SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 83? The tight end made eight straight Pro Bowls and three straight All-Pro teams, and he had a 12-touchdown season after his peak. For years, there was a legitimate debate about who was better: Wayne Gretzky or Super Mario. Why hes here: Larkin, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility, actually wore No. Were hitting the ice though with Lidstrom. Honorable mentions: Kirby Puckett, David Ortiz, Felix Hernandez, Fernando Valenzuela. Why he's here: Rincon wore No. We end where you knew we would. He deservedly is in his sports Hall of Fame, unlike another guy who wore 47, Jack Morris. He made eight All-Defense teams to go with 10 All-NBA teams. Howe may have notched 801 career NHL goals, plus some more in the WHA, but Drew Brees could retire with a bunch of NFL records as well. However, Faulk was one of the best receiving backs ever. 3 the first 10 years of his career, with the Mariners and Rangers, but a mildly well-known slugger had long ago claimed that number with the Yankees. There was no fixed numbering until the 90s. After his rookie season, when he had only eight sacks, Ware never failed to have double-digit sacks in a season in which he played at least 14 games. . Pedro didnt pitch then. Orr hurt his knee, while Gehrig tragically developed ALS, known colloquially to this day as Lou Gehrigs disease. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. 9 for four games in 1944.. 10: Jo Jo White, Celtics. Damon wore No. Why hes here: Armed with a sweet swing and an unparalleled batting eye, Carew won seven AL batting titles and hit at least .330 in 10 different seasons. Even though he retired early, making him something of a trendsetter, he remains one of the all-time leaders in career rushing yards. McDavid is in only his fifth season, but hes already the best player in the NHL. If not for that, he might have become the third-ever player to notch 800 goals. 3 to Lisa Leslie at No. Before that, though, he had a long, successful career on the field. Find out more. For three straight years, he led the American League in strikeouts and FIP, and in two of those seasons he won the Cy Young as well. Mays hit 660 home runs, stole 338 bases and finished in the top six of the NL MVP voting 12 times in a 13-year stretch (he won the award in 1954 and 1965). Ranking the greatest athletes from every sport to ever don those magic jersey numbers. Lemieuxs 66 is one of the iconic numbers in NHL history. He already has three MVPs and should have even more than that. The Chief is a Hall of Famer, but Westbrook will be joining him someday. 77 for just one season, but he's Pudge. Should we have just called him Mean Joe Greene? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 30 with the Angels, meaning some of his most spectacular years didn't come at 34. But he didnt wear that number anywhere else. He led the league in receiving touchdowns three times and finished his career with 1,078 receptions. How can you argue with the guy known as Mr. Fun fact: Kramer also served as the Green Bay kicker for three seasons. The Steel Curtain defense was famous for its vicious front seven, but it needed Blount back there in the secondary patrolling as well. 15 for the Chiefs, after all. We all know Aaron was the lon-time home run king, and still ranks second. However, Greene was the face of the Steel Curtain defense, being named Defensive Player of the Year twice. The competition was slim, so you could say Johnson lapped them all. Players had long ago decided to stop wearing No. LT was named Defensive Player of the Year three times with the Giants. Honorable mentions: Jimmie Foxx, Alex Rodriguez, Harmon Killebrew. There is no other athlete really in contention. Why he's here: The future Hall of Famer wore No. We go from a Red Wings legend to the greatest Lions player of all time. Phillips is the only player who has worn number zero in franchise history. Why he's here: Two seasons at No. The number suited him well. Were no fan of Schilling as a person, but this is about his skill on the mound. As a hitter, though, he was excellent. No NBA player has ever wore No. The franchise has retired Drysdales number after he spent 14 seasons in Dodger blue. Since Earnhardt drove the 3 car, and Babe Ruth wore No. As his career went on, though, Yzerman became an elite defensive forward, even winning a Selke. Cy Youngs 511 career wins certainly never will. Why hes here: The Big Hurtwas one of the top right-handed hitters in history, leading the league in OPS four times and slugging 35 or more homer eight times. Chris Morgan is a sports and pop culture writer and the author of the booksThe Comic Galaxy of Mystery Science Theater 3000andThe Ash Heap of History. 