Some numbers (99) are easy. Some numbers (3) have two obvious choices. And some numbers (44) are nearly impossible to decide.
By Tom Jones
Published January 18, 2005
You can't tell the players without a scorecard. That's the old saying, right?
Well, here's the ultimate scorecard for you.
We've listed every number from 00 to 99 and included a pick for the athlete associated with that number.
It won't necessarily be the best player (see: No.22). It won't necessarily be the best known (see: 2). A couple of you might not even realize who wore that number (see: 36).
But we did pick the athletes we immediately thought of.
Think it's easy? It's not. We're already waiting to catch heat for Nos. 3, 4, 9 and, maybe, 32.
For example, take No.44.
If you're old-school, you think of Henry Aaron.
If you're from New York, you think of Reggie Jackson.
If you grew up in the 1960s, you think of Jerry West.
If you grew up in the 1970s, you think of Pistol Pete Maravich.
If you grew up in the 1980s, you think of John Riggins.
If you're a Cheesehead, you think of Donny Anderson.
If you're a college football fanatic, you think of Jim Brown and Ernie Davis.
If you're a kid from Tampa Bay, you think of Roman Hamrlik.
There is no right answer, but it makes for great conversation on a bar stool, around a water cooler or over a lunch table.
Who is your No.73? Your No.96? How about the classic, but obscure 00?
Sports are made for debates. Bird or Magic? The '78 Steelers or the '85 Bears? British Open or the Masters?
Sports also are made for lists and numbers.
We've included all three: a list of numbers that surely will cause some debate.
So check it out, and if you have any complaints ... take a number.
00 - Jim Otto
We love "The Chief" Robert Parrish, but 0tt0 can use his number to spell his name.
0 - Al Oliver
First major-leaguer - and a darn good one - to wear 0. Junior Ortiz was another.
1 - Ozzie Smith
Oscar Robertson wore 1 with the Bucks. Other considerations: Sadaharu Oh, Billy Martin, Pee Wee Reese.
2 - Secretariat
Wore No. 2 when he won the 1973 Belmont (by 31 lengths) to capture the Triple Crown. Hey, Derek Jeter has never won a Triple Crown.
3 - Dale Earnhardt
Yes, we know Babe Ruth wore 3, but isn't the curse dead now? Besides, ESPN made a movie called 3 and it wasn't about the Bambino.
4 - Bobby Orr
Yankees fans in uproar after we skipped Derek, the Babe and now Lou Gehrig. Pinstripe fans, don't fret. We looked past Brett Favre, Mel Ott and Duke Snider, too.
5 - Joe DiMaggio
A tough number to win with Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Paul Hornung and George Brett.
6 - Bill Russell
Dr. J was exciting and Stan "the Man" Musial was a hitting machine, but Russell might be the greatest defensive NBA player ever.
7 - Mickey Mantle
Runners-up on this impressive list include John Elway, Phil Esposito and David Beckham.
8 - Cal Ripken Jr.
Another Hall of Fame list (Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Morgan), but a little league in Maryland once allowed every kid in the league to wear No. 8 so there would be no hurt feelings.
9 - Mia Hamm
Let the hate mail begin. There's Gordie Howe, Rocket Richard and Bobby Hull. And how can we be so stupid to NOT select Ted Williams? Simple, Hamm has done more to advance women's sports than anyone. If she's good enough to take a women's sport that few in this country watch on television and become a national face pitching Gatorade and Nike, then she's good enough for us.
10 - Pele
Guy Lafleur was once the best player in hockey, but Pele was once considered the most popular athlete in the world. He's still a household name.
11 - Mark Messier
Isiah Thomas could play, but Messier could play, too, and he might be the greatest leader in sports history.
12 - Joe Namath
Steelers Nation has a right to be ticked. Terry Bradshaw has more rings than any No. 12. And there are Super Bowl veterans Roger Staubach and Jim Kelly. But can't you still see the back of Broadway Joe and that No. 12 waving "We're No. 1" as he leaves Super Bowl III?
13 - Wilt Chamberlain
Dan Marino was an offensive machine, but Wilt did more scoring.
14 - Pete Rose
If it's determined that Pete bet on this list, we'll remove him and give it to A.J. Foyt, Bob Cousy or Ernie Banks.
