Talking numbers with Johnny Damon

April 11, 2008 by Benjamin Kabak 11 Comments

Baseball uniform numbers a curious thing. Some players wear numbers in honor of their home; Benny Agbayani’s number 50 comes to mind. Others wear numbers to make something of a statement; think about Bernie Williams, Puerto Rico and the number 51. Others wear numbers to honor their favorite players; Jason Giambi‘s 25 commemorates Mickey Mantle’s 7. Yesterday, Tyler Kepner got to talking with Johnny Damon and found out that the Yanks’ left fielder’s 18 is for Darryl Strawberry. Who knew?

Cam

Ben, heard anything about Horne yet? I know they said he would be evaluated this morning, but I haven’t seen anything yet. Just curious. Thanks.
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Nothing yet.
Joseph C.

Huh. I could have sworn I heard a story about Giambi’s jersey number. I heard that he picked #25 in tribute to McGwire, as Giambi really looked up to him in his younger playing days.
- steve
  
  nope its to honor the mick. when he was with oakland he wore 16.
Greg G.

My favorite recent number stories are that Ichiro wears 51 because of Bernie and Troy Tulowitzki wears 2 because Derek Jeter was his “favorite player growing up.”

“Growing up!” How can that be??? Jeter just won the Rookie of the Year like 2 years ago.

Man, I feel old.
- Count Zero
  
  So does this mean Ichiro wants Japan to be the 51st state? I’m so confused…
andrew33

from your previous post – the yankees won in 2000 when denny nealge was on the team – but i’m being picky

i enjoy the site – great job
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  That’s my point. They haven’t won since Denny Neagle was on the team. Once he left after 2000, they stopped winning. Ergo, the Curse of Denny Neagle.
http://www.pinstripealley.com jscape2000

Was Bernie’s 51 a political statement? I’d never heard that before.

Hanley Ramirez and BJ Upton both wear number 2 to honor Jeter.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  I don’t know for sure if Bernie’s 51 was a political statement. That’s an educated guess my dad and I put together over the years. It’s just a hunch.
  - http://www.nosenseworrying.com/ Jen
    
    I always heard that 51 was just the number he was issued by the team and he never bothered to change it. Almost like a statement of his struggles to stay with the big club early on in his career. Since he was a mid-season call up I don’t know how much of a say he had in choosing his number. I don’t know if it’s true, but I seem to remember someone talking about it on a game broadcast.
    
    But the political statement theory is intriguing.