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. For the first two seasons of his career, Wright didnt wear No. It was one of two Selkes he won, and for a time he even played defensemen for the Red Wings. Baseball players like Rickey Henderson, Roger Clemens, and Clayton Kershaw have all worn 22 in MLB at some point as well. We dont think so. Why he's here: Remember Mannywood? Thirteen may be an unlucky number to some but not to a few all-time greats. Thats amazing, but that was in the era of pitching when the mounds were raised. Moses Malone was a great player who wore two, but he wore a few other numbers as well. The striking, photo-driven book, SI takes a comprehensive look at jersey numbers 00 to 99, across all sports and eras, to decide which elite pro athlete wore each digit best. By the time LeBron retires, some may consider him the G.O.A.T. All of. 74 for his entire six-season career. Eck was the AL MVP and Cy Young winner in 1992 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. Michael Irvin was also a fine player who wore No. Bettis is in the Hall of Fame, as is pitcher Gaylord Perry, but Perry wore a few numbers in his career. 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 Why hes here: One of the most underrated players of his era, Stieb was one of the top AL pitcher of the 1980s, even if no one knew it at the time. There is great, and then there is Joe DiMaggio. Be it with Oklahoma City or Golden State, or even his one year in Seattle, Durant has worn No. Hes done so many incredible things already, and hes not quite done yet. However, just including his time with the Giants he had a .312/.477/.666 slash line with 586 home runs. 40 here, as the only real threat to him was Henrik Zetterberg. The best player on the greatest dynasty in professional sports was Bill Russell. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. Can you imagine a 6-foot-7 linebacker? USA TODAY. Now that we are in the 80s, the decisions get a little bit trickier although, this was still an obvious choice. In a 20-year career, all with the Red Wings, the Swede won a whopping seven Norris Trophies for being the top defenseman. He once had 20 sacks in a season and had 126.5 sacks in his career. Not that this was super easy. Data Provided By Mathis also had a penchant for punching out balls, as he led the NFL in forced fumbles three times. While he was an All-Pro only one time, that year he led the league in both sacks and forced fumbles. This gallery provides a sample of SI's best players to wear numbers 00 to 10. Thomas, though, is underrated. 84 when he was with the Vikings. Parish earned those rings by taking on three of the league's. Allen was actually named to the Hall of Fames All-Decade team in both the 90s and the 2000s. Thats enough to outduel Larry Bird, much to the chagrin of Celtics fans. Yes, a lot of that is because of what a trailblazer he was as the man who broke the color barrier. Shout out to Steve Heinze, the hockey player who wore 57 for the pun, but hes no match for Santana. Basically every starting goalie in the world of soccer wears. Most iconic NBA numbers: #34 - Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon | NBA News | Sky Sports Access NBA ID benefits League Leaders Team Stats Teams Players Live on Sky Most iconic. Why hes here: Ford was a stalwart in the Yankees rotation during the franchises glory years (well, one of their stretches of glory years). So instead, were going with Theodore, who wore an odd number for a goalie. 29 on occasion. You know a goalie carried his team when that happens. 8, but it was also the number he wore his first couple of years in the league. 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 spite of that, the Pitt Panthers product is second in career receiving yards and receptions. In the middle of his career he lost a few seasons to injury, but that hasnt stopped him from putting up incredible numbers. Sure, hes in the Hall of Fame, but the man was All-Pro six times and won Defensive Player of the Year once. However, he wore it for only two seasons as opposed to four wearing No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Why he's here: The long-time Angels Reliever is the best of a so-so group who wore No. Why he's here: A pitcher in the 1940 and 1950s, Voiselle wore No. Why he's here: Only three players have ever worn No. Pete Maravich wore 44. Instead he became one of the best pass rushers in the league. In this sport, though, stats arent the only numbers that matter. 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 . Why he's here: There's a reason MLB retired No. 31 is also often worn by goalies, but none was going to overthrow the Mad Dog. This was a battle between two running backs, namely Faulk and Adrian Peterson. The best players to wear 2 as their jersey number have crafted strong legacies with it. Why he's here: The long-time Yankee lefty was by far the best player who wore No. Honorable mentions: Lou Whitaker, Pee Wee Reese, Richie Ashburn, Why hes here: Jeters career was nothing short of amazing. Were talking about numbers. That being said, Cruyff is a legend in the world of soccer and helped make Total Football a reality. No. While he led the league in sacks only twice, his 198 career sacks are second-best in NFL history. Shaquille ONeal wore No. