Numerology

What’s you favorite uniform number? Why? Numbers fall in and out of fashion. I’ve worn many uniform numbers over the years, now I discuss this with my son.

Might as well go at it in numerical order…

1. As a teen kicker I bought an expensive Falcons jersey before the practice was popular…number one with D.MURPHY on the back, so my brother couldn’t wear it. Now I consider the number to be selfish. Only kickers like Garo should be number one. Tech should retire number one…for Eddie MacAshan, not Reggie Ball. UGA could retire it for that current WR. Then they wouldn’t have to deal with it any more. In baseball it means good field, no hit.

2. To me, Two means second-best. Besides Jeter, who’s worn two? Will’s basketball number, Ugh. My brother’s favorite, also worn by his soccer-playing son.

3. Good number. The Holy Trinity, or Ruth, ARod, or Lamonica. Dale Murphy. Will wore it for a while.

4. Made cool by Blauser and Farve, though it’s not one of my faves. The Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig.

5. Joltin’Joe. Paul Hornug, or Falcons Charmin’ Harmon Wages and Morten Andersen. Different and good, but not a great basketball number. Will’s current baseball number.

6. Not a fave, though Cox and Torre wear it. The devil’s number. OK if your name is Sonny Sixkiller.

7. Everyone’s favorite number…it’s too popular. God, the Mick, Francoeur. I even wore it for a while. Will wore it some, too. These days you can find a lot of cheap number 7 Falcons jerseys at Goodwill stores.

8. Yaz and Yogi, Buck Belue. Steve Young. Not a fave of mine.
9. Ted Williams. OK number, but not great
10. The perfect ten. It just doesn’t look symmetrical. Chipper. Peachtree Bart. Fran Tarkenton.
11. OK in some cases. Has that slimming look, except on Joe Kapp.
12. Another number that doesn’t look symmetrical. Used to be popular, but not these days.
13. Unlucky number made cool by ARod.
16. Joe Montana made it cool for a generation of QBs.
17. Havlicek made it cool in basketball…I like 17 a lot. Chris Gardocki. Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam. Billy Kilmer.
18. Cool because it’s a good age. Peyton. Growing up it was Roman Gabriel.
19. Unitas. An old-school number, like 18.

21. My high school football number, because of Jim Kiick. Worn by many greats: Spahn, ‘Nique, Calvin Johnson, Tim Duncan.

23. Jordan. Now everyone wants it, including LeBron. I wore 23 before it was cool, as a kid. At the Cubs camp Sosa was 21, before all the HRs. Instead I picked 23 for Ryne Sandberg, but they put our names on the back. Had I known that I would’ve picked three.

24. Great baseball number…Willie Mays.
25. Biletnikoff, my favorite receiver. Art Malone. Andruw.
27. Classic baseball number.

Ending in Zero: Not that great.
Ending in One: My favorite.
Ending in Two: Not bad.
Ending in Three: Above Average.
Ending in Four: Generally OK.
Ending in Five: Some good, some bad. Too square.
Ending in 6 isn’t good, like 26, 36, 46, 56, 76. But 66 and 86 are ok.
Ending in 7 is better, kinda old-school. But not 37, 57, 77. These days 27 & 47 are great for kickers.
Eights and 9’s are like 6’s, though 89 and 99 are good.

31. Greg Maddux made it good.
32. Magic
33. Larry Bird and Kareem. Cannonball Butler.
34. Herschel. Not a good basketball number.
35. Knucksie was the only good 35.
39. Only on Larry Csonka.
41. Eddie Matthews and several others. Brian Piccolo.
42. A good number…21 times two. Jackie Robinson. Paul Warfield.
43. Richard Petty
44. The Hammer. Reggie Jackson was a copycat.
47. Glavine.
51. Butkus. Guys with skinny necks shouldn’t wear it.
55. Orel Hershieser.
80. Many WRs copy the great Jerry Rice.
81. OK, but not symmetrical. Carl Eller. Wes Chesson. Looks good on Calvin.
82. Wore it my sophomore year and liked it. Ken Burrow made me like it.
83. Not bad
84. Looked good on Randy Moss.
86. Boyd Dowler. Hines Ward. The late Jim Mitchell.
89. Better than 88. Otis Taylor.
99. Gretzky.