Jim Reineking. So check out the list of athletes who wore 2 and help decide who deserves to rank the highest for wearing this iconic jersey number. On top of that, Guidry won five Gold Gloves. Why he's here: The hard-throwing Yankee has established himself as one of baseball's top relievers over the past two seasons. Basically every starting goalie in the world of soccer wears. Why hes here: Musial feasted on opposing pitchers during his 22-year career with the Cardinals. Since Earnhardt drove the 3 car, and Babe Ruth wore No. When you envision the best professional athletes of all time, how do you see them? Honorable mentions: Tony Gwynn, Robin Yount, Billy Pierce. Hes the face of basketball to millions to this day. Why he's here: Belle wore No. Why hes here: When you start to look through MLB records for switch-hitters, you begin to put Beltrans stellar career in perspective. Even NHL players like Bobby Orr and Scott Stevens sported the 4 on their backs while making an impact in their sport. Given that, wouldnt we feel weird to look back and see, say, Scott Niedermayers name here? Parish earned those rings by taking on three of the league's legendary big men in the NBA Finals: Moses Malone in '81, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in '84 and Hakeem Olajuwon in '86. Years active: 1995-2014 The Best Athletes To Wear Number 2, Ranked By Fans Once he won 10 races in a row. No. 13 and, as legend has it, playfully posed with black cats before the 1951 playoffs began. For a stretch, Hutchinson was probably the best guard in the league. He was an unstoppable force. 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. Wayne Chrebet . One guy who was hard to strikeout? He wore No. After checking out the photo gallery, readthe list of top athletes at every number. Most iconic NBA numbers: #34 - Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley 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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. > All Players To Wear Number 2. Jim Brown?) Steph Curry is getting close to being the choice here. It seems voters feel that since goalies have the Vezina, the Hart should go to the non-goalie MVP. 20 4 - Adrian Dantley. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. Enough said. When Gretzky retired, and the NHL retired his number as a whole. Why he's here: A first-ballot Hall of Famer with two Cy Youngs and more than 300 wins, Glavine laps the field at No. Honorable mentions: Billy Williams, Chase Utley, Amos Otis. He once had 20 sacks in a season and had 126.5 sacks in his career. That game was an aberration for Larsen, who otherwise had a middling career, but it was right on track for Berra, who was on the receiving end of 173 shutouts. 24, which he wore in Pittsburgh, was retired for Mays, after all. The tight end has 1,215 receptions in his career, which is fourth all time. 3 to Lisa Leslie at No. Honorable mentions: Jim Maloney, Burt Hooton. Why he's here: Only three players have ever worn No. And yet Crosby has done it. Nobody was as defensively formidable as Robinson in his heyday. That doesnt mean being the all-time NFL leader in rushing yards isnt amazing. Honorable mentions: Ted Simmons, Luis Tiant, Don Mattingly. McDavid is in only his fifth season, but hes already the best player in the NHL. The Pittsburgh hero led the NL in batting average four times, led the Pirates to a World Series championship twice and won the NL MVP in 1966. 62. 29 on occasion. 1 of 100 0 - Russell Westbrook Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports For this number, we're including guys. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. In this sport, though, stats arent the only numbers that matter. He became the youngest person ever elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Oh, and he won six Super Bowls alongside Bill Belichick. However, he led the American League in ERA twice and won a Cy Young in 1978. Why hes here: Maybe the best pure hitter of all time, Williams finished his career with 521 home runs and a.344 average despite missing all or most of five seasons (1943-45 and 1952-53) while serving in the military. Playing alongside Ruth, Gehrig still won two MVPs and was on six title-winning Yankees teams. Rivers has thrown for almost 400 career touchdowns and has made eight Pro Bowls. 