It's All In The Numbers

It's dangerous when I get an idea in my head. It all started with a simple thought. Who were the greatest White Sox players at their uniform number? See, I told you it was a dangerous thought. This simple thought turned into a full scale search.

I excluded managers and coaches. I tried to find the White Sox player that most exemplified the uniform number that he wore. Some players wore more than one number. So, if they were squeezed out of one number because the competition was fierce, they may have had a shot at another number. A single player could not have two different number spots. Once a player was written in at a number, he was stuck there.

Another interesting problem was that not every uniform number has been used. What about the players before numbers were issued on the backs of uniforms? Well, they are SOL. They could be the best player in a White Sox uniform, but for the purpose of this exercise, they don't count.

0 – Oscar Gamble
1 – Jim Landis
2 – Nellie Fox (Retired)
3 – Harold Baines (Retired)
4 – Luke Appling (Retired)
5 – Bill “Moose” Skowron
6 – Jorge Orta
7 – “Jungle” Jim Rivera
8 – Albert Belle
9 – Minnie Minoso (Retired)
10 – Sherm Lollar

11 – Luis Aparicio (Retired)
12 – Ed Herrmann
13 – Ozzie Guillen
14 – Paul Konerko
15 – Dick Allen
16 – Ted Lyons (Retired)
17 – Chico Carrasquel
18 – Rocky Colovito
19 – Billy Pierce (Retired)
20 – Joe Horlen

21 – George Bell
22 – Ivan Calderon
23 – Robin Ventura
24 – Early Wynn
25 – Tommy John
26 – Earl Battey
27 – Greg Hibbard
28 – Wilbur Wood
29 – Jack McDowell
30 – Magglio Ordonez

31 – Hoyt Wilhelm
32 – Alex Fernandez
33 – Mike Sirotka
34 – Eddie Fisher
35 – Frank Thomas
36 – Jim Kaat
37 – Bobby Thigpen
38 – Norm Cash
39 – Roberto Hernandez
40 – Wilson Alvarez

41 – Tom Seaver
42 – Ron Kittle
43 – Gary Peters
44 – Chet Lemon
45 – Carlos Lee
46 – Eddie Robinson
47 – Matt Karchner
48 – Ralph Garr
49 – Rich Dotson
50 – Barry Jones

51 – Jason Bere
52 – Jose Contreras
53 – Dennis Lamp
54 – Rich “Goose” Gossage
55 – Brandon McCarthy
56 – Mark Buehrle
57 – Shawn Hillegas
58 – Matt Ginter
59 – John Snyder
60 – Rocky Biddle

61 – Jesus Pena
62 – Ehren Wassermann
63 – Ryan Bukvich
64 – no player has worn this number in an official game to my knowledge
65 – Kelly Wunsch
66 – Carl Fischer
67 – John Danks
68 – Doug Lindsey
69 – no player has worn this number in an official game to my knowledge
70 – Rich Sauveur
71 – Scott Linebrink
72 – Carlton Fisk (Retired)
73 - Tony Phillips

You may bicker and argue all you like. Any arguments for better suggestions at each number, please leave in the comment section. You will probably go, "Who?", to a few selections. That's understandable. Some players are not of this era of baseball and some players are the only player to wear that number, so far. I am not aware of any number past 73 in an official game. There have been some odd numbers in Spring Training games, but I am not counting those. I'm not counting exhibition games either. So, Michael Jordan does not qualify.

Any player that has had his number retired by the White Sox automatically got that number and is noted in parenthesis that it is retired. Despite being retired throughout baseball, Jackie Robinson never played for the White Sox, so he is not eligible for the 42 spot.