15 - Thurman Munson
Green Bay fans will be miffed we chose Munson over Bart Starr.
16 - Joe Montana
We considered Bobby Clarke, Len Dawson and Whitey Ford . . . for about a half-second.
17 - John Havlicek
Havlicek steals the nod, Havlicek steals the nod from Brett Hull.
18 - Peyton Manning
Until Manning broke Marino's TD record, we had picked classy wideout Charlie Joiner.
19 - Johnny Unitas
Bob Feller and Bryan Trottier wore 19. Steve Yzerman wears 19. So does Joe Sakic. But Johnny U is 19.
20 - Mike Schmidt
Tough pick against Barry Sanders, Frank Robinson and Lou Brock, but the Philly slugger was the best at his position.
21 - Roberto Clemente
If Roger Clemens wore 21 his entire career, he might be the pick. Another runner-up: Sammy Sosa, but he picked 21 because of Clemente.
22 - Doug Flutie (college)
Hard to look past Emmitt Smith, and Jim Palmer is a Hall of Famer, but when we think of 22, we think of red numbers, muddy white shirt, Orange Bowl, Hail Mary.
23 - Michael Jordan
Seems silly to even remind anyone that Ryne Sandberg was 23 and Pete Maravich wore it at LSU.
24- Willie Mays
No letters from Jeff Gordon fans, please. We already picked a NASCAR driver over Babe Ruth, for crying out loud.
25 - Barry Bonds
In showdown of, uh, big sluggers, Bonds outmuscles Mark McGwire.
26 - Wade Boggs
Wade's No. 12 Rays jersey is retired, but he always will be 26. Rod Woodson is a worthy runner-up. So is Billy Williams.
27 - Juan Marichal
Carlton Fisk fans, be patient.
28 - Marshall Faulk
Can't go wrong with 'Skins corner Darrell Green, either.
29 - Rod Carew
A surprisingly strong number with Satchel Paige, Eric Dickerson and Ken Dryden.
30 - Nolan Ryan
Ryan is better known for wearing 34, but his first number with the Angels was 30. We like those years better than the time Rickey Henderson wore 30. And we like both better than Tim Raines and Bernard King.
31 - Greg Maddux
Dave Winfield, Fergie Jenkins, Reggie Miller and money-goalie Billy Smith are all 31s, but Maddux is just too good.
32 - Jim Brown
Depending on your age and favorite sport, you also have your choice of O.J. Simpson, Magic Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton and Bill Walton from his UCLA days. Wow, what a list. But when we close our eyes, we see, arguably, the greatest football player ever.
33 - Larry Bird
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Patrick Roy are double 3s, but the Bird is the word.
34 - Walter Payton
Shaq wore 34 in L.A. We already mentioned Nolan Ryan. Rollie Fingers and Kirby Puckett wore 34. Payton was awesome, but if we don't move on to the next number right now, we might switch up and put Bo Jackson at 34.
35 - Tony Esposito
Inventor of the butterfly style, the now-local Tony-O is the easy pick over Phil Niekro's knuckler and Frank Thomas' up-and-down career.
36 - Meadowlark Lemon
We should pick Robin Roberts, Jerome Bettis or Gaylord Perry, but everyone saw and loved this Harlem Globetrotter.
37 - Casey Stengel
The guy who invented Stick'em voted for relentless cover man Lester Hayes.
38 - Curt Schilling
George Rogers was our guy until the whole bloody sock thing.
39 - Roy Campanella
Running (actually, barreling) close behind: Larry Csonka. Dominik Hasek was a thought, too.
40 - Gale Sayers
Easily the choice over Crazy Legs Hirsch and Bill Laimbeer.
41 - Tom Seaver
Those born after 1960 take Seaver. Those born before take Eddie Mathews.
42 - Jackie Robinson
Ronnie Lott, Mariano Rivera, James Worthy and Paul Warfield are all solid picks, but c'mon, even Major League Baseball (not just one team) retired this number.
43 - Richard Petty
Only name even worth throwing next to the King is Dennis Eckersley.
44 - Hank Aaron
This was not a no-brainer, not with 44s such as Pistol Pete, Reggie Jackson and Jerry West.