99, but in every other season of his career he wore No. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Join our linker program. The best of the bunch is Brown, who is a name from the past. Like Petty and Earnhardt, he won the NASCAR season title seven times. Allen currently ranks 12th in career sacks. As his career went on, though, Yzerman became an elite defensive forward, even winning a Selke. Honorable mentions: Vada Pinson, Cesar Cedeno, Pedro Guerrero. However, we have to go with the man known as The Captain in Detroit. Honorable mentions: Bob Howry, Joba Chamberlain. By geowiz85. 19. (Take that, Babe Ruth.) 7 Incredible Athletes (Besides LeBron James) To Wear #23 2. Pete Maravich wore 44. And though he wasnt much with the bat early in his career, he did wind up with 580 career stolen bases and walked almost twice as many times as he struck out (1,072 to 589). Where would baseball be without No. Want stats? Shout out to Steve Heinze, the hockey player who wore 57 for the pun, but hes no match for Santana. And what other big-shot athletes have donned the numeral.". Fandom Apps Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. By the time he was finished, Robinson had a pair of MVP awards for Cincinnati in 1961 and for Baltimore in 1966and he had collected 586 career home runs. He played more games at first base than anyone. There is no other athlete really in contention. Bearing in mind LeBron wore No. Do you have a sports website? 9 for four games in 1944.. 10: Jo Jo White, Celtics. 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. Had Wade Boggs worn No. Thomas numbers could have been even better, but he unfortunately died in a car accident after the 1999 season. Sorry, Kobe fans. Thirteen may be an unlucky number to some but not to a few all-time greats. The Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time. Why hes here: The two pitchers on the HM line produced better career WAR numbers, but their overall contributions to the game pale in comparison to Clemente. He led the league in receiving touchdowns three times and finished his career with 1,078 receptions. 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. Injuries cut his career short, which is the only reason he didnt end up with 500 goals. Find out more. So instead, were going with Theodore, who wore an odd number for a goalie. Otto Graham, the Hall of Fame quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, wore 60. Why he's here: Not much to choose from, to be honest. Why hes here: Larkin, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility, actually wore No. Because of injuries, Mogilny played in only 990 games over 16 seasons, but the Russian managed 473 goals in that time. Utah Jazz ( 12) Cory Alexander. Honorable mentions: Robin Roberts, Jim Kaat. Stats: 1455 games played, 20.3 points per game, 12.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, League: NBA The Steel Curtain defense was famous for its vicious front seven, but it needed Blount back there in the secondary patrolling as well. Johnny Unitas wore the No. Hes still had an excellent career. 42 for all teams. He once led the NHL in goals scored and hit the 40-goal threshold three times. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Playing tight end, he twice led the NFL in receptions and made five Pro Bowls. Then again, he played only nine seasons. 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. Witten will never make the football announcing Hall of Fame, but hes on his way to the NFL Hall when he finally retires. #1 of 83. In particular, Moss wore No. Honorable mentions: Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Bench, Albert Pujols, Brooks Robinson, Jeff Bagwell. All of. The competition was slim, so you could say Johnson lapped them all. Nobody beats the Babe. Why he's here: Not much to choose from. "He had fame that transcended mere celebrity," Ron Fimrite wrote in SI in '99. 