Uniform Number

OK - if you ever played on a sports team as a kid, do you remember wanting a certain number on your uniform or jersey? I know I did. Usually it depended on which sport I was playing and who, at the time, was my favorite player.

Example, in the mid-1970's Archie Griffin was my football idol. I remember wanting to wear Archie's number in the worst way. The problem was that Archie wore #45 for the Ohio State Buckeyes. #45 was not the most common number for little league football teams to issue. And, I usually played quarterback and #45 was not a common number for a QB. And, I was always one of the smaller kids, and typically was issued a single digit #. Back then and maybe now, the smaller #'s were the smaller sizes.

In basketball I always wore #10. Why? That was the number my older brother Pat wore for in high school when he played for the Chagrin Falls Tigers. Throughout my high school basketball career, I proudly wore #10 to honor my brother.

Baseball was my favorite sport and I wore several different numbers, but I eventually settled on #19. I was born on May 19th and just liked the number. I also really liked Freddy Lynn of the Boston Red Sox and he wore #19. One of my best friends from Chagrin days was Steve Diedrich (he wore #5 in baseball and #32 in basketball). Steve may not remember, but when I wore #19 our senior year in baseball he called me "Freddy Bill". I loved that nickname.

As a keeper of odd sports knowledge, I remember lots of uniform #'s. In fact, one way I remember my bike and locker lock combinations is by remembering sports figures that wore the particular numbers. Example: 25-15-21 - that would be Buddy Bell, Bart Starr, and Roberto Clemente. Or, 30-5-13 - Dave Winfield, George Brett, Mike Bistritz (another CF buddy who always wore 13).

Perhaps the most sacred number in all of sports is the #3. Who wore #3? That's easy - the greatest baseball player ever: Babe Ruth. Long before MLB permanently retired Jackie Robinson's #42, I maintained baseball at all levels should never again allow anyone to wear #3. In 1988 when I coached the JV baseball team at Mayfield High School I refused to issue #3 to any of the boys. When asked why, I had to come clean and tell them of my firm conviction. The kids thought I was weird.

Well, when Jackson started his little league career I decided to tell him of my love for #3 and suggested that he wear it. Jack liked the idea and wore it until last summer when he joined a new travel baseball team. Someone else grabbed it, so guess what # he decided to wear? He made me very proud when he decided to wear #19.

Jackson recently made the freshman baseball team at his high school, St. Ignatius. Last week they received their uniforms. Jackson got in line and made the best of it. He settled on #9, since there wasn't much to choose from. Not too many #9 baseball players come to mind except for one, and he is perhaps the greatest hitter of all-time. Can you name him?

OK, I am wanting to hear from you. What is your favorite # and why? Please comment and share some fun uniform # stories.