Nike Honors Jackie Robinson With Special Cleats Inspired By The Retired 42

The only Major Leaguer to have his number retired sport-wide gets a special tribute.

Sneaker News February 18, 2025

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In 1997, Major League Baseball honored Jackie Robinson by making his 42 jersey number the first uniform number to be retired across the entire sport. Only those who were already wearing the number would be allowed to continue to rock the digits.

Nike is honoring the iconoclast on Jackie Robinson Day with a special pair of Nike Griffey 2 MCS baseball cleats that highlights this milestone achievement; on the upper features endless layers of the number done in the unique style of each and every Major League Baseball team. A total of thirty different 42s are scattered across the panel to create a magnificent display to pay respect to the man who broke the color barrier in the sport.

Additional details include a white leather upper construction, matte silver logo hits on the fore-foot, tongue, and medial, Ken Griffey Jr.’s “Swingman” logo on the heel, and 42 stamped on the insoles.

Nike Baseball has made it a tradition to release Jackie Robinson-themed footwear and gear around the mid-April occasion, so we fully expect a similar design concept on an off-the-diamond sneaker such as the Air Force 1. Stay tuned for updates.