Baseball Guru
11-09-2004, 07:43 PM
http://www.all-baseball.com/ref/retired.html
By:Christian Ruzich
Uniform numbers were first worn permanently by the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians in 1929, so that fans in the stands could tell who was who on the field. The inital uniform numbers corresponded to the player's place in the lineup; Babe Ruth wore #3 because he batted third, etc. By the mid-1930's, all teams had numbers on the back of their players' uniforms.
For a definitive listing of who wore what number throughout major league history, check out Baseball By the Numbers, by Mark Stang and Linda Harkness.
The Baseball Hall of Fame website has an excellent feature on their website entitled Dressed to the Nines, a history of the baseball uniform. It's really well-done and includes a uniform database. The Hall of Fame has scanned the drawings from Mark Okkonen's unfortunately out-of-print Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century. The result is a complete, searchable database of the uniforms worn by every team in every year of their existence. Fantastic.
Here are a few key dates in the evolution of uniform numbers:
1907: The Reading Red Roses are the first team to experiment with uniform numbers.
1916: The Cleveland Indians are the first major league team to experiment with uniform numbers. On June 26, they wear numbers on the left sleeve. The project lasts only a few weeks.
1917: Indians try again, this time with the numbers on the right sleeve. Again, they abandon them after a brief trial.
1923: The St. Louis Cardinals try numbers on the sleeves. It is short-lived.
1929: The Yankees and Indians wear numbers on the backs of their jerseys.
1932: NL president John Heydler issues an edict on June 22 that all NL teams should number their players "With each club to inaugurate the system as soon as possible."
1937: The Philadelphia A's become the last team to add numbers to their home uniforms. The team, and the rest of the AL, had added numbers to their road shirts in 1931.
Player No. With Team Retired
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Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson 42 Dodgers 1947-56 4/15/97
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Anaheim Angels
Jim Fregosi 11 P 1961-71, M 1978-81 1998
Gene Autry (Owner) 26 1960-96 1982
Rod Carew (Player, Coach) 29 P 1979-85, C 1992-99 8/6/91
Nolan Ryan 30 1972-79 6/16/92
Jimmie Reese (Coach) 50 C 1972-94 8/2/95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona Diamondbacks
None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlanta Braves
Dale Murphy 3 1976-90 1994
Warren Spahn 21 1942-64 1965
Phil Niekro 35 1964-83, 1987 1984
Eddie Mathews (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 41 P 1952-66, C 1971-72, M 1972-74 1969
Henry Aaron 44 1954-74 1977
Should be retired: Rabbit Maranville (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baltimore Orioles
Earl Weaver (Coach, Mgr.) 4 C 1968, M 1968-82, 1985-86 1982
Brooks Robinson (Player, Coach) 5 P 1955-77, C 1977 1977
Cal Ripken, Jr. 8 1981-2001 9/9/2001
Frank Robinson (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 20 P 1966-71, C 1978-80, 1985-87, M 1988-91 1972
Jim Palmer 22 1965-84 1985
Eddie Murray (Player, Coach) 33 P 1977-88, 1996, C 1998- 1989, 6/7/98
Should be retired: Mike Cuellar (35)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boston Red Sox
Bobby Doerr (Player, Coach) 1 P 1937-51, C 1967-69 5/19/1988
Joe Cronin (Player, Mgr., GM) 4 P 1935-45, M 1935-47, GM 1947-59 1984
Carl Yastrzemski 8 1961-83 8/6/89
Ted Williams 9 1939-60 1960
Carlton Fisk 27 1969, 1971-80 9/4/2000
Should be retired: Jim Rice (14), Wade Boggs (26)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Cubs
Ron Santo 10 1960-73 9/28/2003
Ernie Banks (Player, Coach) 14 P 1953-71, C 1967-73 8/22/1982
Billy Williams (Player, Coach) 26 P 1959-74, C 1980-82, 1986-87, 1992- 8/13/1987
Should be retired: Ryne Sandberg (23), Ferguson Jenkins (31), Hack Wilson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago White Sox
Nellie Fox 2 1950-63 1976
