famous athletes who wore number 2

He actually pitched through the heart of the steroid era. We wanted to take a panoramic look across the entire world of sports to find the best athlete to wear every number. 34 with the Lakers, and that was an incredible run. Thats enough to outduel Larry Bird, much to the chagrin of Celtics fans. 81. The NFL and NHL have alsohad their fair share of famous athletes who wore 2 on their jersey like Matt Ryan and Brian Leetch. Who was the best football player to wear No. Cy Youngs 511 career wins certainly never will. He has more sacks, for example, with 137.5. 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. Jim Thorpe. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Martinez had a 1.74 ERA in 2000. He finished with a 2.86 regular-season ERA, and in 17 games (15 starts) in the postseason, he posted a 2.61 ERA and helped the Orioles to three World Series titles (the only three in franchise history, it should be noted). Even then, though, Woodson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Considered one of the best defensive players ever, Russell led the Celtics to a whopping 11 titles. We dont worship the rings, but we do admire true dominance. Still, Peyton is one of the all-time great NFL quarterbacks. Join our linker program. His 71 interceptions are third all time in NFL history, and the league wasnt super pass happy for his whole career. Too early? However, he led the American League in ERA twice and won a Cy Young in 1978. I've known people who couldn't tell an infield fly from a household pest who nevertheless held the Yankee Clipper in awe." Kramer played his entire career with the Packers, including winning the first two Super Bowls. The 30+ Top Athletes To Wear Jersey Number 1, Ranked By Fans COLLECTION What's Your Number? The Cincinnati Bengals dont have a storied franchise history, but they do have one of the greatest offensive tackles ever to their name. There arent many great 18s in sports history, though we will shout out Dave Cowens quickly. Ripken is best-known for his Iron Man streak of 2,632 consecutive games played (Lou Gehrig previously held the record at 2,130) but he also made the All-Star team 19 times and won the 1991 AL MVP, too. For years, there was a legitimate debate about who was better: Wayne Gretzky or Super Mario. Allen was actually named to the Hall of Fames All-Decade team in both the 90s and the 2000s. Pel was so much more. He has been ranked world No. How can you argue with the guy known as Mr. Speaking of guys who rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season, Dickerson still holds the record for the most rushing yards in a season with 2,105. With his incredible length, Hendricks blocked 25 field goals in his career. His career average: .344, tied for the seventh-best alltime. Oh, and he won six Super Bowls alongside Bill Belichick. Join our linker program. In 2015, he was an All-Star and won AL Comeback Player of the Year. He played for all four of the Steelers Super Bowl-winning squads in the 70s, and he was once named the Defensive Player of the Year on a team with names like Joe Greene and Jack Lambert. Mantle still wins. Honorable mentions: Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Manny Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, Barry Bonds. Roosevelt Brown; 80. As a hitter, though, he was excellent. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. He was also All-Pro in all five of those campaigns. Sometimes Owens personality overshadowed his play. We feel comfortable saying Gonzalez is the best tight end ever. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. Although Sweetness led the NFL in rushing yards only once, when he retired he led the league in career rushing yards, which he held onto until Emmitt Smith passed him. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Before he did that, it was an unthinkable feat. Why he's here: He's the only player to wear No. He was all over the field for the Bears and actually had 41.5 sacks in his career as well. Bettis is in the Hall of Fame, as is pitcher Gaylord Perry, but Perry wore a few numbers in his career. This was a battle of three linebackers: two in the Hall of Fame and one headed there. He helped change the position, showing that a tight end could be a de facto receiver out there. Do you have a blog? Despite only pitching those five full seasons, Dean still was elected to the Hall of Fame. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. Do you have a sports website? The NFL and NHL have also had their fair share of famous athletes who wore 2 on their jersey like Matt Ryan and Brian Leetch. Howe may have notched 801 career NHL goals, plus some more in the WHA, but Drew Brees could retire with a bunch of NFL records as well. Sure, Jeter is a tad overrated because he spent his entire career playing for the Yankees and was their captain. 2 Deion Sanders, CB, Florida State (1985-88) Focus on Sport/Getty Images. Sid the Kid has won the Hart twice for regular season MVP and, just as importantly, he has won the Conn Smythe for playoff MVP twice as well. 