Most retired jersey numbers?

[mgtr]

When reading the thread about Andre Dawkins number, I was wondering how many numbers a team can retire. As I figure it, there are only 56 numbers available in college ball (0 - 55). So, if a team over a large number of years retired, say, 40 numbers, then they would only have 16 left -- not enough, very likely. So I began to wonder how many numbers have various teams retired? I don't even know how many Duke has retired (way less than 40, maybe 15?). What about Kentucky or UCLA (although I think Coach Wooden had very stringent requirements for retiring numbers)?
I will guess that Kentucky has the most, but that is no more than a guess. Of course, it could be Ball State or some such place, but I limit my question to fairly major basketball schools (then or now).

[sagegrouse]

College basketball jerseys can have only the digits "zero" through "five." This totals 36 numbers, assuming the numbers '0' and '1' are given out. Duke has never had a player with either 0 or 1. Then I suppose there is '00.'

FWIW on TV the UNC rafters look like a fabric store. There are a lot of retired numbers. Duke has retired 13 jerseys.

If needed, then I suppose that certain "retired" jerseys go back in circulation, probably in historical order.

sagegrouse

[nicktonyg22]

Sagegrose beat me to the punch, but yes, there are only 36 possible numbers.

10, 43, 24, 35, 4, 23, 33, 32, 11, 44, 31, 22 and 25 are retired, and with the numbers 3, 13, 41, 51, 34, 53, 5, 21, 30, 12, 2, 42, and 55 taken, there really arent a ton of jersey options for players... if my calculations are correct, the only numbers available were 0, 1, 14, 15, 20, 40 (Harrison Barnes I hope!), 45, 50, 52, and 54.

He chose #20.

[-jk]

And to placate lazy programmers, you can't have both 0 and 00 on the same roster. For some reason, programmers want to treat uniform numbers as numbers rather that text. As if Hurley + Williams = Hill.

-jk

[mgtr]

Wow, shocked that I missed that obvious numerical issue. So, we have retired 13 out of about 36 possible numbers. Who has more?

[Bob Green]

Duke has never had a player with either 0 or 1.

Tyler Thornton wears #1 in high school so we might have our first #1 in 2010.

[sagegrouse]

Kentucky has retired 34 jerseys -- 34 with numbers (the others presumably predate uniform numbers). Wow! Number 44 has been "retired" three times: Cotton Nash, Dan Issel and Phil Grawemeyer. Numbers 10, 24, and 34 have been retired twice.

By comparison, UNC is parsimonious. It has only seven retired jerseys and six numbers. Antawn Jamison was the last. Presumably, Hansbrough will be added sometime soon.

The Boston Celtics have 21 retired jerseys, but are unconstrained by using digits zero through five only.

sagegrouse

[mgtr]

The Boston Celtics have 21 retired jerseys, but are unconstrained by using digits zero through five only.

sagegrouse

There is a great story about the old Boston Garden, when a member of another team asked how the rafters could hold up all those retired jerseys. A Celtic replied that they were counterbalanced by all the championship banners!

[El_Diablo]

If I remember correctly, the 0-5 constraint exists so that officials can signal all assigned fouls to the scorers' table with one hand. There's no real reason to prevent the NCAA from eventually opening up 6-9 (like the NBA).

[mo.st.dukie]

With Duke's "criteria" for retiring a jersey it will probably be a while before they have to start using already retired jerseys. G is a great example. Many thought two years ago that he would possibly be the next retired jersey but of course hasn't graduated and didn't win any national awards. Kyle certainly has the potential but again, if he blows up this year and gets 1st team AA (doesn't get NPOY) then decides to leave (all very possible) he of course wouldn't get his jersey retired. If Duke is lucky to get an NPOY caliber player chances are good that he will leave early.

[Cali-Duke]

Kentucky has retired 34 jerseys -- 34 with numbers (the others presumably predate uniform numbers). Wow! Number 44 has been "retired" three times: Cotton Nash, Dan Issel and Phil Grawemeyer. Numbers 10, 24, and 34 have been retired twice.

