D.C. DIGITS
Brad Wilkerson has switched his jersey number to #7, which allows newcomer (which is of course a relative term for a relocated team)
Jose Guillen to wear #6. Hopefully, this change was not a result of any batting helmets being thrown around.
This got me to thinking about some D.C. sports
numerology. If Wilkerson plays as well as he did last year in Montreal, he is just about assured of being the second greatest #7 in D.C. sports history. I think you all know who the best #7 is (even if you don't like him) and sorry,
Yvon Labre, it is not you.
Here is a rundown of D.C.'s most notable by number, off the top of my head, more or less. It favors the Redskins since they have had many more players, more success, and higher numbers than other sports. However, it is a pretty good mix, I think.
0 - Gilbert Arenas, by default
1 - Eddie Yost, Senators catcher, manager
2 - Another tough one; Ralf Mojsiejenko? No, it turns out Roy Sievers wore 2 for the Senators
3 - Harmon Killebrew was starting getting good at the end of his D.C. years, so not him. Mickey Vernon wore #3 as well but I think you have to go with Mark Mosley, who was a vital part of championship teams.
4 - Joe Cronin
5 - Rod Langway
6 - Ali-Haji Shank? Calle Johansen? Nope, Joe Judge of the old Nationals
7 - Joe Theisman (nee Theezman)
8 - Johnny field goal, aka Chip Lohmiller
9 - Sonny Jurgenson easily over Frank Howard, Ted Williams, and Mia Hamm with Freddy Adu on deck.
10 - There has to be someone better than Jay Schroeder
11 - Elvin Hayes ('78 NBA title) edges Mark Rypien (Super Bowl XXVI MVP) for a better overall career.
12 - BONZAI! Peter Bondra, but I was pulling for Babe Laufenberg, perriennial third string QB.
13 - Not Max Zendajas or any Zendajas (the Gramatica's of the '80s) brothers for that matter
14 - Eddie Labaron over Brad Johnson, I guess
15 - Roy Lassiter? Bobby Convey?
16 - No one special, though Stan Humphries, Rich Gannon and Rodney Peete wore it before going to Super Bowls with other teams. Norm Snead wore this number and was most noteworthy for being sent to Philly for Sonny.
17 - Doug Williams over Billy Kilmer. Billy played longer, but never won a Super Bowl and fans were split between him and Sonny. Doug was briefly king of D.C. Forget Chris Simon ever worse this number.
18 - Craig Laughlin
19 - There has to have been someone better than Brendan Witt
20 - Josh Gibson of the Grays (should be retired, but Frank Robinson wears it now)
21 - Earnest Byner
22 - Steve Konawalchuk over Dino Ciccarelli
23 - Michael Jordan -- when Teddy E-mail gets Les Boulez, he'll retire it
24 - Champ Bailey
25 - Walter Johnson (never had a number as a player, wore it as a manager). As a player, Joe Washington deserves consideration.
26 - Paul Krause
27 - Ken Houston
28 - Darrell Green
29 - Mark Murphy because he is the only 29 I can remember
30 - Brian Mitchell over Bernard King
31 - Ken Jenkins, who returned kicks
32 - Dale Hunter with honorable mention to Buck Leonard
33 - Sammy Baugh. Honorable mention to Frank Howard, who kept wearing the number of someone more famous. More honorable metions - Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning and just because, Don Beaupre.
34 - Wild Thing -- Al Iafrate or Kevin Grevey? Iafrate was briefly famous, but Grevey has a pretty good sports bar in Merrified and won a championship.
35 - Calvin Hill
36 - Timmy Smith - the one game wonder!
37 - Olie Kolzig over Gerald Riggs
38 - George Rogers
39 - Otis Wonsley
40 - Another tough one; a lot of unspectacular Redskins come to mind.
41 - Wes Unseld
42 - Charley Taylor
43 - Find Larry Brown and punish him.
44 - John Riggins (no contest)
45 - Barry Wilburn
46 - anyone?
47 - Dick James
48 - Stephen Davis, another former Redskin who played in a Super Bowl.
49 - Bobby Mitchell
50 - Anyone?
51 - Monty Coleman
52 - Neil Olkawiez
53 - Jeff Bostic
54 - Not Pete Cronin
55 - Dikembe Mutumbo over Mel Kaufmann and Chris Hanberger
56 - Lavar Arrington
57 - Rich Milot over fellow Penn Stater Matt Millen
58 - Wilbur Marshall
59 - anyone?
60 - Chris Samuels, I guess
61 - LIVAN!
63 - anyone?
64 - anyone?
65 - Dave Butz
66 - Joe Jacoby - THEATERVISION!
67 - anyone?
68 - Pittsburgh native Russ Grimm or Pittsburgh transplant Jaromir Jagr
69 - Mark Schlereth
70 - The violent world Sam Huff
71 - Charles "Swanson's Hungry" Mann
72 - Dexter "currently paroled" Manley over Diron Talbert
73 - Trev Alberts' foil, Mark May
74 - George Stark
75 - Brandon Noble - I'll admit I am putting him in because he is a Penn Stater
76 - Manute! Oh wait, he wore that in Philly, here he wore #10.
77 - Adam Oates over Gheorge Muresan
78 - anyone?
79 - Jim Lachey
80 - Not Desmond Howard - Roy Jefferson
81 - Art Monk, who should be in the Hall of Fame already.
82 - Anyone but Michael Westbrook
83 - Pres. Reagan's favorite WR, Ricky Sanders
84 - Gary Clark
85 - Don Warren - he spoke at my middle school!
86 - Clint Didier
87 - Jerry Smith, though Downtown Charlie Brown wore it too
88 - Rick "Doc" Walker, but mostly for his post-Redskins career
89 - Terry Orr, the prototype "H-back," though Howard Cosell might say Alvin Garret.
I am not even boterhing with the 90s.
Disagree with me? Did I leave anyone out? Add your comments below...
Labels: BeltwayLand, Best of WWN, Capitals/NHL, DC United/MLS, History, Redskins/NFL, Sports, The District, Wizards/NBA
posted by WFY @ 8:07 AM |
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