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. William The Refrigerator Perry was the beloved face of the Chicago Bears defensive line, but Dent was the true star of the bunch. Orr is the choice at number 4, for far more than the Stanley Cup-winning goal he scored for the Bruins in 1970. Hes still had an excellent career. Honorable mentions: Carl Yastrzemski, Yogi Berra, Willie Stargell, Joe Morgan. Detroit sports fans are going to be feeling pretty good here. Return to Top; Players. There wasnt much of a challenge to Bonds. The Czech sniper is third in career goals in NHL history, even though he took off a few seasons to go play in the KHL. 0:00. Unfortunately for him, he spent half his career in other numbers. Not that this was super easy. 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. 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. P.K. Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player. However, we are of the belief that Messi, Barcelona and Argentinas legend, is the best of the bunch. But Ruth is maybe the best baseball player ever. Yes, Sayers played only five seasons in the NFL, more or less. It was one of two Selkes he won, and for a time he even played defensemen for the Red Wings. Not only did he compile a 2.75 career ERA in the regular season, but the lefty had a 2.71 ERA in 22 World Series starts, and was a huge reason those Yankees teams won the championship six times. Were we really going to go with Mark McGwire? Hes only sixth in receiving touchdowns. Williams set out to be the greatest hitter that ever lived, and it's hard to argue he wasn't. Why he's here: No one at No. 35 the entire time. One guy who was hard to strikeout? 64 are even more umipressive than Bonifacio. Hes remembered wearing Nos. Why he's here: Not a lot to choose from. However, he retired in 1955, and thats just a different era of football. Always free! His on-base percentage: .482, the best ever. In spite of that, the Pitt Panthers product is second in career receiving yards and receptions. George Constanza thought Seven was a great name, Five of the most lopsided trades in NFL history, Giants banking on their prototype first-round pick, Kraken stun defending champion Avs in Game 7, Steph Curry puts on record-setting Game 7 show in win, Playoff Butler shows out in Game 1 win over Knicks, Phillies manager provides update on Harper's return, MLB implements unusual rule to avoid pitch clock violations, Former Giants wonder if Rodgers can handle NY media, Brooks fined for dodging media, has no regrets over LeBron comments, Zac Taylor on Joe Mixon: 'His future is here with the team'. Why hes here: Mantle won three AL MVP awards and smashed 536 home runs during his legendary run with the Yankees, but hes still one of baseballs greatest what if? stories because of the injuries that plagued his 18-year career. Allen was known for his massive arms and incredible strength, which helped him become an elite offensive lineman. Why he's here: A two-time Cy Young winner who lead his league in ERA and strikeouts three times each, Santana was the clear choice here. Injuries caught up to Santana and will keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but at his peak he was incredible. That makes Wilt the Stilt the choice. Troy Polamalu, who wore 43, was a great safety, but hes not The King.. So when New York pulled off the massive deal to get Rodriguez, he switch to No. 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. 8 with the Indians and White Sox, but it wasn't available in Baltimore due to a certain future Hall of Famer. The heart and soul of the Yankees dynasties of the '50s, Yogi Berra won three MVP awards and had a seven-year stretch during which he never finished lower than fourth in the voting. His .651 winning percentage is 24th all time. Should we have just called him Mean Joe Greene? Shaquille ONeal wore No. Frankly, thats more impressive than anything Gibson did, and it was one of five times Pedro led the majors in ERA. Back in the day in soccer, starters wore Nos. He also started the trend of NBA teams taking risks on European players, which gave us Pau Gasol but also Darko Milicic. Honorable mentions: Lou Whitaker, Pee Wee Reese, Richie Ashburn, Why hes here: Jeters career was nothing short of amazing. The Babe was more than a baseball star and the most popular athlete of his era. Did you know that he still has more RBI than anybody in MLB history, or that hes third in hits? Both had their careers cut short by their bodies giving out on them. 47. "For nearly half a century after his playing days had ended, Joe DiMaggio remained a regal presence in the public eye, a species of American aristocrat. Michael Jordan changed the NBA. Why he's here: After just two seasons, the Cuban slugger has established himself as by far the best player at this number. Steph Curry is getting close to being the choice here. Apparently Pittsburgh Penguins history is filled with great players who wear unusual numbers. Honorable mentions: Warren Spahn, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa. 61 for more than a few seasons, and Hernandez is the best of the bunch. As a result of that popularity, many of the best players across basketball, baseball, and football have donned the number. Plus, there was the playoff heroics for the Diamondbacks and Red Sox. If 18 was an obvious choice, 19 was a brutal one. Allen currently ranks 12th in career sacks. Well, he could have been the first overall pick, and he still would have had a stellar career. You can follow him on Twitter @ChrisXMorgan. The best defensive player in the history of the game, Ozzie is No. Sure, Bourque wore seven until it was retired for Phil Esposito. 