In this sport, though, stats arent the only numbers that matter. 46 for an extended period. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. When he can finally take the court for Brooklyn, that will probably be true as well, though he did wear No. 23 the greatest NBA player of all time? We all know Aaron was the lon-time home run king, and still ranks second. Why he's here: No one else at No. Honorable mentions: What did we just say? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Why hes here: A-Rod wore No. We want to briefly mention the underrated safety Dennis Smith as well. Why he's here: Fielder has worn No. Honorable mentions: Lou Whitaker, Pee Wee Reese, Richie Ashburn, Why hes here: Jeters career was nothing short of amazing. This was not a hard choice and not just because of the quality of Mannings career. Where would baseball be without No. Honorable mentions: Mel Ott, Paul Molitor, Duke Snider. Keep the linebackers coming! All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. While he had brief stints in other numbers, during the bulk of his career, including his time with the Braves, he wore No. 61 for more than a few seasons, and Hernandez is the best of the bunch. Honorable mentions: Bob Howry, Joba Chamberlain. Considered one of the best defensive players ever, Russell led the Celtics to a whopping 11 titles. Its also enough for him to represent No. However, that's usually a goaltenders number, in hockey and especially in soccer. A point guard with the size to play center, Johnson was ahead of his time, and yet he still won three MVPs. MORE: Best current players at each jersey number, 1-97. Since the switch, A-Rod has often been the center of controversy, but hes also won a pair of AL MVP awards and popped 342 homers in 11 seasons. Pedro didnt pitch then. Nevertheless, Chamberlain wore 13 throughout his NBA career. However, he retired in 1955, and thats just a different era of football. Greatest NFL players by uniform number: From No. Hes second in career whiffs behind only Nolan Ryan, who played forever. Bonds won five of his seven NL MVPs with the Giants and broke pretty much every home run and walks record while wearing No. Hes remembered wearing Nos. It was one of the four years he led the league in rushing yards. He finished with 1,000 receptions, one of only 14 players to have done that so far, and he had 85 receiving touchdowns. Honorable mentions: Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Manny Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, Barry Bonds. The Wizard owned the web gem before the term existed, but beyond his lengthy highlight reel the longtime Cardinal was remarkably consistent, setting records for assists and double plays by a shortstop. ESPN World Fame 100 - Top Ranking Athletes For six years in a row he was named to the All-Pro team. Why hes here: First, sneak a peek at the honorable mentions for No. It has been a popular jersey number for decades with success of athletes across the board. Heres how incredible Fedorovs all-around game was. Roberto Clemente almost made the cut as well. Witten will never make the football announcing Hall of Fame, but hes on his way to the NFL Hall when he finally retires. A couple of notable goalies, Tony Esposito and Mike Richter, also wore this number. Its rare for a middle linebacker to get a ton of awards love, but Lewis managed to be named Defensive Player of the Year twice. 25 while also setting the record for most home runs in a season. We dont think its too early to make the call here. The franchise has retired Drysdales number after he spent 14 seasons in Dodger blue. Kelce outdueled another NFL center, Jim Langer, for this honor. Outside of his rookie campaign, Mays wore 24 his entire career. Dan Donovan/MLB Photos via Getty Images; Ed Reinke/AP. "He had fame that transcended mere celebrity," Ron Fimrite wrote in SI in '99. Lots of options here. The number suited him well. The No. Classic: Type in answers that appear in a list. The Hall of Fame second baseman hit arguably the most famous home run in the sport's history: the walk-off shot in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Few players were as reliable while also being incredible on the court Hes the greatest Spur of all time and a 15-time All-NBA team member. Honorable mentions: Clayton Kershaw, Will Clark, Roger Clemens. 