By comparison, UNC is parsimonious. It has only seven retired jerseys and six numbers. Antawn Jamison was the last. Presumably, Hansbrough will be added sometime soon.

The Boston Celtics have 21 retired jerseys, but are unconstrained by using digits zero through five only.

sagegrouse

I thought Hansbrough's jersey was retired after his junior year

[sagegrouse]

I thought Hansbrough's jersey was retired after his junior year

UNC apparently has 34 "honored" jerseys, which hang in the rafters but only seven "retired" jerseys.

You are correct about Hansbrough, when it was announced last year because of his POY awards, his jersey would be retired when he graduated. It has hasn't happened officially.

But 34 honored jerseys --that's a lot of laundry in the rafters.

sagegrouse

[NSDukeFan]

With Duke's "criteria" for retiring a jersey it will probably be a while before they have to start using already retired jerseys. G is a great example. Many thought two years ago that he would possibly be the next retired jersey but of course hasn't graduated and didn't win any national awards. Kyle certainly has the potential but again, if he blows up this year and gets 1st team AA (doesn't get NPOY) then decides to leave (all very possible) he of course wouldn't get his jersey retired. If Duke is lucky to get an NPOY caliber player chances are good that he will leave early.

If Kyle (or other future players) were to get a national honor (hopefully), leave for the NBA (hopefully not), but come back during the summer(s) to get his degree, would he be able to have his number retired?

[hurleyfor3]

And to placate lazy programmers, you can't have both 0 and 00 on the same roster. For some reason, programmers want to treat uniform numbers as numbers rather that text. As if Hurley + Williams = Hill.

-jk

Some scoreboards have problems displaying 0 or 00 on those "player/foul/points" boards. The "player" field just ends up being blank, or 00 appears as 0, or vice versa. This is an issue if you have a 0 and a 00 on the court at the same time.

And the correct math is 11 + 33 = 2

[msdukie]

Tyler Thornton wears #1 in high school so we might have our first #1 in 2010.

From what I understand, as long as K is running the show, you aren't going to see a Duke player wear 0, 00, or 1.

[Bob Green]

From what I understand, as long as K is running the show, you aren't going to see a Duke player wear 0, 00, or 1.

Thanks! I didn't know that.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Kentucky has retired 34 jerseys -- 34 with numbers (the others presumably predate uniform numbers). Wow! Number 44 has been "retired" three times: Cotton Nash, Dan Issel and Phil Grawemeyer. Numbers 10, 24, and 34 have been retired twice.

The Yankees have retired jersey number 8 twice. First for Yogi and then for Bill Dickey, who played before Berra.

Every MLB team has retired #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. The only player currently wearing 42, by special dispensation, is future Hall Of Famer Mariano Rivera, Yankee reliever. When he retires, his jersey number will certainly be retired again by the Yankees.

Had Mike Dunleavy not left early, it was possible Duke could have had a double ceremony for #34, for both Dunleavy and Jimmy Spanarkel - as posted several times previously on this board, I suggested that idea to Nan late in MD's junior year, and she said that was an interesting idea. Of course, MD screwed that up.

[CameronCrazy'11]

12 will be the next to go if Kyle sticks around for a senior year.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

The Yankees have retired jersey number 8 twice. First for Yogi and then for Bill Dickey, who played before Berra.

Every MLB team has retired #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. The only player currently wearing 42, by special dispensation, is future Hall Of Famer Mariano Rivera, Yankee reliever. When he retires, his jersey number will certainly be retired again by the Yankees.

Had Mike Dunleavy not left early, it was possible Duke could have had a double ceremony for #34, for both Dunleavy and Jimmy Spanarkel - as posted several times previously on this board, I suggested that idea to Nan late in MD's junior year, and she said that was an interesting idea. Of course, MD screwed that up.

I thought that had Mike stayed for his senior year at Duke he would have been selected as first team All America plus National Player of the Year as well as having his jersey number retired. Who knows what would have happened had his dad not been something of a free agent then.