Here is the list of all retired baseball uniform numbers from http://baseball1.com/bb-data/bbd-run.html My feelings (using Zev’s ratings):
Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson 42 no question
Anaheim Angels
Gene Autry (Owner) 26 kind of sucking up, isn’t it?
Rod Carew 29 passable. Better for Minnesota.
Nolan Ryan 30 justified
Jimmie Reese (Coach) 50 don’t know this one. It seems to be a general “service to the club” award, not for his stats on the field.
Atlanta Braves
Dale Murphy 3 justified
Warren Spahn 21 justified
Phil Niekro 35 Passable
Eddie Matthews 41 Passable
Henry Aaron 44 no question
Baltimore Orioles
Earl Weaver (Manager) 4 justified
Brooks Robinson 5 justified
Frank Robinson (Player,Mgr.) 20 no question
Jim Palmer 22 no question
Eddie Murray 33 passable
Boston Red Sox
Bobby Doerr 1 passable
Joe Cronin (Player, Mgr.) 4 justified
Carl Yastrzemski 8 no question
Ted Williams 9 no question
Chicago Cubs
Ernie Banks 14 no question
Billy Williams 26 unjustified. A good ballplayer, but not a great one
Chicago White Sox
Nellie Fox 2 passable
Harold Baines 3 unjustified
Luke Appling 4 passable
Minnie Minoso 9 passable
Luis Aparicio 11 passable
Ted Lyons (Player, Mgr.) 16 unjustified
Billy Pierce 19 unjustified
Carlton Fisk 72 unjustified. It should be the Red Sox doing this.
Cincinnati Reds
Fred Hutchinson (Manager) 1 Passable, though his death from cancer was a factor here.
Johnny Bench 5 no question
Joe Morgan 8 no question
Ted Kluszewski 18 unjustified. Not much more than longevity.
Frank Robinson 20 justified
Cleveland Indians
Earl Averill 3 unjustified
Lou Boudreau (Player,Mgr.) 5 justified
Larry Doby 14 passable
Mel Harder (Player, Mgr.) 18 unjustified
Bob Feller 19 no question
Bob Lemon 21 justified
Detroit Tigers
Charlie Gehringer 2 justified
Hank Greenberg 5 no question
Al Kaline 6 justified
Hal Newhouser 16 passable
Florida Marlins
Carl Barger (Executive) 5 unjustified. What did he do on the field?
Houston Astros
Jose Cruz 25 unjustified
Jim Umbricht 32 unjustified
Mike Scott 33 unjustified. Only a couple of good years.
Nolan Ryan 34 no question
Don Wilson 40 unjustified. Sad the man died, but no.
Kansas City Royals
George Brett 5 no question
Dick Howser (Manager) 10 passable
Frank White 20 unjustified. Not enough of a star.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pee Wee Reese 1 justified
Tommy Lasorda (Player,Mgr.)2 passable
Duke Snider 4 justified. People forget that in the early years he was the equal of Mays or Mantle.
Jim Gilliam 19 unjustified. Longevity only.
Don Sutton 20 passable. Mostly longevity, though he’s in the HOF
Walter Alston (Manager) 24 justified
Sandy Koufax 32 no question
Roy Campanella 39 justified
Jackie Robinson 42 no question
Don Drysdale 53 justified
Milwaukee Brewers
Robin Yount 19 justified
Rollie Fingers 34 passable
Henry Aaron 44 passable, though this should only be Atlanta
Minnesota Twins
Harmon Killebrew 3 justified
Tony Oliva 6 justified
Kent Hrbek 14 passable
Rod Carew 29 justified
Kirby Puckett 34 justified
Montreal Expos
Gary Carter 8 passable, especially if he makes HOF
Rusty Staub 10 passable
Andre Dawson 10 passable
New York Mets
Gil Hodges (Player, Mgr.) 14 passable
Casey Stengel (Manager) 37 passable
Tom Seaver 41 no question
New York Yankees
I’ll skip these
Oakland Athletics
Catfish Hunter 27 passable
Rollie Fingers 34 passable
Philadelphia Phillies
Richie Ashburn 1 passable
Mike Schmidt 20 justified
Steve Carlton 32 no question
Robin Roberts 36 passable
Pittsburgh Pirates
Billy Meyer (Manager) 1 unjustified. Just service.
Ralph Kiner 4 passable
Willie Stargell 8 justified
Bill Mazeroski 9 passable, primarily on one particular home run
Pie Traynor (Player, Mgr.) 20 justified
Roberto Clemente 21 no question whatsoever
Honus Wagner (Player, Mgr.) 33 no question
Danny Murtaugh (Player, Mgr.) 40 unjustified.
San Diego Padres
Steve Garvey 6 unjustified. Garvey was a Dodger.
Randy Jones 35 unjustified. One Cy Young and he’s traded a few years later.
San Francisco Giants
Christy Mathewson - no question
John McGraw (Player, Mgr.) - no question
Bill Terry (Player, Mgr.) 3 no question
Mel Ott (Player, Mgr.) 4 justified
Carl Hubbell 11 justified
Willie Mays 24 no question
Juan Marichal 27 justified
Willie McCovey 44 justified
St. Louis Cardinals
These have been discussed.
Texas Rangers
Nolan Ryan 34 OK