47. While Lambert, Hams teammate with the Steelers, didnt quite make the cut at 58, Ham is an easy choice at 59. 79, which is kind of interesting, but a few football players have. While we briefly thought about Brett Favre, this really came down to Bobby Orr and Lou Gehrig. Speaking of averaging a triple-double, the last guy to do that before Westbrook was Oscar Robertson, who wore the No. Well give a shout out to the underrated Elgin Baylor, who also wore 22. Injuries and illness tamped down Lemieuxs numbers a bit, but he still won three Harts and six Art Rosses. 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 . He was all over the field for the Bears and actually had 41.5 sacks in his career as well. 81. He wore it when he won four MVPs. Honorable mentions: Andy Benes, Bud Black. Were we really going to go with Mark McGwire? If you're the Babe Ruth of podiatrists, suddenly podiatry sounds like a pretty cool line of work to be in. Who Is The Most Famous Athlete In The World Right Now? - Ranker In the course of his 16-year career, Elway matured from rawly talented escape artist to field general. Carlton Fisk may be the most famous player to don No. NBA & ABA Players Who Wore Uniform Number 2 - Basketball-Reference.com Why he's here: The long-time Angels Reliever is the best of a so-so group who wore No. > All Players To Wear Number 31. Lemieux is the rare player who is considered one of the top-10 athletes in his sport but also makes you ask, What could have been?. That is to say, Michael Jordan did indeed wear 45, but who thinks of him in that number? Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. While he had brief stints in other numbers, during the bulk of his career, including his time with the Braves, he wore No. Why hes here: Because it's the Internet, and the Internet loves Bartolo. For now, though, we're running from zero to 99 to find the best athlete for each number. That makes Wilt the Stilt the choice. He had 767 receptions for 6,875 yards and 36 touchdowns through the air. As a result of that popularity, many of the best players across basketball, baseball, and football have donned the number. Athletes who wore #34 Quiz Stats - By geowiz85 Sandberg made 10 consecutive All-Star teams from 1984-93 and was named the 1984 NL MVP as he helped the Cubs make the playoffs that season for the first time since 1945. 26 his entire career, he may have been the choice. Honorable mentions: Kershaw, Larry Walker, Luis Tiant. But when he joined the Giants, that number had obviously been retired in honor of Mays, so Bonds chose the number 25 his father wore while Mays teammate. We dont worship the rings, but we do admire true dominance. Gehrig finished with 493 homers and a .340 career batting average, and he was even better in the World Series the Iron Horse hit .361 and popped 10 homers in 34 games as his Yankees claimed the title six times in seven tries. Do you have a sports website? Why he's here: The Hall of Famer wore No. We have a run on linebackers. Category:Players who wear/wore number 2 - Basketball Wiki He was also All-Pro in all five of those campaigns. Why he's here: An excellent starter, Eckersley became an elite reliever with the A's in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Why hes here: Marichal was a stalwart in the San Francisco rotation from the moment he arrived in the big leagues he struck out 12 and threw a one-hit shutout in his debut. MLB Players Who Wore Number 60 | Baseball-Reference.com #1 of 217. Rivers hasnt been to a Super Bowl, and the odds are that he wont do it at this point, even after joining the Colts. To celebrate the NFL's 100th season, the USA TODAY Sports Network is . He spent almost the entirety of his career with the Cowboys, making six straight All-Pro squads. NBA fans have representation, as well, with Joe Dumars, Charles Barkley, and Chris Webber among the famous players to wear the number. Nobody was close to the "Dominator.". The best player in WNBA history at every jersey number - ESPN 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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, April 30, 2:31PM. The longtime Devil picked up four Vezinas to go with three Stanley Cups. He helped them win three World Series while also winning a Cy Young for himself. 