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. Orr scored 100 points in a season six times, before his knees failed him too young. We are on a bit of a run of terrifying defensive linemen, but thats numbers in the 90s for you. This is one of those numbers where you dont even have to think for a second about who you are picking. In a few years this choice is going to be even more obvious. Although Sweetness led the NFL in rushing yards only once, when he retired he led the league in career rushing yards, which he held onto until Emmitt Smith passed him. Honorable mentions: Steve Carlton, Roy Halladay. Kelce, and his massive beard, was also key in the Eagles winning their first-ever Super Bowl. Why hes here: Musial feasted on opposing pitchers during his 22-year career with the Cardinals. He wore it when he won four MVPs. When Don Larsen threw his perfect game in the '56 World Series, who do you think was behind the plate? 97. A full century after his career began, he is still the Babe Ruth of sports. When you think 99 in sports, there is only one player who comes to mind: the Great One. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. This was a neck-and-neck battle between Randle and Dwight Freeney, but in the end the guy currently in the Hall of Fame gets the nod. 79, which is kind of interesting, but a few football players have. Lawrence Taylor, NFL; Shawne Merriman, NFL; Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR 57 Francisco Rodriguez, MLB; Tom Jackson, NFL; Dwight Stephenson, NFL 58 Jack Lambert, NFL; Derrick Thomas, NFL; Carl Banks,. There arent many great 18s in sports history, though we will shout out Dave Cowens quickly. Why he's here: After just two seasons, the Cuban slugger has established himself as by far the best player at this number. A legend and an important historical figure, Robinson also was a heck of a player, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP honors and posting five straight seasons of 7.0 WAR or better. *Years refers to the time the player spent with the primary team listed with this number. 9. 1. Brooks wore 55 for his whole NFL run, and he never left the Buccaneers. When was the last time Mean wasnt attached to his name? #1 of 83. Why hes here: A great pitcher with a number of iconic postseason moments, Schilling will be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame one of these days. Why he's here: The Pirate starting pitcher wore No. 9: Ted Williams 10 of 51 Considered one of the greatest hitters who. There has been some great players to wear the number 4 jersey, such as Dolph Schayes and Joe Dumars, but Adrian Dantley's career edges out the two, making him the best player to wear the #4 jersey. Joe DiMaggios 56-game hitting streak might never be topped. Major League Baseball retired Robinsons number across the league. Honorable mentions: Dwight Gooden, Hal Newhouser, Ted Lyons. This was pretty much an impossible choice, guaranteed to please exactly nobody. Nobody beats the Babe. If we are going to honor his career anywhere, itll be at 24. Honorable mentions: Billy Williams, Chase Utley, Amos Otis. Dan Donovan/MLB Photos via Getty Images; Ed Reinke/AP. Starr may not hold this title for much longer, though, as Patrick Mahomes wears No. Heres how incredible Fedorovs all-around game was. Hes led the league in points per game four times, and the Hall will come calling when he retires. Matthews had a lengthy career, playing from the time he was 22 until he was 40. We have a run on linebackers. We wanted to take a panoramic look across the entire world of sports to find the best athlete to wear every number. But Ruth is maybe the best baseball player ever. The Cincinnati Bengals dont have a storied franchise history, but they do have one of the greatest offensive tackles ever to their name. He became the youngest person ever elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Honorable mentions: Carl Yastrzemski, Yogi Berra, Willie Stargell, Joe Morgan. Mantle still wins. 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. He also started the trend of NBA teams taking risks on European players, which gave us Pau Gasol but also Darko Milicic. Tim Brown was also a great receiver but not quite on par with Owens. He also wore it when he won four-straight Cy Youngs. See More by this Creator. He was also All-Pro in all five of those campaigns. There he added five more rings, and in his career he won the MVP a whopping six times. Kevin Garnett wore No. All rights reserved. The right-hander with the unmistakable high leg kick finished his career with a 2.89 ERA and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983. We can see why. Why hes here: At some point, Clayton Kershaw might eventually hold this spot but for now were going with the much longer and still stellar career of Palmer. Derek Jeters #2 jerseys are still being sold to MLB fans years after his retirement,which shows just how much a number can mean to a player and how much a number can become synonymous with a player.
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