45 - Archie Griffin
Okay, so we know Bob Gibson fans (and a few Pedro Martinez fans, if there are any) are upset, but the Ohio State tailback still is the only two-time Heisman winner.
46 - Lee Smith
This is a weak number with Andy Pettitte and Todd Christensen. Heck, this number is so weak, we almost picked Buddy Ryan for the 46 defense.
47 - Mel Blount
Tom Glavine once was one of baseball's top pitchers, but Mel Blount once was the best cornerback in football. One of three players from the Steel Curtain defense to make our list.
48 - Sam McDowell
Sudden Sam McDowell? Who did you want us to pick? Ralph Garr?
49 - Ron Guidry
The Gator's 25-3 season for the Yanks in 1978 just might be the greatest one-season pitching performance in history. That gives him the nod over old footballer Bobby Mitchell.
50 - David Robinson
We know Bears fans would take Mike Singletary, but we go with a guy who was an MVP, scoring, rebounding and blocked shots champ and won an NBA title. Those who love Bears linebackers, look at the next number.
51 - Dick Butkus
Not even close even though Ichiro and Randy Johnson are two of baseball's superstars. In fact, Butkus is so synonymous with 51 we should say . . . 48, 49, 50, Butkus, 52 . . . you get the idea.
52 - Ray Lewis
Two years ago we would've picked Steelers center Mike Webster.
53 - Don Drysdale
We can still see that big 53 on the mound and batter laying on his back in the batter's box. Artis Gilmore wore 53, but when we think of him, we remember the Afro, not the number.
54 - Rich Gossage
Cowboys tackle Randy White was nearly perfect, but we take the Goose's heat.
55 - Derrick Brooks
Lee Roy Jordan was good. Orel Hershiser was good. But for a few years there, the Bucs linebacker was the best in the business.
56 - Lawrence Taylor
This might be the easist pick on our list. Who's second? Jim Bouton, and he wouldn't be on the list if he didn't write one of our favorite books.
57 - Dwight Stephenson
We love Tom Jackson as an announcer and, oh yeah, he was a heck of a linebacker, but some could make a good argument that the Dolphins center remains the greatest center in NFL history.
58 - Jack Lambert
Derrick Thomas wore 58, but Nos. 58 and 59 are reserved for the best linebackers of the 1970s.
59 - Jack Ham
Lambert and Ham side-by-side again. Seth Joyner and Matt Brown were nice players, but Ham remains one of the all-time greats.
60 - Otto Graham
Chuck Bednarik was one mean son of a gun, and Tommy Nobis could play, but Graham won three NFL championships.
61 - Curly Culp
We couldn't even dig up another decent 61 (no, Chan Ho Park and Nate Newton won't cut it).
62 - Jim Langer
A few decent offensive linemen (Guy McIntyre, for one) wore 62, but the Dolphins center was the best.
63 - Willie Lanier
Lee Roy Selmon is a local favorite. And it seems a crime to not select Gene Upshaw, but we love the bright red uniform that Lanier wore.
64 - Jerry Kramer
We were tempted to pick Randall McDaniel, but we lean toward the guy who helped pave the way for one of the most famous plays in NFL history.
65 - Elvin Bethea
Gary Zimmerman was a seven-time Pro Bowler, but Bethea was a beast on defense.
66 - Mario Lemieux
Mario picked 66 because it was 99 (Wayne Gretzky's number) upside down. Ray Nitschke wore it well with the great Packers, but this is an easy pick.
67 - Reggie McKenzie
Bob Kuechenberg paved the way for solid runners in Miami, but McKenzie paved the way for O.J. Simpson's 2,000-yard season.
68 - Jaromir Jagr
What made Jagr's 68 cool was that, in the early years, it was partly obsured by his long hair. The only 68 close to Jagr was another Pittsburgh star: Steelers great L.C. Greenwood.
69 - Tim Krumrie
A weak number. Krumrie, who is most famous for a nasty injury, is the only decent selection.
70 - Sam Huff
One of the NFL's greats. The No. 70 also includes NFL old-timers Art Donovan, Jim "Wrong Way" Marshall and Ernie Stautner.
71 - Alex Karras
Because of his announcing and acting career, we almost forget how good of a football player Karras was. Charles Mann wore 71, too.
