Baseball Retired Numbers: The Stories Behind the Numbers

In baseball, retired numbers are worn to honor a player who gave significant contributions to a team. These numbers have been taken out of circulation and will never be worn by another player of the same team again.

The stories behind some of the most iconic retired numbers in baseball history

Baseball is a sport steeped in tradition, and nowhere is that more evident than in the retired numbers that adorn the outfield walls of stadiums around the country. Many of these numbers have been retired by multiple teams, and each one has a story to tell. Here are just a few of the most iconic retired numbers in baseball history

-3: Babe Ruth New York Yankees
The Sultan of Swat was one of the first five players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and his number has been retired by both the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox Ruth wore #3 for most of his career with the Yankees, and it was also the number he wore when he made his famous “called shot” during the 1932 World Series

-4: Lou Gehrig New York Yankees
Gehrig was a legendary figure in his own right, but his story is perhaps best remembered for how it came to an end. After being diagnosed with ALS, Gehrig gave a farewell speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, in which he famously declared himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” His number was promptly retired by the Yankees, and it remains one of the most revered numbers in all of sports.

-42: Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers
Robinson broke baseball’scolor barrier when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, and his number has been retired by every MLB team. In 1997, MLB officially recognized Robinson’s achievements by retiring #42 league-wide.

Why certain numbers are retired by certain teams

Baseball is a game steeped in tradition, and one of the most respected traditions is the retirement of a player’s jersey number But why do teams retire certain numbers? In many cases, it’s to honor a player who made an extraordinary contribution to the team, either on or off the field. Sometimes it’s to honor a player who passed away. And in other cases, it’s simply to remove a number from circulation so that no future players will ever wear it.

Here are the stories behind some of the most famous retired numbers in baseball:

1) Jackie Robinson’s Number 42

Jackie Robinson was the first African American player in Major League Baseball and he broke the color barrier in 1947. His number 42 was retired by all MLB teams in 1997, on the 50th anniversary of his debut.

2) Babe Ruth’s Number 3

Babe Ruth is one of the most legendary players in baseball history He played for the New York Yankees from 1920 to 1934, and his number 3 was retired by the team soon after his death in 1948.

3) Lou Gehrig’s Number 4

Lou Gehrig was another Yankee legend, and he played alongside Babe Ruth for many years. He holds the record for most consecutive games played (2,130), and his number 4 was retired by the Yankees shortly after he died of ALS in 1941.

4) Stan Musial’s Number 6

The players who wore the numbers before they were retired

Many of baseball’s most famous players had their numbers retired by the teams they played for. But did you know that there were other players who wore those numbers before they were retired? In some cases, the player who wore the number before it was retired was almost as famous as the player for whom the number was retired. Here are some of those stories.

Jackie Robinson’s Number 42 Was Actually Retired For All Of Baseball
Before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947, he first had to endure a minor league tryout in which he was subjected to all sorts of racially-charged taunts and threats. But Robinson persevered and went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Brooklyn Dodgers His number 42 was retired by every Major League team in 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.

Lou Gehrig’s Number 4 Was Almost Retired For Joe DiMaggio Instead
When Yankee great Lou Gehrig died of ALS in 1941, there was talk of retiring his number 4 immediately. But Yankees owner Del Webb decided to wait a few years out of respect for Gehrig’s widow Eleanor. In the meantime, another Yankee great, Joe DiMaggio became the first player to have his number (5) retired by the team in 1952. If Webb had not waited to retire Gehrig’s number, it’s possible that DiMaggio’s number would have been retired instead and Gehrig would have been known as the player who wore Joe DiMaggio’s number! Thankfully, both men ended up having their numbers rightfully retired by the Yankees.

Willie Mays’ Number 24 Was Originally Worn By Giants Legend Mel Ott
Willie Mays is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played 22 seasons with the New York/San Francisco Giants and helped them win two World Series titles. His number 24 was retired by the Giants in 1972, just two years after he played his final game with the team. But prior to Mays, another Giants legend wore number 24: Mel Ott Ott played his entire 22-year career with the Giants and is considered one of baseball’s first power hitters (he once hit an impressive 511 foot home run!). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951 and had his number retired by the Giants that same year, 21 years before Mays would have his turn.

The players who currently wear the retired numbers

The Yankees have retired more numbers than any other Team In Baseball with a total of 20. The most recent number to be retired was 42, which was worn by Mariano Rivera The other players who currently wear the retired numbers are:

1. Babe Ruth
2. Lou Gehrig
3. Joe DiMaggio
4. Mickey Mantle
5. Whitey Ford
6. Yogi Berra
7. Bill Dickey
8. Elston Howard
9. Roger Maris
10 = Phil Rizzuto
11 = Casey Stengel
12 = Joe Torre
15 = Thurman Munson 16 = Whitey Herzog 17 = Chris Chambliss 18 = Dale Murphy 19 = Mike Piazza

How the retirement of a number can affect current and future players

When a Major League Baseball (MLB) team retires a player’s uniform number, it ensures that no future player will wear that number on their uniform with that team. Jerseys with numbers that have been retired by MLB teams are typically kept in museums or memorials, such as the Babe Ruth Museum and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Some players’ jersey numbers have been retired by multiple teams. The circumstances under which a number is retired can be significant. For example, Lou Gehrig’s number 4 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1939 after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease”. Gehrig was the first MLB player to have his number retired; since then, many other players have had their numbers retired by one or more teams.

