What number is on your uniform and why...

......did you pick that number?

I think its really cool how animated kids get about what # they wear.

Hook TBR up with some stories.

Fishman was #26 in college because #4 was taken by the guy who broke every cotten picken record at that school, and ended up in the MLB with 2 different world series appearances, AND, was Jose Cansecos back up.
So, there you go, Yep the fishmans claim to fame, The back up to the back up of Jose Canseco!

BTW, #4 was my dads # at WFU.

Fish

 

My daughter wears 35. The reason is because when we first got into travel ball a list was sent out of all the numbers that were already taken. It looked like the numbers from 1-20 were real popular and especially 1-9. She picked 35 because she felt like she could always get that number. Hey, this is not much of a reason to pick a number, but so far she has always gotten it if she had a say in the matter.

 

Brought to you by the number....5

She got #5 for Varsity softball. It was ironic because she had picked three other numbers after she made the team. The #5 was her Dad's old Church League softball number, and the old jersey she wore as a nightgown for years. So when she came home with Varsity jersey #5 after picking three others it was quite a surprise to all of us. