Everybody knows the name Jackie Robinson. He is an iconic figure in American history who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947. Sports fans are also familiar with Jackie Robinson Day, a day where every MLB player wears Number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. However, people may not realize that it was MLB Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. who first inspired the idea of wearing 42 to honor Robinson.

The number 42 was retired in 1997 by MLB commissioner Bud Selig. Griffey Jr., who considered Jackie Robinson a personal role model, asked if he could wear the number to honor Robinson. But it was not until years later that the idea developed staying power.

Griffey Jr. called Commissioner Selig and asked for permission to don the now-retired number 42. He detailed how the conversation went on MLB Network. 

“I called Mr. Selig at home, and he says ‘give me a day I want to call Rachel' (Jackie's wife). I was like ‘okay', and he calls me back the next day. He said, ‘do you mind if everybody wears it?' I go ‘absolutely not.'”

Ken Griffey Jr. then discussed his motivation for making the request which ultimately led to Jackie Robinson Day.

“I did it for selfish reasons because I wanted to honor him, how you honor somebody is to wear their number.”

2009 was the first season where every player wore Robinson's number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. The tradition continues in 2022 as MLB celebrates the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.

But without Ken Griffey Jr., it is possible that nobody would be wearing 42 in honor of Robinson today. Griffey Jr.'s groundbreaking idea inspired one of the most important days of the MLB season.