the 42 collection

on april 15, 1997, the same day that jackie robinson's jersey number 42 was retired across major league baseball, ken griffey jr requested permission from jackie's widow rachel and the jackie robinson foundation to wear the number in that evening's game.  griffey made the same request for jackie robinson day in 2007, and since then it has become a tradition for all major league field personnel to wear number 42 on april 15 to honor the man who broke the color barrier.

i have a mini-collection showing players wearing number 42 after 1997 (and after the retirement of those players who wore 42 at the time, such as mariano rivera).  i am really only interested in those cards that actually show the number 42, so, for example, i am not collecting the whole 2017 topps salute - jackie robinson day insert set (why topps printed cards with photos from that specific day, but didn't use photos that showed the number is beyond me). 

the following is a list of cards that i have in this collection, including a "header" card that commemorates the league-wide retirement of the number 42.

2004 upper deck sweet spot classic jackie robinson (number retired across baseball)

1998 metallic impressions ken griffey jr 5 card set #5
1998 upper deck collector's choice ken griffey jr

1998 upper deck collector's choice checklist w/ken griffey jr

2006 topps heritage michael young

2008 upper deck rich harden

2008 upper deck documentary rich harden (game 35)

2008 upper deck first edition update rich harden

2009 topps update & highlights cesar izturis

2009 topps update & highlights cesar izturis gold parallel

2009 upper deck icons icons matt holliday

2009 upper deck signature stars brett anderson

2009 upper deck sp authentic jack cust gold parallel

2009 upper deck ultimate collection brett anderson

2009 upper deck x matt holliday

2009 upper deck x matt holliday die-cut

2010 topps seattle mariners franchise history

2010 topps chrome bryan anderson

2010 topps update ike davis

2010 topps update jeff keppinger

2010 upper deck brett anderson

2010 upper deck biography ian kinsler

2010 upper deck biography tim wakefield
2010 upper deck portraits jack cust

2011 topps attax yadier molina

2011 topps factory set limited edition albert pujols

2011 topps heritage jackie robinson story (legacy lives on)

2012 topps yoenis cespedes photo variation

2015 topps first home run matt carpenter (gold)

2015 topps update yasmony tomas

2016 panini diamond kings expressionists andy pettitte

2016 topps lorenzo cain photo variation
2016 topps carl crawford photo variation

2016 topps wil myers photo variation
2016 topps wily peralta photo variation
2016 topps brett anderson photo variation
2016 topps travis wood photo variation
2016 topps collin mchugh photo variation
/2016 topps dj lemahieu photo variation

2016 topps mike moustakas photo variaton

2016 topps scott van slyke photo variation

2016 topps adeiny hechavarria photo variation
2016 topps wilson ramos photo variation

2016 topps update alejandro de aza
2016 topps update chad qualls

2017 topps andrew mccutchen jackie robinson logo patch 
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day nolan arenado
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day ryan braun
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day miguel cabrera
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day bryce harper
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day eric hosmer
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day clayton kershaw
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day evan longoria
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day andrew mccutchen
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day mike trout
2017 topps salute jackie robinson day joey votto

2017 topps now jackie robinson day
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 andrew mccutchen
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 mike trout
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 clayton kershaw
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 ken griffey jr
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 buster posey
2017 topps throwback thursday proud to wear 42 rickey henderson

2018 panini donruss nolan arenado photo variation

2018 topps salute joey votto
2018 topps salute corey seager
2018 topps salute chris sale
2018 topps salute jose altuve

2018 topps salute carlos correa
2018 topps salute george springer
2018 topps salute khris davis
2018 topps salute trevor story
2018 topps salute alex wood
2018 topps salute dexter fowler
2018 topps salute bryce harper
2018 topps salute adam jones

2018 topps gypsy queen mike moustakas

2018 topps gypsy queen carlos correa jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen khris davis jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen francisco lindor jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen whit merrifield jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen yasiel puig jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen chris sale jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen ervin santana jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen ichiro jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps gypsy queen yoenis cespedes jackie robinson day variation

2018 topps now jackie robinson day

2018 topps now clayton kershaw

2018 topps update jose altuve jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update josh bell jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update adrian beltre jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update matt kemp jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update andrew mccutchen jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update yoan moncada jackie robinson day commemorative patch

2018 topps update trea turner jackie robinson day commemorative patch gold /99

2019 topps gypsy queen khris davis jackie robinson day variation

2019 topps gypsy queen zack godley jackie robinson day variation

2019 topps heritage high numbers throwback 5x7 russell martin

2019 topps now jackie robinson day

2019 topps now yasiel puig

2020 topps now jackie robinson day
2020 topps opening day walk this way joc pederson

2021 panini prizm kyle cody

2021 panini prizm kyle cody purple prizm

2021 panini prizm kyle cody red white & blue prizm

2021 panini prizm kyle cody green wave prizm

2021 panini prizm kyle cody white wave prizm

2021 panini prizm kyle cody teal prizm

2021 topps now jackie robinson day

2021 topps now ronald acuna jr/hank aaron

2022 topps now jackie robinson day

2022 topps now turn back the clock jackie robinson day 1997

2022 topps now eric sogard

2023 topps yasmani grandal

2023 topps yasmani grandal gold

2023 topps heritage bobby witt jr

2023 topps now jackie robinson day

2023 topps now david peralta

2024 topps detroit tigers team card

2024 topps now jackie robinson day

2025 topps heritage sonny gray

2025 topps now tyler soderstom

2025 topps update jc escarra golden mirror variation

2026 topps now jackie robinson day

2026 topps now jackson merrill

i've also put together a collection of cards featuring the 1997 patch commemorating jackie robinson's major league debut in 1947 - one card from each team showing the patch worn by each team (these are cards i have; i'm just listing them here because this collection ties in to this 42 collection):

dodgers - 1998 score hideo nomo
rockies - 1998 fleer sports illustrated larry walker
padres - 1998 upper deck tony gwynn
giants - 1998 upper deck bill mueller
astros - 1998 topps craig biggio
pirates - 1998 fleer tradition tony womack
reds - 1998 upper deck barry larkin
cardinals - 1998 upper deck mark mcgwire
cubs - 1998 fleer tradition mickey morandini
braves - 1998 fleer sports illustrated javy lopez
marlins - 1998 fleer sports illustrated then & now gary sheffield
mets - 1998 upper deck todd hundley
expos - 1998 upper deck jim bullinger
phillies - 1998 upper deck scott rolen
angels - 1998 fleer sports illustrated rickey henderson
a's - 1998 upper deck jason mcdonald
mariners - 1998 fleer sports illustrated world series fever ken griffey jr
rangers - 1998 fleer sports illustrated world series fever juan gonzalez
indians - 1998 topps orel hershiser
white sox - 1998 donruss frank thomas
brewers - 1998 topps jeromy burnitz
twins - 1998 pacific crown royale paul molitor
royals - 1998 upper deck dean palmer
orioles - 1998 score cal ripken jr
yankees - 1998 topps stadium club paul o'neill
tigers - 1998 topps deivi cruz
blue jays - 1998 upper deck shawn green
minor leagues - 1998 best aramis ramirez

and a couple of cards that show the retired number '42' in the background:

1998 upper deck mark wohlers (back)
1999 fleer tradition mark loretta
2000 upper deck mvp derek jeter
2003 upper deck brent abernathy
2008 upper deck daniel ortmeier

2010 upper deck biography tim wakefield

2013 topps update miguel cabrera (photo variation)
2019 topps kolten wong

2019 topps heritage denard span
2019 topps stadium club eddie rosario
2020 topps opening day mascots tc bear