1989)
Hernandez, a accurate-handed relief pitcher, made his debut with the Blue Jays in 1989 and appeared in seven games, keeping 22 2/3 innings that season ahead of the Astros chosen him within the Rule 5 Draft. Toronto had drafted Hernandez within the fourth round in ’86 and he developed as a starter, but came out of the bullpen for honest about all of his 10-365 days Foremost League profession.
Advantage on June 4, 1989, Hernandez’s debut with the Blue Jays used to be a heavy consume for a reliever, as he threw 93 pitches over 6 2/3 innings after starter Alex Sanchez recorded valid a single out. He used to be followed by some Blue Jays greats that day in Tom Henke, David Wells and Duane Ward, who within the raze earned the take as Toronto topped the Red Sox, 13-11.
Orioles: Lenny Webster (1997-99)
A journeyman backup catcher, Webster wore four uniform numbers for 3 teams ahead of arriving in Baltimore on a free-agent contract in December 1996 and being assigned No. 42. He fully wore the amount for a brief time ahead of MLB retired it, grandfathering Webster in. Webster then appeared in 222 games over parts of the following three seasons, hitting .265 with 17 home runs, mainly as Chris Hoiles’ backup. Webster’s last game with the membership came on Would possibly well perhaps 12, 1999, in Cleveland, furthermore marking the last time an Oriole would put on No. 42. He finished his profession with stints with the Red Sox and Expos, wearing completely different numbers at every end.
Rays: In no scheme issued No. 42
Red Sox: Mo Vaughn (1991-98)
The man identified because the “Hit Canine” all over his eight years with the Red Sox wore No. 42 in honor of Robinson, his hero, and by wearing the amount all over again for the Mets from 2002-03, Vaughn used to be the last Shadowy participant in MLB history to appreciate 42 as his uniform quantity. The AL Most Precious Player in 1995, Vaughn belted 230 homers and had a .936 OPS for the Red Sox.
Yankees: Mariano Rivera (1995-2013)
Credit score archaic Yankees clubhouse attendant Nick Priore for issuing No. 42 to Rivera. The all-time saves chief and baseball’s first unanimous Hall of Famer wore the digits in every of the 1,115 standard season games he pitched, plus 96 more within the postseason.
Alongside the type, Rivera grew to be taught and understand the importance of No. 42, origin with baseball’s resolution to unilaterally retire it in April 1997. By advantage of his longevity and playing for a Unique York team, Rivera developed and loved a lasting bond with Robinson’s family.
“I was blessed that, because the years glided by, of us wearing that quantity kept retiring and I kept going to the point that I was the last one standing,” Rivera acknowledged. “At that time, it used to be some distance more tense, the amount of duty I had wearing that quantity. That used to be right stress.
“I wished to receive Mr. Jackie Robinson comfortable with the legacy that he left us. Me, being the last No. 42, doing it in an ideal arena as Unique York, I was thankful for the legacy he left for us to continue pushing it ahead, passing it accurate down to the following generation.”
Indians: Michael Jackson (1997-99)
Jackson is the last to position on No. 42 for two completely different golf equipment (Indians and Twins). He sported the amount on the succor of his uniform in opposition to the end of Cleveland’s magical 1990s teams from 1997-99, when he played a key role as a late-innings reliever. The membership’s fans rarely would maybe well furthermore honest peaceable be reminded of how the ‘97 season came to an end, but Jackson used to be a plentiful portion in serving to the membership procure the total approach to Game 7 of the World Series. In 13 postseason appearances that 365 days, Jackson permitted valid one bustle in 13 1/3 innings (0.68 ERA) with 16 strikeouts. He came succor in ‘98 to lead Cleveland’s ‘pen with a 1.55 ERA in a team-excessive 64 frames whereas racking up 40 saves. In ‘99, he peaceable gathered 39 saves, but Jackson wasn’t somewhat as dominant, owning a 4.06 ERA in 72 appearances. The 34-365 days-extinct became a free agent after that season and persisted to pitch till he used to be 39, when he ended his profession with the 2004 White Sox.