40 here, as the only real threat to him was Henrik Zetterberg. Mark Messier would also make a fine choice. Bryant had some great years wearing No. Why he's here: No one at No. All Rights Reserved. Honorable mentions: Ichiro Suzuki, Willie McGee, Trevor Hoffman. Years active: 1976-1995 Why he's here: The Hall of Famer wore No. The Yankee Clipper has the numbers and the accolades: three MVPs, .325 average, nine World Series rings. Honorable mentions: Dwight Gooden, Hal Newhouser, Ted Lyons. He also wore it when he won four-straight Cy Youngs. 66. Andy Pettitte was a good pitcher on some great teams, but nobody ever considered him one of the best at his job. Playing tight end, he twice led the NFL in receptions and made five Pro Bowls. Speaking of averaging a triple-double, the last guy to do that before Westbrook was Oscar Robertson, who wore the No. Choose a TeamArizona DiamondbacksAtlanta BravesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCincinnati RedsCleveland GuardiansColorado RockiesDetroit TigersHouston AstrosKansas City RoyalsLos Angeles AngelsLos Angeles DodgersMiami MarlinsMilwaukee BrewersMinnesota TwinsNew York MetsNew York YankeesOakland AthleticsPhiladelphia A full century after his career began, he is still the Babe Ruth of sports. He wore it when he won four MVPs. We also considered John Havlicek, who notablyonce stole the ball. Teammates back-to-back here. And what other big-shot athletes have donned the numeral.". Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Rivers hasnt been to a Super Bowl, and the odds are that he wont do it at this point, even after joining the Colts. 3, he didnt have much of a chance. There was no debate here. Why he's here: Six All-Star appearances, a 2.35 ERA, 349 saves and a World Series ring. Why hes here: Ford was a stalwart in the Yankees rotation during the franchises glory years (well, one of their stretches of glory years). Why hes here: Ruth was, without a doubt, the single most transformative player in baseball history. There is no other athlete really in contention. The six players to wear this number have combined for -2.2 WAR in a Pirates uniform. Thomas numbers could have been even better, but he unfortunately died in a car accident after the 1999 season. Prior to that, he made seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and won two MVPs. Dallas Mavericks ( 88, 90) Al-Farouq Aminu. Why he's here: The recently retired Hunter earned five All-Star selections and nine Gold Gloves over his 19-year career. Not that we had any choice here. In the course of his 16-year career, Elway matured from rawly talented escape artist to field general. . Boston's greatest players to don each uniform number: 101 unforgettable Honorable mentions: Tony Gwynn, Robin Yount, Billy Pierce. Winning the Rookie of the Year award with the Buffalo Braves, Dantley his the ground running in the NBA. in 1941 he batted .406; no one has hit .400 since. Upshaw spent 15 seasons as an offensive guard, playing well enough to make it into the Hall of Fame with the Raiders. If you are of a certain age, you probably remember Upshaw primarily as an executive with the NFLPA. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. So when New York pulled off the massive deal to get Rodriguez, he switch to No. Uniform numbers hold a special place in telling the story of the sport, so we thought wed take a look at the best players (Hall of Famers in most instances) who wore each uniform number. Jim Thorpe. Michael Jordan. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. As most baseball fans know, April 15, 1947 is a special day in MLB history. Also, he's been a pretty good pitcher, with a Cy Young, three All-Star selections and 218 wins to his name. 10: Lloyd Waner . Can you imagine a 6-foot-7 linebacker? Full Site Menu. Weve got two Penguins legends sandwiching a largely forgotten NFL guard. 