1 among numbers 1. So we're letting you try, including polls with those select numbers. Athletes who wore #34 Stats Can you name the Athletes who wore #34 on their Jersey? However, he did wear No. His best year may have been in a different number, but the bulk of his Hall-of-Fame career in Seattle came wearing 96, so hes still the choice here. 00 Jim Otto to No. He has been ranked world No. Sure, Bourque wore seven until it was retired for Phil Esposito. Why hes here: Clearly, baseballs all-time hit king 4,256 of them, to be precise is eligible for this list. He also happened to make 14 Pro Bowls, which got him into the Hall. After all, he made seven All-Star teams and won one ERA title. Players had long ago decided to stop wearing No. Honorable mentions: Ernie Banks, Ken Boyer, Jim Rice. The Team clue is for the team that that athlete is most notable for while wearing the #23, not their current teams. Whether as a personal challenge or for charity, runners wore colourful costumes as they ran the 26.2-mile (42km) course. The six players to wear this number have combined for -2.2 WAR in a Pirates uniform. Greenwood, NFL; Albert Pujols, MLB; Russ Grimm, NFL;Joe DeLamielleure, NFL, Tim Krumrie, NFL; Will Worford, NFL; Jared Allen, NFL, Sam Huff; NFL; Art Donovan, NFL; Rayfield Wright, NFL; Leon Gray, NFL, Jim Marshall, NFL, Alex Karras, NFL; Walter Jones, NFL; Dave Marcis, NASCAR; Bobby Isaac, NASCAR; Walter Jones, NFL, Carlton Fisk, MLB; Ed "Too Tall" Jones, NFL; Dan Dierdorf, NFL; William "Refrigerator" Perry, NFL, John Hannah, NFL; Ron Yary, NFL; Larry Allen, NFL, Merlin Olsen, NFL; Bob Lilly, NFL; Bruce Matthews, NFL; Ron Mix, NFL, Joe Greene, NFL; Deacon Jones, NFL; Forrest Gregg, NFL;Lomas Brown, NFL; Jonathan Ogden, NFL; Vince Wilfork, NFL, Marion Motley, NFL; Lou Groza, NFL; Rosey Grier, NFL, Red Grange, NFL; Lyle Alzado, NFL; Ray Bourque, NHL; Paul Coffey, NHL; Gary Larsen, NFL, Anthony Munoz, NFL; Art Shell, NFL; Bruce Smith, NFL; Jackie Slater, NFL; Dwight White, NFL, Rosey Brown, NFL; Harvey Martin, NFL; Bob "The Geek" St. Clair, NFL, Jerry Rice, NFL; Kellen Winslow, NFL; Steve Largent, NFL; Chris Carter, NFL, Terrell Owens, NFL; Tim Brown, NFL; Dick "Night Train" Lane, NFL; Doug Atkins, NFL; Art Monk, NFL; Carl Eller, NFL, Raymond Berry, NFL; John Stallworth, NFL; Ozzie Newsome, NFL, Ted Hendricks, NFL; Andre Reed, NFL; Mark Clayton, NFL; Willie Gault, NFL, Randy Moss, NFL; Chris Webber, NBA; Shannon Sharpe, NFL; Sterling Sharpe, NFL; Herman Moore, NFL, Jack Youngblood, NFL; Antonio Gates, NFL;Nick Buoniconti, NFL, Buck Buchanan, NFL;Dante Lavelli, NFL; James Lofton, NFL, Dwight Clark, NFL; Sidney Crosby, NHL; Dave Casper, NFL; Buck Baker, NASCAR, Lynn Swann, NFL; Alan Page, NFL; John Mackey, NFL; Tony Gonzalez, NFL; Michael Irvin, NFL; Eric Lindros, NHL, Mike Ditka, NFL;Gino Marchetti, NFL;Mark Bavaro, NFL; Clyde Lovellette, NBA, Sergei Fedorov, NHL; Kevin Greene, NFL; Dennis Rodman, NBA; Bob Kurland, Olympic basketball, Reggie White, NFL; Michael Strahan, NFL; Albert Haynesworth, NFL, Doug Gilmour, NHL; John Randle, NFL; Dwight Freeney, NFL, Charles Haley, NFL;Dana Stubblefield, NFL; Bill Elliott, NASCAR, Richard Dent, NFL; Greg Lloyd, NFL; Bubba Smith, NFL, Cortez Kennedy, NFL; Sean Jones, NFL;Pavel Bure, NHL, Jeremy Roenick, NHL; Simeon Rice, NFL; Kurt Busch, NASCAR, Tom Harmon, NFL; Julian Peterson, NFL; LeeRoy Yarbrough, NASCAR, Wayne Gretzky, NHL; George Mikan, NBA; Warren Sapp, NFL; Dan Hampton, NFL, 00-99: Top uniform numbers in sports history. It has been a popular jersey number for decades with success of athletes across the board. Why he's here: The middle reliever is the only player in history to post a postive WAR while wearing No. 66 during a 2015 season in which he played only two games, had . In his first five full seasons with the Cardinals, the colorful right-hander won 120 games (and saved 30), won an MVP and finished second twice, threw 1,531 innings and compiled a 3.04 ERA. 