Others: Numbers worn--who gets the honor?

I read an article once in Sports Illustrated where one of the writers picked a sports figure for every number from 00 to 99. That is, he chose the player who wore that number who most deserved to wear the number. I'm not done with my list yet, but here are a few that jumped right out at me:

00 - Robert Parish
3 - Babe Ruth
4 - Bobby Orr (just beating Brett Favre and Lou Gehrig)
8 - Cal Ripken, Jr. (as much as I like Steve Young)
9 - Gordie Howe (by a hair over Ted Williams)
11 - Mark Messier
14 - Pete Rose
16 - Joe Montana
23 - Michael Jordan
25 - Barry Bonds
32 - Jim Brown (sorry, Magic Johnson)
33 - Larry Bird
34 - Walter Payton
51 - Dick Butkus
56 - Lawrence Taylor
58 - Jack Lambert
66 - Mario Lemieux
80 - Jerry Rice
92 - Reggie White
99 - Wayne Gretzky

I can't remember some players' numbers (like Bobby Orr and Roger Clemens). Also, I can't remember a lot of baseball players' numbers. For that reason, I was apprehensive about declaring some numbers (e.g., Barry Sanders as #20).

So, help me fill in the blanks!

I edited this list after finding out some players' numbers.


[Edited on 5/12/06 by BirdstheBest]

I thought of two more:

6 - Bill Russell
13 - Wilt Chamberlain

All you hockey fans out there, can you answer me this? Wasn't Raymond Bourque's number 77? If so, he should be on the list for that number.

12 - Johon Stockton All time leader in assists and steals, 2nd in minutes played. That's deserving.

and apologies should be made to the Mailman also at 32, but none at that number deserve it more than Brown.

20 - Barry Sanders
22 - Emmitt Smith
28 - Darryl Green
42 - Ronnie Lott

No, no, #22 does not go to Emmitt Smith. That one is reserved for The Rocket, Roger Clemens. As great as Smith was, the level of his greatness was not in Clemens's league. Emmitt won one MVP; Clemens won seven Cy Young awards.

As for #20, I want to give it to Sanders, but there is also Mike Schmidt. Sanders was amazing, yes, but does he rank in the top 20 in NFL history? I don't think so. Schmidt, however, definitely ranks in the top 20 in MLB history.

I will agree with Stockton at #12 for now, although I'll have to check baseball and football (quarterbacks) on that one. Terry Bradshaw? Roger Staubach?

Here's one I forgot about: #19 - Johnny Unitas

I know BHN has to have some opinions on this. He's the resident baseball expert. Where has he been lately? Perhaps working on some other mammoth brief.