9. Return to Top; Players. Blyleven had to wait a long time after he retired, but he was eventually elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011. He spent almost the entirety of his career with the Cowboys, making six straight All-Pro squads. The Hall of Famer was an easy choice. 85 with a 0.45 WAR is good enough to beat out Che-Hsuan Lin. There is great, and then there is Joe DiMaggio. Hes not in the Hall of Fame yet, but he will be one day soon (he was just 23 votes shy of being part of the Class of 2016). Branca, a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, wore no. 8 and 24. Still, that was his number from 1980 until 1993, so he is our pick. 00 Jim Otto to No. Why he's here: The long-time Angels Reliever is the best of a so-so group who wore No. Jim Brown played nine seasons in the NFL and led the league in rushing eight times and rushing touchdowns five times. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. He made five Pro Bowls and led the league in sacks once. Then again, he played only nine seasons. Its not a beloved number, apparently. That being said, Cruyff is a legend in the world of soccer and helped make Total Football a reality. Derek Jeters #2 jerseys are still being sold to MLB fans years after his retirement,which shows just how much a number can mean to a player and how much a number can become synonymous with a player. Witten will never make the football announcing Hall of Fame, but hes on his way to the NFL Hall when he finally retires. And is No. So did Diego Maradona. However, just including his time with the Giants he had a .312/.477/.666 slash line with 586 home runs. Honorable mentions: Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey. This is one of those numbers where you dont even have to think for a second about who you are picking. Best all-time MLB players at each jersey number, 1-99, Best current players at each jersey number, 1-97. Enough said. The NBA also has a rich history of players to rock the number with champions like Kawhi Leonard,Kevin Garnett, andKyrie Irving all sporting the 2 on their backs. Yes, really. Phillips is the only player who has worn number zero in franchise history. In his 22-year career, the right-hander with a devastating curveball won 289 games, struck out 3,701 (that total is still fifth all-time) and pitched nearly 5,000 innings in the majors (4,970, to be exact). Weirdly, in the one season he won Defensive Player of the Year he wore No. Sure, he made only two All-Star teams, but in one season he won not just the Vezina but also the Hart. League: MLB The fact he wasnt Defensive Player of the Year that season was baffling. Sanders is perhaps the best running back ever. 1 all-time. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 1 through 11. Before him, defensemen were just that: defenders. Why hes here: Ruth was, without a doubt, the single most transformative player in baseball history. A full century after his career began, he is still the Babe Ruth of sports. Mathis also had a penchant for punching out balls, as he led the NFL in forced fumbles three times. But thats OK. Brett was a wizard at the plate during a 21-year career he even led the AL in average (.329) and doubles (45) in his Age 37 season that garnered 13 All-Star nods, the 1980 AL MVP (when he hit .390) and the 1985 World Series title for Kansas City (he hit .370 against St. Louis in the series). Pedro didnt pitch then. The Black Pearl earned that distinction by dominating South American soccer with a parade of spectacular goals -- he had a record 1,281 in his career -- and by leading Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, '62 and '70. For six years in a row he was named to the All-Pro team. Few players were as reliable while also being incredible on the court Hes the greatest Spur of all time and a 15-time All-NBA team member. Why he's here: The Hall of Famer is easily the best of an otherwise unimpressive bunch. Dan Donovan/MLB Photos via Getty Images; Ed Reinke/AP. He once had 20 sacks in a season and had 126.5 sacks in his career. (Keep reading to find out if we did.) See More by this Creator. 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. Joe DiMaggios 56-game hitting streak might never be topped. Since the other choices at 14 werent incredibly obvious, Bob Cousy, Pete Rose, et al, we decided to honor Cruyff here. He deservedly is in his sports Hall of Fame, unlike another guy who wore 47, Jack Morris. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. 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. 10: Lloyd Waner . Here are seven amazing athletes besides LeBron James to wear that number. In 67 career playoff games, Rose hit .321 and helped his teams to three World Series titles (1975-76 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies). He was able to just beat out the wide receiver Steve Smith. Why hes here: When you start to look through MLB records for switch-hitters, you begin to put Beltrans stellar career in perspective. We go from a Red Wings legend to the greatest Lions player of all time. He won five MVPs wearing No. Like Murphy, hes in his sports Hall, but he did it all in 55. He already has three MVPs and should have even more than that. Be it with Oklahoma City or Golden State, or even his one year in Seattle, Durant has worn No. There have been many outstanding athletes to dawn the number 23. Now that we are in the 80s, the decisions get a little bit trickier although, this was still an obvious choice. Eighty-eight years ago this week, the New York Yankees became the first professional sports team to permanently wear numbers on their uniforms. Hes the face of basketball to millions to this day. Thomas, though, is underrated. Their name most likely is on the back of that jersey, but so is something else. Tweet us @USATODAYSports and let us know. After his rookie season, when he had only eight sacks, Ware never failed to have double-digit sacks in a season in which he played at least 14 games. Michael Jordan. 