Jackie Robinson’s legacy is being celebrated around the major leagues on Tuesday, with the day named for the first Black baseball player of the modern era and marking the 78th anniversary of his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2009. We present it here as Major League Baseball commemorates the anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Minor League debut.

MLB officially retired Robinson's No. 42 jersey across the sport in 1997 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his big league debut. Griffey was given permission to don the number for the Seattle Mariners, flipping from his usual No. 24, for a game against Cleveland on April 15, 1997.