Royals: Tom Goodwin (1995-97)
Goodwin wore No. 42 for 3 years in Kansas Metropolis ahead of he used to be traded in 1997 and MLB retired the amount. Goodwin used to be chosen off waivers from the Dodgers in ’94 and played in precisely two games that 365 days with the Royals, but he broke out in ‘95 and finished ninth in AL Rookie of the Year Award vote casting with a .288/.346/.358 cut line and 16 doubles. Goodwin declined a minute bit within the following two years and used to be traded on July 25, 1997, to the Rangers for third baseman Dean Palmer, who made the ’98 All-Large identify Game and obtained a Silver Slugger Award in Kansas Metropolis.
Tigers: Jose Lima (2001-02)
Lima indubitably wore No. 32 in his first stint with the Tigers, being known as up from Toledo as a 21-365 days-extinct in 1994. Detroit traded him in a nine-participant deal on Dec. 10, 1996, to Houston, where he wore No. 42. When the Tigers reacquired Lima from the Astros for Dave Mlicki on June 23, 2001, Lima stuck with No. 42. The fly-ball pitcher posted a 17-32 myth and 6.04 ERA in 95 profession appearances for the Tigers, but his outgoing personality and mound mannerisms made him a fan current. He tossed seven scoreless innings whereas allowing fully two hits in opposition to the Royals to outduel Paul Byrd on a fireworks night in a game that lasted valid one hour and 41 minutes, then stayed well after the sport to signal autographs for fans whereas they waited for dusk. Lima died of a heart attack on Would possibly well perhaps 23, 2010, at valid 37 years extinct.
Twins: Michael Jackson (2002)
Jackson alternated between wearing No. 38 and No. 42 for grand of his 17-365 days MLB profession, and he became the remaining participant to position on No. 42 for the Twins in 2002, when he served as a late-inning reliever for an AL Central championship team that furthermore featured Eddie Guardado, Tony Fiore, LaTroy Hawkins and J.C. Romero within the bullpen. Jackson posted a 3.27 ERA in 58 appearances despite inserting out fully 29 batters in 55 innings in his age-37 season. He made one look within the ’02 AL Division Series in opposition to the “Moneyball” Oakland A’s ahead of pitching three occasions — all in shedding efforts — within the Twins’ Championship Series loss to the Angels.
No. 42 used to be used for the longest time as a Twin by Dick Such, who wore it from 1985-97 whereas serving as pitching coach below Ray Miller and Tom Kelly.
White Sox: Scott Ruffcorn (1996)
The White Sox had excessive hopes for the accurate-hander once they chose him 25th total within the 1991 MLB Draft, but Ruffcorn didn’t dwell up to these expectations despite having grand success on the Minor League level. Ruffcorn indubitably under no circumstances obtained a mountainous league game, ending 0-8 with an 8.57 ERA over parts of 5 seasons. The accurate-hander posted an 0-5 label with a 9.68 ERA over 12 games (five begins) with the White Sox and has been out of baseball since ’99.
Angels: Mo Vaughn (1999-2000)
Vaughn wore No. 42 for his complete profession from 1991-2003, including his two-365 days stint with the Angels from 1999-2000. The Angels signed Vaughn to a six-365 days, $80-million deal ahead of the ’99 season that used to be a anxiety from the commence, as he fell down the steps within the dugout in his first game and severely injured his left ankle. Vaughn used to be traded to the Mets for Kevin Appier ahead of the 2002 season.
Astros: Jose Lima (1997-2001)
Lima used to be 24 years extinct when he used to be traded from the Tigers to the Astros, at the side of catcher Brad Ausmus, pitchers Trever Miller and C.J. Nitkowski and slugger Daryle Ward on Dec. 10, 1996, in commerce for pitchers Doug Brocail and Todd Jones, outfielder Brian Hunter, shortstop Orlando Miller and cash. Lima had posted a 6.24 ERA in 57 profession games (20 begins) with the Tigers, and he definitely gave no indication of the success that lay ahead of him in Houston. He pitched within the bullpen with the Astros in ’97 ahead of inserting up a pair of unbelievable seasons as a starter for Houston’s playoff teams. He went 16-8 with a 3.70 ERA in ‘98 and 21-10 with a 3.58 ERA whereas making the NL All-Large identify team in ’99. He finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award vote casting that season.