Harold Baines 3 1980-89, 1996 8/20/89
Luke Appling (Player, Coach) 4 P 1930-50, C 1970-71 1975
Minnie Minoso (Player, Coach) 9 P 1951-57, 1960-61, 1964, 1976, 1980, C 1976-78, 1980-81 1983
Luis Aparicio 11 1956-62, 1968-70 8/14/84
Ted Lyons (Player, Mgr.) 16 P 1923-46, M 1946-48 1987
Billy Pierce 19 1949-61 1987
Carlton Fisk 72 1981-93 9/14/97
Should be retired: Red Faber (18)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cincinnati Reds
Fred Hutchinson (Manager) 1 1959-64 1965
Johnny Bench 5 1967-83 1984
Joe Morgan 8 1972-79 6/6/98
Ted Kluszewski (Player, Coach) 18 P 1947-57, C 1970-78 1998
Frank Robinson 20 1956-65 1998
Tony Perez (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 24 P 1964-76, 1984-86, C 1987-92, M 1993 2000
Should be retired: Sparky Anderson (10), Dave Concepcion (13), Pete Rose (14), Ernie Lombardi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleveland Indians
Earl Averill 3 1929-39 1975
Lou Boudreau (Player, Mgr.) 5 P 1938-50, M 1942-50 1970
Larry Doby (Player, Coach) 14 P 1947-55, 1958, C 1974 7/3/94
Mel Harder (Player, Coach) 18 P 1928-47, C 1947-63 1990
Bob Feller 19 1936-56 1957
Bob Lemon (Player, Coach) 21 P 1941-58, C 1960 6/20/98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado Rockies
None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detroit Tigers
Ty Cobb (Player, Mgr.) P 1905-26, M 1921-26
Charlie Gehringer (Player, Coach, GM) 2 P 1924-42, C 1942, GM 1951-53 6/12/83
Hank Greenberg 5 1930-46 6/12/83
Al Kaline 6 1953-74 8/17/80
Hal Newhouser 16 1939-53 7/27/97
Willie Horton 23 1963-77 7/15/00
Should be retired: Lou Whitaker (1), Alan Trammell (3), Jack Morris (37)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florida Marlins
Carl Barger (President) 5 1991-92 1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Houston Astros
Jose Cruz (Player, Coach) 25 P 1975-87, C 1997- 1992
Jim Umbricht 32 1962-63 1964
Mike Scott 33 1983-91 1992
Nolan Ryan 34 1980-88 9/29/96
Don Wilson 40 1966-74 1975
Larry Dierker (Player, Mgr.) 49 P 1964-76, M 1997-2001 5/19/02
Should be retired: Jimmy Wynn (24), J.R. Richard (50)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City Royals
George Brett 5 1973-93 5/14/94
Dick Howser (Manager) 10 1981-86 7/3/87
Frank White (Player, Coach) 20 P 1973-90, C 1997- 5/2/95
Should be retired: Dan Quisenberry (29)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pee Wee Reese (Player, Coach) 1 P 1940-58, C 1959 1984
Tommy Lasorda (Player, Mgr., GM) 2 P 1954-55, M 1976-96, GM 1998 1997
Duke Snider 4 1947-62 7/6/80
Jim Gilliam (Player, Coach) 19 P 1953-66, C 1965-78 1978
Don Sutton 20 1966-80, 1988 8/14/98
Walter Alston (Manager) 24 1954-76 6/5/77
Sandy Koufax 32 1955-66 6/4/72
Roy Campanella 39 1948-57 6/4/72
Jackie Robinson 42 1947-56 6/4/72
Don Drysdale 53 1956-69 1984
Should be retired: Dazzy Vance (21), Fernando Valenzuela (34), Orel Hershiser (55)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milwaukee Brewers
Paul Molitor 4 1978-92 6/11/99
Robin Yount 19 1974-93 5/29/94
Rollie Fingers 34 1981-85 8/9/92
Henry Aaron 44 1975-76 1976
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minnesota Twins
Harmon Killebrew 3 1954-74 5/4/75
Tony Oliva (Player, Coach) 6 P 1962-76, C 1976-78, 1985-91 1991
Kent Hrbek 14 1981-94 8/13/95
Rod Carew 29 1967-78 7/19/87
Kirby Puckett 34 1984-95 5/25/97
Should be retired: Goose Goslin, Walter Johnson, Sam Rice, Tom Kelly (10), Jim Kaat (36)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Expos
Gary Carter 8 1974-84, 1992 7/31/93
Rusty Staub 10 1969-71, 1979 5/15/93
Andre Dawson 10 1976-86 1997
Tim Raines 30 1979-90, 2001 6/19/04
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By:Christian Ruzich
Uniform numbers were first worn permanently by the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians in 1929, so that fans in the stands could tell who was who on the field. The inital uniform numbers corresponded to the player's place in the lineup; Babe Ruth wore #3 because he batted third, etc. By the mid-1930's, all teams had numbers on the back of their players' uniforms.