18 in 14 of his 18 seasons, including the 2004 season when he helped the Red Sox win the World Series and end the Curse of the Bambino, and 2009, when he helped the Yankees to a World Series title. His numbers may never be beaten. NFL and NHL fans have strong associations with the number for some of the most famous names in their sports with players like Russell Wilson and Pierre Pilote. He was one of the first 7-footers shooting threes. Sure, hes in the Hall of Fame, but the man was All-Pro six times and won Defensive Player of the Year once. Greatest college football players by jersey number Mike Singletary was a formidable linebacker patrolling the field in the NFL. Guidrys name is forgotten in Yankees lore, which is fair given how many legends they have. 72 for his entire 13-year tenure with the White Sox. The best players for each uniform number - Over the Monster Mantle still wins. Thirteen may be an unlucky number to some but not to a few all-time greats. If you're the Babe Ruth of podiatrists, suddenly podiatry sounds like a pretty cool line of work to be in. Why hes here: One of the greatest pichers ever, Maddux won four straight Cy Youngs and was elected to the Hall of Fame in a landslide on his first try. Several of the greats share the same number (Looking at you, No. For the first two seasons of his career, Wright didnt wear No. USA TODAY. We are on a bit of a run of terrifying defensive linemen, but thats numbers in the 90s for you. Orr hurt his knee, while Gehrig tragically developed ALS, known colloquially to this day as Lou Gehrigs disease. The Hall of Famer was an easy choice. He only played five seasons with the Blue Jays, but hes a bit of a hero in Toronto; his Jays teams won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, and Alomar hit .354 with 16 stolen bases in 24 playoff games during those two title runs. We feel comfortable saying Gonzalez is the best tight end ever. Phillips is the only player who has worn number zero in franchise history. Honorable mentions: Kirby Puckett, David Ortiz, Felix Hernandez, Fernando Valenzuela. Abdul-Jabbar has more points than anybody in NBA history. Why he's here: Gibson was an elite pitcher, and he just barely edges out fellow elite pitcher Pedro Martinez for the top spot due to a longer career. In 2015, he was an All-Star and won AL Comeback Player of the Year. George Constanza thought Seven was a great name for a kid because of Mantle. 85 with a 0.45 WAR is good enough to beat out Che-Hsuan Lin. While the number he wore, number 42, has always been special and acknowledged throughout the Majors Leagues, especially since Jackie Robinson's induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, the day has . "For nearly half a century after his playing days had ended, Joe DiMaggio remained a regal presence in the public eye, a species of American aristocrat. And even though Barry Bonds eventually eclipsed Babe Ruths career home run total, the number 714 still holds a special place in baseball lore. Why he's here: Two seasons at No. Why hes here: Grove didnt make his big-league debut until 1925, when he was 25 years old, but he wasted no time becoming a star he led the AL in strikeouts each of his first seven years in the majors. 3? Martinez had a 1.74 ERA in 2000. Join our linker program. 1 all-time. He was forced to retire at 30 -- but he left behind a sport changed forever. To celebrate the NFL's 100th season, the USA TODAY Sports Network is . Honorable mentions: Joe Morgan, Gene Tenace, Andy Van Slyke. Famous Athletes - List & Biographies of World Famous Athletes He also smacked 521 home runs, a total depressed by the prime seasons he sacrificed to serve as a Marine pilot in World War II and the Korean War. He won two MVP awards and finished second four other times he won the AL triple crown in two of those second-place years and his career on-base percentage of .482 is No. One of the greatest athletes ever, Usain Bolt is popular by the nickname 'Lightning Bolt'. Why hes here: Larkin, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility, actually wore No. William The Refrigerator Perry was the beloved face of the Chicago Bears defensive line, but Dent was the true star of the bunch. He became the youngest person ever elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Josh Beckett wore No. For a player who made only four Pro Bowls, Ward had quite the career. The Celtics' big man averaged 22.5 rebounds in his career; between his mastery of the glass and his shot-blocking skills, few players have been more intimidating in the paint. He was one of the first stars of NASCAR, and some still consider him the best driver ever. Taylor is considered by some the best defensive player ever. Kelce, and his massive beard, was also key in the Eagles winning their first-ever Super Bowl. Tim Brown was also a great receiver but not quite on par with Owens. Fun fact: With Williams away fighting in World War II, catcher Johnny Peacock wore No. No other player wore it for than one. 84, but both also wore other numbers. So lets give some love to T.O.s work on the field. The NBA also has a rich history of players to rock the number with champions like Kawhi Leonard,Kevin Garnett, andKyrie Irving all sporting the 2 on their backs. 