Lima’s success used to be brief-lived. A fly-ball pitcher, he didn’t fare well when the Astros moved from the cavernous Astrodome to Enron Discipline in 2000. He gave up 48 home runs that season and went 7-16 in 33 begins. “Lima Time” used to be over. He used to be traded succor to the Tigers in ’01 and bounced around thereafter.
Athletics: Buddy Groom (1996-97)
Groom signed with the A’s in 1996 and directly became a workhorse out of the bullpen. He appeared in a profession-excessive 78 games in 1997 and posted a 5.15 ERA. In 150 outings from 1996-97, he mixed for a 4.44 ERA.
Mariners: Butch Huskey (1999)
Huskey donned No. 42 in precisely 74 games for the Mariners after coming over in a December 1998 commerce with the Mets ahead of being shipped to Boston ahead of the ’99 Exchange Cut-off date as a treasured late-season chip for the contending Red Sox. In his brief Seattle stint, Huskey slashed .290/.353/.496 with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and a 112 OPS+. When he first broke into the Majors with the Mets in 1993, Huskey wore No. 10 ahead of switching to No. 42 in ’95 to pay tribute to Robinson.
The Mariners had 11 completely different gamers put on Robinson’s quantity over time ahead of it used to be universally retired in 1997 — including large identify shortstop Omar Vizquel, who donned it when he first obtained known as up in ’89, honest because it used to be what used to be available within the market on the time. He switched to No. 13 by season’s end.
Rangers: Marc Sagmoen (1997)
Sagmoen used to be a 13th-round consume within the 1993 MLB Draft, and he didn’t debut for the membership till ’97. His first Foremost League hit used to be an interior-the-park home bustle at Kauffman Stadium in opposition to the Royals. He would plod on to play fully 21 games for the Rangers, batting .140 with four RBIs and valid that one home bustle.
Sagmoen satirically made his Foremost League debut on April 15, 1997, which used to be the same day MLB opted to retire Jackie Robinson’s quantity league-large. Thus, he used to be the last participant to debut wearing No. 42.
Braves: Armando Reynoso (1991-92)
Some Braves fans would maybe well maybe undergo in mind Rick Mahler wearing No. 42 all over many of the 1980s, but few would maybe well furthermore honest undergo in mind that the membership’s last participant to ever put on the amount used to be Reynoso, who totaled nine appearances for Atlanta. He posted a 6.17 ERA over six outings (five begins) in ’91 and a 4.70 ERA in three appearances (one commence) in ’92.
Reynoso last wore No. 42 for the Braves on Oct. 3, 1992, when he tossed a scoreless inning and notched his fully profession establish in what became a rain-shortened six-inning game. He used to be taken by the Rockies within the 1992 Expansion Draft, and he ended up spending the following 10 seasons with the Rockies, Mets and D-backs.
Marlins: Dennis Cook (1997)
When the Marlins signed Cook as a free agent in December 1996, he had already played for six teams in his nine Foremost League seasons, all whereas wearing six numbers. All through his two-365 days stint with the Rangers earlier his ’97 marketing campaign in South Florida, he furthermore donned No. 42.
The then-34-365 days-extinct left-hander served as closer Robb Nen’s setup man, posting a 3.90 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in 59 standard-season outings. Arguably more spectacular would maybe well furthermore honest be that Cook went 5-for-9 with a homer and two RBIs, including an additional-inning stroll-off hit. All throughout the Marlins’ World Series bustle, he allowed valid one hit, walked two and struck out 10 in nine scoreless innings across seven postseason appearances.
Mets: Mo Vaughn (2002-03)
Vaughn has the honor of being the last to position on No. 42 for 3 completely different golf equipment: the Red Sox, Angels and Mets. His Mets tenure used to be the least illustrious of the three, as it didn’t occur till his mid-30s. Silent, Vaughn used to be productive all over a 26-homer season in 2002 ahead of tailing off in his remaining 365 days as a Foremost League participant.