For a definitive listing of who wore what number throughout major league history, check out Baseball By the Numbers, by Mark Stang and Linda Harkness.
The Baseball Hall of Fame website has an excellent feature on their website entitled Dressed to the Nines, a history of the baseball uniform. It's really well-done and includes a uniform database. The Hall of Fame has scanned the drawings from Mark Okkonen's unfortunately out-of-print Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century. The result is a complete, searchable database of the uniforms worn by every team in every year of their existence. Fantastic.
Here are a few key dates in the evolution of uniform numbers:
1907: The Reading Red Roses are the first team to experiment with uniform numbers.
1916: The Cleveland Indians are the first major league team to experiment with uniform numbers. On June 26, they wear numbers on the left sleeve. The project lasts only a few weeks.
1917: Indians try again, this time with the numbers on the right sleeve. Again, they abandon them after a brief trial.
1923: The St. Louis Cardinals try numbers on the sleeves. It is short-lived.
1929: The Yankees and Indians wear numbers on the backs of their jerseys.
1932: NL president John Heydler issues an edict on June 22 that all NL teams should number their players "With each club to inaugurate the system as soon as possible."
1937: The Philadelphia A's become the last team to add numbers to their home uniforms. The team, and the rest of the AL, had added numbers to their road shirts in 1931.
Player No. With Team Retired
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson 42 Dodgers 1947-56 4/15/97
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anaheim Angels
Jim Fregosi 11 P 1961-71, M 1978-81 1998
Gene Autry (Owner) 26 1960-96 1982
Rod Carew (Player, Coach) 29 P 1979-85, C 1992-99 8/6/91
Nolan Ryan 30 1972-79 6/16/92
Jimmie Reese (Coach) 50 C 1972-94 8/2/95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona Diamondbacks
None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlanta Braves
Dale Murphy 3 1976-90 1994
Warren Spahn 21 1942-64 1965
Phil Niekro 35 1964-83, 1987 1984
Eddie Mathews (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 41 P 1952-66, C 1971-72, M 1972-74 1969
Henry Aaron 44 1954-74 1977
Should be retired: Rabbit Maranville (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baltimore Orioles
Earl Weaver (Coach, Mgr.) 4 C 1968, M 1968-82, 1985-86 1982
Brooks Robinson (Player, Coach) 5 P 1955-77, C 1977 1977
Cal Ripken, Jr. 8 1981-2001 9/9/2001
Frank Robinson (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 20 P 1966-71, C 1978-80, 1985-87, M 1988-91 1972
Jim Palmer 22 1965-84 1985
Eddie Murray (Player, Coach) 33 P 1977-88, 1996, C 1998- 1989, 6/7/98
Should be retired: Mike Cuellar (35)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boston Red Sox
Bobby Doerr (Player, Coach) 1 P 1937-51, C 1967-69 5/19/1988
Joe Cronin (Player, Mgr., GM) 4 P 1935-45, M 1935-47, GM 1947-59 1984
Carl Yastrzemski 8 1961-83 8/6/89
Ted Williams 9 1939-60 1960
Carlton Fisk 27 1969, 1971-80 9/4/2000
Should be retired: Jim Rice (14), Wade Boggs (26)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Cubs
Ron Santo 10 1960-73 9/28/2003
Ernie Banks (Player, Coach) 14 P 1953-71, C 1967-73 8/22/1982
Billy Williams (Player, Coach) 26 P 1959-74, C 1980-82, 1986-87, 1992- 8/13/1987
Should be retired: Ryne Sandberg (23), Ferguson Jenkins (31), Hack Wilson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago White Sox
Nellie Fox 2 1950-63 1976
Harold Baines 3 1980-89, 1996 8/20/89