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. Were talking about numbers. Shout out to Steve Heinze, the hockey player who wore 57 for the pun, but hes no match for Santana. Hockey? When you have a nickname like that, youve earned the right to be considered the greatest athlete to wear the No. A couple of notable goalies, Tony Esposito and Mike Richter, also wore this number. To purchase Any Given Number, go to SI.com/anygivennumber. He was also a two-time First Team All-Pro, so some thought he was the best tight end in the league in his time. Why hes here: Only Babe Ruth could have possibility overshadowed one of the greatest sluggers of all time. 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. 10. 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 . Well Hendricks was both. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Classic Type in answers that appear in a list Type in . Why hes here: Musial feasted on opposing pitchers during his 22-year career with the Cardinals. Stats: 1455 games played, 20.3 points per game, 12.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, League: NBA Uniform numbers hold a special place in telling the story of the sport, so we thought wed take a look at the best players (Hall of Famers in most instances) who wore each uniform number. Hes second in career whiffs behind only Nolan Ryan, who played forever. Mike Singletary was a formidable linebacker patrolling the field in the NFL. Jack Lambert was also fantastic. 8, but it was also the number he wore his first couple of years in the league. 22 currently, but he isn't the only one sporting that number. Probably before his iconic Coca-Cola ad. 9. 99, because it was a source of derision to don the number that Gretzky had made iconic. 61 at times but not with the Red Sox. You know a goalie carried his team when that happens. Peterson cant compete with that. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, April 30, 2:31PM. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Payton wore it during his entire career with the Bears. 12 will forever be synonymous, even though hes now a Buccaneer. Marichal won 191 games and rolled up a 2.57 ERA in 328 games (320 starts) during the 1960s for the Giants. The No. 88, and Eric Lindros may have been the choice if not for his unfortunate concussion issues. Honorable mentions: Minnie Minoso, Reggie Jackson, Bill Mazeroski. Magic Johnson? LT was named Defensive Player of the Year three times with the Giants. Peterson has more rushing yards anad rushing touchdowns, and he once ran for over 2,000 yards in a season. And what other big-shot athletes have donned the numeral.". Why he's here: An excellent starter, Eckersley became an elite reliever with the A's in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 96 for four seasons. So instead, were going with Theodore, who wore an odd number for a goalie. 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. Nevertheless, Chamberlain wore 13 throughout his NBA career. 81 with the Patriots when he was setting NFL records. We end where you knew we would. Eventually, Johnson would take the title of the top driver on the NASCAR circuit. He wore it when he scored 100 points in one game. Lots of options here. The NBA also has a rich history of players to rock the number with champions like Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Garnett, and Kyrie Irving all sporting the 2 on their backs. 1 So with all due respect to hockeys Terry Sawchuk, were going with the Italian soccer legend Buffon, who is arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever, depending on how you feel about Lev Yashin, who played in a different era of the sport. While he had brief stints in other numbers, during the bulk of his career, including his time with the Braves, he wore No. The seven-footer teamed with Larry Bird and Kevin McKale in the iconic frontcourt that led the Celtics to three NBA titles in the 1980s. A total of 25 players choose 22 as . The Swede was the best offensive defenseman in the NHL, routinely racking up over 60 points. Still, we cant deny the Minister of Defense. 81 for more than a season. No other player wore it for than one. Pete Maravich wore 44. Vote up your favorite athletes to wear the number 2, then head over and check out some other iconic jersey numbers, including thebest players to wear No. No player in NHL history has more goals, assists or points. He was also the captain when the Wings ended their 40-year Cup drought. However, Greene was the face of the Steel Curtain defense, being named Defensive Player of the Year twice. In Game 7 of the 1934 World Series, Dean threw nine shutout innings to help Gashouse Gang to the championship. Dallas Mavericks ( 88, 90) Al-Farouq Aminu. Orr hurt his knee, while Gehrig tragically developed ALS, known colloquially to this day as Lou Gehrigs disease. Bearing in mind LeBron wore No. His highlight reel is unparalleled.
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