15 for the Chiefs, after all. 00 Jim Otto to No. Jeter maybe didn't deserve the Gold Gloves, but he's the best athlete to wear the number two. Why he's here: Not much to choose from. His .651 winning percentage is 24th all time. 90. In the News: Aaron Rodgers, Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, Allen Robinson, Jordan Love. Honorable mentions: Carl Yastrzemski, Yogi Berra, Willie Stargell, Joe Morgan 9: Ted Williams Why he's here: Maybe the best pure hitter of all time, Williams finished his career with 521 home runs. More than 48,000 runners took on the race from Greenwich to The Mall - up . He was also All-Pro in all five of those campaigns. Hes done so many incredible things already, and hes not quite done yet. On top of that, Guidry won five Gold Gloves. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Why hes here: A second-ballot Hall of Famer, Alomar was named to the All-Star team 12 consecutive seasons, with the Padres, Blue Jays, Orioles and Indians. Clemente, who was born in Puerto Rico and was an idol to the people of Latin America, tragically died in a plane crash while trying to deliver supplies to Nicaragua to aid earthquake victims. This is one of those numbers where you dont even have to think for a second about who you are picking. The NHL doesnt like to give the Hart Trophy to goalies. 10. Did you know that he still has more RBI than anybody in MLB history, or that hes third in hits? Why he's here: Quite simply, Hammerin' Hank was one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. This was a really tough one. Subban would have been a more fun player to go with, and early in his career when he was winning the Norris he seemed on pace. Playing alongside Ruth, Gehrig still won two MVPs and was on six title-winning Yankees teams. However, 30 is a goalies number, and we wanted to give the honor to one of the best goalies to ever man the crease. Still, that was his number from 1980 until 1993, so he is our pick. Best all-time MLB players at each jersey number, 1-99 99, but in every other season of his career he wore No. While he never won a Cy Young, he finished second three times and led the National League in strikeouts twice. That doesnt mean being the all-time NFL leader in rushing yards isnt amazing. Why he's here: The future Hall of Famer wore No. 8 with the Indians and White Sox, but it wasn't available in Baltimore due to a certain future Hall of Famer. NBA fans have representation, as well, with Joe Dumars, Charles Barkley, and Chris Webber among the famous players to wear the number. Why hes here: Dean was a shooting star, a player who lit up the baseball world and flamed out way too soon (a broken toe in the 1937 All-Star game led to a cavalcade of injuries that crushed his career). Stats: .310 batting average, 260 home runs, 1,311 RBIs, League: NBA Sure, Jeter is a tad overrated because he spent his entire career playing for the Yankees and was their captain. Not too bad for a guy who wasnt even drafted out of college. MLB History: Greatest Players to Wear Jersey Numbers 1-57, and Beyond Honorable mentions: Charlie Gehringer, Nellie Fox, Red Schoendienst. 20 4 - Adrian Dantley. Honorable mentions: Ivan Rodriguez, Craig Biggio, Kenny Lofton. In his 22-year career, the right-hander with a devastating curveball won 289 games, struck out 3,701 (that total is still fifth all-time) and pitched nearly 5,000 innings in the majors (4,970, to be exact). The Cincinnati Bengals dont have a storied franchise history, but they do have one of the greatest offensive tackles ever to their name. Pel was so much more. Why he's here: The Dodger closer has worn No. A total of 25 players choose 22 as . Starr may not hold this title for much longer, though, as Patrick Mahomes wears No. 8, but it was also the number he wore his first couple of years in the league. It's the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers.. In fact, nobody is within 1,000 yards of him. The best of the bunch is Brown, who is a name from the past. But he also captured the American imagination -- for his grace in the field, for his 56-game hitting streak in 1941, even for his rocky marriage to Marilyn Monroe.

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