The Mets appreciate a determined link with No. 42, given their proximity to the archaic region of Ebbets Discipline in Brooklyn and their birth as a alternative for the Dodgers and Giants franchises in Unique York. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Discipline comprises a tall No. 42 sculpture that greets fans as they file into the ballpark’s predominant entrance, at the side of inscriptions of well-known Robinson quotations.
Nationals/Expos: Kirk Rueter (1993-96)
Rueter wore No. 42 for his complete three-plus 365 days profession with the Expos from 1993-96. Selected by Montreal within the 18th round of the ‘91 Draft, the left-hander went 8-0 and finished seventh in NL Rookie of the Year Award vote casting in ‘93. Overall, he made 59 begins and used to be 25-12 with a 4.03 ERA with the Expos. After being traded to the Giants, Rueter changed his uniform to No. 45 in ‘97. Foremost League Baseball retired Robinson’s legendary quantity eight years ahead of the franchise relocated to Washington.
Phillies: Toby Borland (1994-96)
Borland played parts of nine seasons within the mountainous leagues, including his first three with the Phillies. He once urged an unprecedented Larry Bowa story to The Philadelphia Inquirer. When Borland obtained hit tense in a 1995 game at Veterans Stadium, manager Jim Fregosi removed him from the sport and Borland jogged from the mound to the dugout below a torrent of boos. Bowa, who used to be Fregosi’s third-obnoxious coach, greeted him. “Bowa obtained accurate in my face and yelled, ‘Let me expose you something, in case you pitch inferior in this station, don’t bustle off the mound! You stroll off the mound and also you stroll late! Give them a possibility to boo you, since you deserve it!’”
Brewers: Scott Karl (1995-99)
It is possible you’ll well furthermore honest be shocked to hear that Karl had the same ERA+ in a Brewers uniform (103) as one other important left-hander in franchise history: Mike Caldwell. Karl under no circumstances had a possibility to creator the postseason moments that Caldwell did, however the archaic did receive no longer decrease than 32 begins in all four of his full seasons with the team. Drafted by the Brewers within the sixth round in 1992 out of the University of Hawaii, Karl used to be packaged with All-Large identify infielder Jeff Cirillo in a three-team commerce in 1999 that netted the Brewers Henry Blanco and Jamey Wright from the Rockies, and Jimmy Haynes from the A’s.
Cardinals: José Oliva (1995)
In August 1995, the Braves had minute room to play Oliva, so they made the complicated resolution to commerce the third baseman to the Cardinals in commerce for Anton French. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox acknowledged on the time that Oliva had “more than mountainous league vitality — he’s obtained Foremost League vitality,” in step with the St. Louis Put up-Dispatch. It used to be vitality the Cardinals wished, but they under no circumstances indubitably obtained it within the Majors, as Oliva went on to bat valid .122 over 22 games to shut the ’95 season. He spent the following 365 days within the Minors, blasting 31 homers for Triple-A Louisville, ahead of transferring on from St. Louis and playing a 365 days in China. Oliva died in a automobile accident in ’97 on the age of 26.
Cubs: Dave Smith (1991-92)
Following the 1992 season, no Cubs participant wore Robinson’s No. 42. That made the late Dave Smith the last participant in franchise history to don the historic digits. Smith concluded a 13-365 days mountainous league profession (spent largely as a late-inning reliever for the Astros) with a two-season stint with the North Siders. The accurate-hander had a 4.94 ERA in 46 games for Chicago. Earlier than Smith, potentially the most important No. 42 in Cubs history used to be Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter, who used to be a four-time All-Large identify and 1979 NL Cy Young Award winner for Chicago.
The participant who broke the color barrier for the Cubs used to be none completely different than Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, who debuted in 1953 and spent every of his 19 seasons with Chicago. Banks’ No. 14 is retired by the franchise. In ’62, the legendary Buck O’Neil became the first black coach within the Foremost Leagues with the Cubs.