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. When he can finally take the court for Brooklyn, that will probably be true as well, though he did wear No. Why he's here: Quite simply, Hammerin' Hank was one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. The Best Athletes Who Wore #20 - Ranker Tittle, NFL, Bart Starr, NFL; ThurmanMunson, MLB;Carmelo Anthony, NBA; Hal Greer, NBA; Earl Monroe, NBA, Joe Montana, NFL; Brett Hull, NHL; George Blanda, NFL; Whitey Ford, MLB; Len Dawson, NFL; Dwight Gooden, MLB, Dizzy Dean, MLB; John Havlicek, NBA;Jari Kurri, NHL; Matt Kenseth, NASCAR; Doug Williams, NFL; Darrell Waltrip, NASCAR, Peyton Manning, NFL; Dave Cowens, NBA; Charlie Joiner, NFL; Denis Savard, NHL; Bobby Labonte, NASCAR, Johnny Unitas, NFL; Willis Reed, NBA; Steve Yzerman, NHL; Lance Alworth, NFL, Bob Feller, MLB; Robin Yount, MLB; Tony Gwynn, MLB, Barry Sanders, NFL; Lou Brock, MLB; Mike Schmidt, MLB; Frank Robinson, MLB; Tony Stewart, NASCAR; Luc Robitaille, NHL; Ed Reed, NFL;RobNiedermayer, NHL; Josh Gibson, baseball, Roberto Clemente, MLB; Tim Duncan, NBA; Warren Spahn, MLB; LaDainian Tomlinson, NFL; Sammy Sosa, MLB; David Pearson, NASCAR; Roger Clemens, MLB; Deion Sanders, NFL, Emmitt Smith, NFL; Elgin Baylor, NBA; Clyde Drexler, NBA; Bobby Lane, NFL; Jim Palmer, MLB, Michael Jordan, NBA; LeBron James, NBA; Kirk Gibson, MLB; Calvin Murphy, NBA; Ryne Sandberg, MLB, Willie Mays, MLB; Kobe Bryant, NBA; Jeff Gordon, NASCAR; Moses Malone, NBA; Ken GriffeyJr., MLB; Lenny Moore, NFL; Rick Barry, NBA, Barry Bonds, MLB; FredBiletnikoff, NFL; Mark McGwire, MLB; K.C. In fact, nobody is within 1,000 yards of him. 99 J.J. Watt. Elway's trademark was the fourth-quarter comeback and his most famous was "The Drive" in the 1986 AFC title game, when he marched his Broncos 98 yards in Cleveland to force overtime. Why hes here: Look at the honorable mentions list. Marichal won 191 games and rolled up a 2.57 ERA in 328 games (320 starts) during the 1960s for the Giants. 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. Honorable mentions: Phil Niekro, Mike Mussina, Cole Hamels. Detroit sports fans are going to be feeling pretty good here. 77 for just one season, but he's Pudge. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 310 weeks, including a record 237 .more. The Say Hey Kid won two MVPs and 12 Gold Gloves, and he made 24 All-Star Games wearing No. Weve got two Penguins legends sandwiching a largely forgotten NFL guard. Sidney Crosby gets a ton of credit, but Malkin actually has two Art Ross trophies, not to mention a Hart and a Conn Smythe, in his own right. 2 Deion Sanders, CB, Florida State (1985-88) Focus on Sport/Getty Images. 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. 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. 23 Quiz Stats - By schredder - Sporcle And is No. This is tricky for the athletes who have worn a couple of numbers with semi-regularity for example, Kobe Bryant. Ovechkin is still an active player who, hopefully, has a few more years left in his career. We are on a bit of a run of terrifying defensive linemen, but thats numbers in the 90s for you. Alex Rodriguez may have a bit of the taint of PEDs on him, but he would be a fine choice. He made seven straight Pro Bowls in the 2000s and was named to the All-Decade team by the Hall of Fame as well. 8 with the Indians and White Sox, but it wasn't available in Baltimore due to a certain future Hall of Famer. Karlsson toiled in relative obscurity when he was with the Ottawa Senators, but hockey fans still knew him. 1 through 11. Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. 