George Brett and company: uniform numbers of KC’s greatest athletes from Nos. 00-9
The concept of numbers on uniforms is about a century old.
Cleveland was the first baseball team to put numbers on a baseball uniform, in 1916, on the players’ left sleeves. But that only lasted a few weeks. In 1929, Cleveland and the New York Yankees stitched on numbers, and in a few years every player would be identified numerically.
Baseball was the first sport to normalize uniform numbers, and the first to have its stars identified by their digits — Babe Ruth was No. 3, Lou Gehrig was No. 4.
The NFL started putting numbers on jerseys shortly after the league was founded in 1920. That’s about the time numbers were appearing widely on college football and basketball teams.
In Kansas City, the Negro Leagues’ KC Monarchs and minor-league Blues predated the arrival here of Major League Baseball in 1955, but nearly every team fielded in the City of Fountains wore uniforms with numbers on them. College squads, too.
That provided an abundant supply of great athletes from which to choose in our Who Wore it Best project. Here is the final installment, numbers 00 to 9.
00
Enzo DeiPede: All-star goalkeeper for popular Comets soccer teams of the 1980s.
0
Drew Gooden: NABC Player of the year 2002 for Kansas.
Jacob Pullen: Kansas State’s career scoring leader in hoops.
Frank Mason: Consensus 2017 national basketball player of the year for KU.
1
Nate “Tiny” Archibald: Greatest KC King led NBA in scoring, assists in 1973 (also wore No. 10).
Cookie Rojas: Royals’ four-time All-Star second baseman.
Phil Ford: 1979 NBA rookie of the year for Kings.
Arturs Irbe: Goaltender for KC Blades’ 1992 Turner Cup championship team.
Tony Meola: KC Wizards goalkeeping great was league, MLS Cup MVP in 2000.
2
Freddie Patek: Three-time All-Star shortstop for the Royals.
Gino Schiraldi: Star defender of indoor soccer’s Comets in 1980s.
Alcides Escobar: 2015 ALCS MVP; 421 consecutive starts remains a Royals record.
Dustin Colquitt: Former Chiefs punter owns team record for career games played.
3
Newt Allen: Monarchs baseball great of the 1920s.
Roger Maris: All-Star with A’s before being traded to Yankees.
Jan Stenerud: First placekicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ned Yost: Best postseason winning percentage by a manager with at least 20 victories. Led Royals to two World Series.
4
Nick Collison: 2003 NABC player of the year for Kansas.
Terence Newman: Unanimous All-America defensive back for K-State in 2002.
Alex Gordon: Seven-time Gold Glover delivered one of Royals’ greatest home runs.
Becky Sauerbrunn: NWSL defender of the year for FC Kansas City women’s pro soccer team in 2014, 2015.
Devonte Graham: Kansas All-America guard led Jayhawks’ 2018 Final Four run.
5
George Brett: Greatest of Royals started his career wearing No. 25.
Matt Besler: Sporting KC legend and first Kansan to play in a World Cup.
6
Willie Wilson: MLB batting champ, stolen base leader, Gold Glove winner.
Peter Vermes: MLS 2000 Defender of the Year with Wizards now coaches Sporting KC.
Lorenzo Cain: 2015 ALCS MVP and a brilliant defensive outfielder.
7
Norm Siebern: Three-time All-Star for A’s in 1960s.
John Mayberry: Royals’ first star slugger.
Michael Bishop: Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1998 for Kansas State.
Collin Klein: Quarterback led K-State to 2012 Big 12 championship.
8
Nick Lowery: Chiefs’ three-time Pro Bowl kicker.
Mike Moustakas: “Moose” broke Royals’ single-season home run record in 2017.
Graham Zusi: Seven-time All-Star with Sporting KC; had two assists in 2014 World Cup.
9
Pepe Fernandez: MVP of North American Soccer League champs, KC Spurs, in 1969.
Wilf Paiement: Top goal-scorer in NHL Scouts’ two seasons in Kansas City.
Jeremy Maclin: Consensus All-America for Mizzou football in 2007, 2008.