Pirates: Jason Schmidt (1996-97)
Schmidt, who had a 14-365 days Foremost League profession, bounced between four uniform numbers, but his first with the Pirates used to be No. 42. Schmidt donned No. 42 after he used to be traded to Pittsburgh because the participant to be named later within the 1996 Denny Neagle commerce. When Robinson’s quantity used to be retired, the accurate-hander opted to position on No. 22.
Schmidt went on to appreciate an ideal late-profession resurgence in San Francisco, where he used to be runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award in 2003 on the succor of a uncommon relief winner in Eric Gagne. Earlier than Schmidt’s profession used to be over, he obtained to play for Robinson’s Dodgers in Los Angeles, signing as a free agent in ‘06 and wearing No. 29.
Reds: Roger Salkeld (1996)
The No. 42 used to be a revolving door for a cavalcade of Reds gamers, with seven completely different occupants over the remaining decade ahead of being retired to honor Robinson. Its remaining standard Reds user used to be Salkeld, who spent one season within the mountainous leagues with Cincinnati and parts of three total within the Majors.
Salkeld, the third total consume by the Mariners within the 1989 Draft — and grandson of archaic Foremost League catcher Invoice Salkeld — used to be traded from Seattle to Cincinnati in 1995 for pitcher Tim Belcher. Salkeld returned to the mountainous leagues in ‘96 in a swingman role and went 8-5 with a 5.20 ERA in 29 games, including 19 begins and 116 innings. He spent four more seasons pitching within the Minor Leagues and left baseball after 2000.
D-backs: In no scheme issued No. 42
Dodgers: Ray Lamb (1969)
Give it some thought or no longer, Robinson wasn’t the last Dodger to position on No. 42. Because the franchise tried to switch previous its Brooklyn history and contain a brand fresh origin in Los Angeles, the Dodgers issued the amount to Ray Lamb, a accurate-handed reliever who played his school ball at USC. Lamb wore the amount from Aug. 1 till the end of that season, and had success, posting a 1.80 ERA in 10 appearances. The following 365 days, the Dodgers realized their mistake and Lamb switched to No. 34. A 365 days after that, Lamb used to be traded to Cleveland. Robinson’s quantity used to be later retired by the membership in 1972.
Giants: Kirk Rueter (1996-97)
Regarded as definitely one of potentially the hottest Giants of the San Francisco generation, Rueter became identified as “Woody” because of the his inserting resemblance to the appealing cowboy from the Pixar hit “Toy Memoir.” He loved a decade-future with the Giants, going 105-80 with a 4.32 ERA over 281 appearances, and he used to be the winningest left-hander in San Francisco history till Madison Bumgarner burst onto the scene.
Rueter famously pitched a game for the Giants on the day his first daughter used to be born, and he furthermore holds the honor of starting up the first standard-season game at Oracle Park in 2000.
Padres: Pedro Martinez (1993-94)
No, no longer that Pedro Martinez. “The left-handed Pedro Martinez” is how he’s recurrently specified. And whereas he didn’t appreciate a Hall of Popularity profession and doesn’t qualify as definitely one of potentially the most productive pitchers who ever lived, the left-handed Pedro Martinez used to be a essential reliever across two seasons in San Diego.
He posted a 2.73 ERA over 80 appearances for the Padres after his 1993 leap forward. Martinez is potentially easiest identified as a crucial portion in definitely one of potentially the most consequential trades in franchise history. He went to Houston at the side of Derek Bell and three others within the 11-participant blockbuster that landed Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley in San Diego.
Rockies: Armando Reynoso (1993-96)
Reynoso’s mountainous smash came in 1993, when he joined the growth Rockies — after, it turned out, being the last Braves participant to position on No. 42. Reynoso donned the amount with Colorado and had his easiest season within the team’s first 365 days. He went 12-11 with a 4.00 ERA over 189 innings in 30 begins in what used to be mercurial discovered to be a hitter-friendly ambiance.
Reynoso persisted as a gritty starter for the Rockies through 1996, the 365 days ahead of No. 42 used to be taken out of circulation. In 1997, he pitched for the Mets on the day of the ceremony at Shea Stadium on April 15.