Luke Appling (Player, Coach) 4 P 1930-50, C 1970-71 1975
Minnie Minoso (Player, Coach) 9 P 1951-57, 1960-61, 1964, 1976, 1980, C 1976-78, 1980-81 1983
Luis Aparicio 11 1956-62, 1968-70 8/14/84
Ted Lyons (Player, Mgr.) 16 P 1923-46, M 1946-48 1987
Billy Pierce 19 1949-61 1987
Carlton Fisk 72 1981-93 9/14/97
Should be retired: Red Faber (18)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cincinnati Reds
Fred Hutchinson (Manager) 1 1959-64 1965
Johnny Bench 5 1967-83 1984
Joe Morgan 8 1972-79 6/6/98
Ted Kluszewski (Player, Coach) 18 P 1947-57, C 1970-78 1998
Frank Robinson 20 1956-65 1998
Tony Perez (Player, Coach, Mgr.) 24 P 1964-76, 1984-86, C 1987-92, M 1993 2000
Should be retired: Sparky Anderson (10), Dave Concepcion (13), Pete Rose (14), Ernie Lombardi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleveland Indians
Earl Averill 3 1929-39 1975
Lou Boudreau (Player, Mgr.) 5 P 1938-50, M 1942-50 1970
Larry Doby (Player, Coach) 14 P 1947-55, 1958, C 1974 7/3/94
Mel Harder (Player, Coach) 18 P 1928-47, C 1947-63 1990
Bob Feller 19 1936-56 1957
Bob Lemon (Player, Coach) 21 P 1941-58, C 1960 6/20/98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado Rockies
None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detroit Tigers
Ty Cobb (Player, Mgr.) P 1905-26, M 1921-26
Charlie Gehringer (Player, Coach, GM) 2 P 1924-42, C 1942, GM 1951-53 6/12/83
Hank Greenberg 5 1930-46 6/12/83
Al Kaline 6 1953-74 8/17/80
Hal Newhouser 16 1939-53 7/27/97
Willie Horton 23 1963-77 7/15/00
Should be retired: Lou Whitaker (1), Alan Trammell (3), Jack Morris (37)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florida Marlins
Carl Barger (President) 5 1991-92 1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Houston Astros
Jose Cruz (Player, Coach) 25 P 1975-87, C 1997- 1992
Jim Umbricht 32 1962-63 1964
Mike Scott 33 1983-91 1992
Nolan Ryan 34 1980-88 9/29/96
Don Wilson 40 1966-74 1975
Larry Dierker (Player, Mgr.) 49 P 1964-76, M 1997-2001 5/19/02
Should be retired: Jimmy Wynn (24), J.R. Richard (50)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City Royals
George Brett 5 1973-93 5/14/94
Dick Howser (Manager) 10 1981-86 7/3/87
Frank White (Player, Coach) 20 P 1973-90, C 1997- 5/2/95
Should be retired: Dan Quisenberry (29)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pee Wee Reese (Player, Coach) 1 P 1940-58, C 1959 1984
Tommy Lasorda (Player, Mgr., GM) 2 P 1954-55, M 1976-96, GM 1998 1997
Duke Snider 4 1947-62 7/6/80
Jim Gilliam (Player, Coach) 19 P 1953-66, C 1965-78 1978
Don Sutton 20 1966-80, 1988 8/14/98
Walter Alston (Manager) 24 1954-76 6/5/77
Sandy Koufax 32 1955-66 6/4/72
Roy Campanella 39 1948-57 6/4/72
Jackie Robinson 42 1947-56 6/4/72
Don Drysdale 53 1956-69 1984
Should be retired: Dazzy Vance (21), Fernando Valenzuela (34), Orel Hershiser (55)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milwaukee Brewers
Paul Molitor 4 1978-92 6/11/99
Robin Yount 19 1974-93 5/29/94
Rollie Fingers 34 1981-85 8/9/92
Henry Aaron 44 1975-76 1976
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minnesota Twins
Harmon Killebrew 3 1954-74 5/4/75
Tony Oliva (Player, Coach) 6 P 1962-76, C 1976-78, 1985-91 1991
Kent Hrbek 14 1981-94 8/13/95
Rod Carew 29 1967-78 7/19/87
Kirby Puckett 34 1984-95 5/25/97
Should be retired: Goose Goslin, Walter Johnson, Sam Rice, Tom Kelly (10), Jim Kaat (36)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Expos
Gary Carter 8 1974-84, 1992 7/31/93
Rusty Staub 10 1969-71, 1979 5/15/93
Andre Dawson 10 1976-86 1997
Tim Raines 30 1979-90, 2001 6/19/04
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------