Uniform Number (Major League Baseball) - Retired Numbers

Retired Numbers

The most legendary players, managers, or coaches on a team will sometimes have their uniform number retired, so that future players and coaches cannot wear those numbers with that team. Only the player with the retired number can wear that number if he returns to that team as a player or coach. Generally, such retirements are reserved for the very best, who in most cases, have impacted the entire league, and are most memorable.

The first Major League Baseball player to have his number retired was Lou Gehrig (#4). #4 and #5 have each been retired by 8 teams, more than any other number. The Yankees have retired a total of 16 numbers, more than any other team. The highest player uniform number to be retired was Carlton Fisk's #72, but the Cardinals retired #85 in honor of their one-time owner August Busch, Jr.. Though he never wore a uniform, that is how old he was at the time of the honor. The Cleveland Indians retired the #455 in 2001 in honor of "the fans", to commemorate the then-longest home sellout streak ever (although MLB does not allow any team to issue three-digit uniform numbers).

Eight players and one manager, Casey Stengel, have had their numbers retired with more than one team. Nolan Ryan had two different numbers (#30 and #34) retired between three different teams. Fisk's #27 from the Red Sox and #72 from the White Sox are both retired, as are Reggie Jackson's #9 and #44, respectively, by the A's and Yankees.

The New York Yankees have retired more numbers than any other team (15 numbers for 16 players), meaning that many Yankees players get higher numbers because there aren't enough low numbers left.

The Toronto Blue Jays traditionally have not retired numbers, but rather have an alternative method of honoring their players called the 'Level of Excellence'. They did finally retire a number in 2011 (Roberto Alomar's #12).