Not all retirements of numbers are so somber. After Roger Maris hit his 61st home run in 1961 to break Babe Ruth’s record for most home runs in a season, the Yankees retired his number 9. Maris had originally worn number 9 when he joined the Yankees, but switched to number 7 when Yogi Berra suggested that it might bring him luck. After he broke the record, Maris went back to wearing his original number 9 and the Yankees announced that they would retire it on September 20, 1984, 23 years after Maris died of Hodgkin’s disease. The ceremony was attended by Maris’ widow and children as well as several of Maris’ former teammates.

The stories behind why certain numbers are retired can be interesting and instructive for current and future players. When a player has his or her number retired, it is a significant honor that can inspire others to work hard and achieve their dreams.

The process of retiring a number

The decision to retire a number is usually made by a team’s Owner or General Manager In some cases, the decision is made by a vote of team personnel, fans, or both. Once a decision has been made to retire a number, the team will hold a ceremony to honor the player at which time the number will be officially retired.

There is no set criteria for retiring a number, but usually it is reserved for players who have made significant contributions to the team and have been retired from Major League Baseball for at least three years. In some cases, a player may have his number retired posthumously.

Once a number is retired, it can never be worn again by any player on that team, in that league, unless the player who originally wore the number gives his permission. For example, when Yankees great Yogi Berra died in 2015, his family gave permission for current Yankees catcher Brian McCann to wear Berra’s iconic #8.

The meaning of a retired number

A “retired number” is a jersey number that is taken out of circulation by a team as a way to honor the player who wore it. The player is usually one who had played for the team for a significant length of time, made an extraordinary contribution to the team, or has been posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Wearing a retired number also carries additional responsibilities for the player. For example, in most cases, the player is not allowed to be traded away from the team. Additionally, players are often asked to make public appearances on behalf of the team and participate in charitable events.

The decision to retire a number is generally made by team management after consulting with team ownership and/or the player’s family. Once a number is retired, it is typically displayed on a banner in the rafters or elsewhere in the stadium and can no longer be worn by any other player on that team, unless special permission is granted (such as if the current owner dies or moves away).

The most popular retired numbers

1. Babe Ruth New York Yankees – The most popular player in baseball history wore #3 for the Yankees from 1920 until 1934. Ruth was a member of seven World Series championship teams and is considered one of the greatest sluggers in baseball history He retired with a then-record 714 career home runs

2. Lou Gehrig New York Yankees – Gehrig was the Heart and Soul of the “ Bronx Bombers” for 13 seasons from 1923-1939. He was a 6-time World Series champion and his 2,130 consecutive Games Played streak is still an major league baseball record. Gehrig’s number 4 was retired by the Yankees shortly after he passed away from ALS in 1941 at just 37 years old.

3. Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers – Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947 when he made his Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors that season and was named National League MVP in 1949. Robinson’s impact on baseball and society was so great that his number 42 has been retired by every Major League team .

4 . Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh Pirates – Clemente was one of baseball’s first Latino superstars and is widely considered one of the best players of all-time regardless of nationality . In 21 seasons with the Pirates, Clemente won 12 Gold Glove Awards 4 batting titles and led Pittsburgh to their first World Series title in 35 years in 1971. He perished tragically just months later while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua . His legacy lives on through The Roberto Clemente Foundation which provides assistance to underprivileged children and families around the world.

5 . Sandy Koufax , Los Angeles Dodgers – Koufax is widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in baseball history . In 12 seasons with the Dodgers, he won 3 Cy Young Awards, 5 ERA titles and helped lead Los Angeles to 3 World Series championships . Koufax’s career came to an abrupt end when he retired at just 30 years old due to arthritis in his pitching elbow but his accomplishments on the mound have not been forgotten .

The least popular retired numbers

In baseball, some numbers are more popular than others. Numbers like “42” and “3” have been retired by every team in Major League Baseball while other numbers have only been retired by a handful of teams. Here are the least popular retired numbers in baseball:

number 29:
Earlier this year, the Toronto Blue Jays retired number 29, which belonged to former pitcher Roy Halladay. Halladay was a eight-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner who died in a plane crash in 2017. He is widely considered to be one of the best pitchers of his generation.

number 34:
The New York Yankees retired number 34 in honor of former pitcher Phil Hughes. Hughes was a member of the Yankees’ 2009 World Series winning team and spent seven seasons with the team before leaving as a free agent in 2014. He died tragically young, at the age of 28, after suffering from Thoracic outlet syndrome

number 36:
Former San Francisco Giants player Matt Williams had his number 36 retired by the team in 2005. Williams was a six-time All-Star and won four Gold Glove Awards during his time with the Giants. He also set an Major League record for most home runs by a third baseman in a season ( 43).

The politics of retired numbers

In Major League Baseball a retired number is a jersey number that is taken out of circulation by a team as a way to honor a former member of that team who has been deceased or who has had his career otherwise cut short due to exceptionally notable contributions to the team. Wearing a retired number also carries a certain amount of prestige. Currently, 134 players have had their numbers retired by teams in MLB.

The use of retired numbers began in MLB in the 1920s, when players who had made significant contributions to baseball began to retire. The first player whose number was retired by a team was Lou Gehrig whose number 4 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1939. Gehrig had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which caused him to retire from baseball and eventually led to his death; the Yankees retired his number as a way of honoring him and his contributions to the team.

Many teams have since followed the Yankees’ lead and have retired the numbers of other players who have made significant contributions to their organizations. Some teams have even retired the numbers of players who were never on their rosters; for example, the Boston Red Sox have retired the number 9 in honor of Ted Williams who played his entire Hall of Fame career with the rival Ya