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. Why hes here: The Cobra was a legitimate star in the late 1970s and early 1980s, winning an MVP, two batting titles and three Gold Gloves. Data Provided By In the 1993-94 season he won the Hart with 120 points but also won the Selke for best defensive forward. His on-base percentage: .482, the best ever. A few excellent pass rushers wore 92, including Michael Strahan, who has the NFL record for most sacks in a season. Tim Tebow wore 15 in college, but its hard to honor a player with a number off four years of action. Goose Gossage had a fine career in baseball, but as a relief pitcher, and well go with a starting linebacker over a reliever any day of the week. Honorable mentions: Dwight Gooden, Hal Newhouser, Ted Lyons. A point guard with the size to play center, Johnson was ahead of his time, and yet he still won three MVPs. Some other excellent NFL stars wore 75, including Jonathan Ogden and Deacon Jones. This was pretty much an impossible choice, guaranteed to please exactly nobody. He also ended his time in the NFL with a ring with the Steelers, though by that point he was no longer a Pro Bowl-caliber back. This was one of the easiest choices we made. Michael Jordan changed the NBA. Honorable mentions: Al Kaline, Willie Wilson, Steve Garvey. The NFL and NHL have alsohad their fair share of famous athletes who wore 2 on their jersey like Matt Ryan and Brian Leetch. He's sixth in career hits and has a career batting average of .310. Return to Top; Players. Greatest NFL players by uniform number: From No. Prior to that, he made seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and won two MVPs. Dominant Digits -- The 10 most popular jersey numbers among - ESPN 56 is even close. We didnt have to think about this for a second. 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. Branca, a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, wore no. Why hes here: The man with one of the greatest nicknames in baseball history the Wizard of Oz earned his reputation as arguably the best defensive shortstop in baseball history during a highlight-filled 19-year career that included 15 All-Star nods and 13 Gold Gloves. Why hes here: Ripken started his career with a bang he won the AL rookie of the year in 1982 and the AL MVP in 1983 and spent the rest of his time with the Orioles fashioning a no-doubt Hall of Fame career. Jeter maybe didn't deserve the Gold Gloves, but he's the best athlete to wear the number two. Honorable mentions: Minnie Minoso, Reggie Jackson, Bill Mazeroski. So check out the list of athletes who wore 3 and help decide who deserves to rank the highest for wearing this iconic jersey number. With the Patriots, though, he won three MVPs and made 14 Pro Bowls. Honorable mentions: Nolan Ryan, Orlando Cepeda, Willie Randolph. Moss and Shannon Sharpe both wore No. 84, but both also wore other numbers. The shortstop is the Yankees' alltime hit leader, the calm and charismatic captain who led his team to five World Series championships. Ward is also famous for his vicious blocks, which isnt something every receiver is known to want to do. MLB Players Who Wore Number 2 | Baseball-Reference.com Why hes here: Ford was a stalwart in the Yankees rotation during the franchises glory years (well, one of their stretches of glory years). He was forced to retire at 30 -- but he left behind a sport changed forever. Pedro didnt pitch then. Peppers was excellent for a long time as well, as he notched 11 sacks in 2017 as a 37 year old. Tweet us @USATODAYSports and let us know. Why he's here: There's a reason MLB retired No. He has more sacks, for example, with 137.5. However, he retired in 1955, and thats just a different era of football. Always free! Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He then turned to 77, though, and wore it for well over a decade, including when he won four Norris Trophies. Why he's here: The other choices are Ryan Madson and Justin Masterson. He was such a star that when he came out of retirement in '75 to play for the New York Cosmos of the upstart North American Soccer League, he instantly raised the profile of a sport that had been largely ignored by U.S. audiences.