72 - Carlton Fisk
We told the Fisk fans to be patient. He reversed his Red Sox number when he joined the White Sox. He narrowly gets the nod over an offensive lineman (Dan Dierdorf) and a defensive lineman (Ed "Too Tall" Jones). Oh, Refrigerator Perry wore 72, too.
73 - John Hannah
When God created offensive linemen, he had John Hannah in mind. Runner-up: Ron Yary.
74 - Merlin Olsen
You have your choice between two great linemen: Olsen and Bob Lilly. Flip a coin.
75 - Deacon Jones
Same as No. 74. Flip a coin between Mean Joe Greene and Deacon Jones. Can't go wrong either way.
76 - Lou Groza
We were tempted to go with Rosey Grier, but you can't beat a guy who has a major award named after him.
77 - Ray Bourque
Red Grange is one of the NFL's all-time greats, but we're going hockey and taking Bourque narrowly over Paul Coffey. Bourque switched from 7 to 77 when the Bruins retired 7 to honor Phil Esposito.
78 - Anthony Munoz
Art Shell might have been the best offensive tackle in football . . . until Munoz came along. Bruce Smith and Jackie Slater are worthy, too.
79 - Harvey Martin
Slim pickings here. Bob St. Claire is a Hall of Famer, but Martin shared a Super Bowl MVP award.
80 - Jerry Rice
Surprisingly, not a lot of great 80s. Kellen Winslow is one. But, let's face it, even if there were a ton of 80s, it's impossible to beat out Rice.
81 - Art Monk
If Dick "Night Train" Lane played in today's television era, he might get more consideration.
82 - Raymond Berry
John Stallworth is one of the most underrated players ever, and Ozzie Newsome was a heck of a tight end. Our pick is the great Colt.
83 - Ted Hendricks
A few solid receivers (Mark Clayton, John Jefferson, Andre Reed) wore 83, but Hendricks was more than solid at linebacker.
84 - Randy Moss
The number of loudmouths: Shannon and Sterling Sharpe and, of course, the ever controversial Moss who, like him or not, can flat out play.
85 - Jack Youngblood
Nick Buoniconti led the Killer B's, but how could we not pick a guy who played with a broken leg?
86 - Buck Buchanan
Hines Ward is today's best 86, but looking at old tapes of Buchanan, he looks big and quick enough to play in today's era.
87 - Dwight Clark
For a couple of years there, Dave Casper was the NFL's best tight end. But all of us can still see that red 87 leaping up to make "The Catch."
88 - Alan Page
We think it's cool that a defensive end (maybe the best ever) wore 88. There are some good 88s, such as Lynn Swann, Eric Lindros, Michael Irvin, Dale Jarrett and, recently, Marvin Harrison. But Page was an NFL MVP . . . as a lineman.
89 - Mike Ditka
Gino Marchetti vs. Ditka. Got to go with Dit-ka, who might still be the NFL's best tight end ever.
90 - Neil Smith
George Webster, one of college football's greatest DBs while at Michigan State, and Jevon Kearse led this defensive number. Smith, though, is a clear pick.
91 - Sergei Fedorov
Kevin Greene was one of football's great sack men, but Fedorov is a former NHL MVP and, hey, he was married (we think) to Anna Kournikova.
92 - Reggie White
For a short spell, he was the most dominating player in pro football. Michael Strahan is a distant second.
93 - Doug Gilmour
The NHL great didn't wear 93 his whole career, but he did during his best years in Toronto. John Randle wore No. 93.
94 - Charles Haley
We considered Dana Stubblefield, but Haley was on five Super Bowl champions.
95 - Richard Dent
Bubba Smith wore 95 in college at Michigan State, but when we think of Bubba, we think of . . . actually, we think of the Police Academy movies.
96 - Cortez Kennedy
If your kid goes into pro sports, tell him or her to take 96 because there aren't many famous 96s. Heck, we're not even sure Kennedy and Pavel Bure are all that famous.
97 - Simeon Rice
Another Bucs defensive star. When his career is all said and done, he'll be better than Cornelius Bennett, who also wore 97.
98 - Tom Harmon
The 1940 Heisman winner from Michigan was called "Old 98" so that's good enough in our book. If we didn't pick him, we'd have to take Tony Siragusa, and we didn't want that.
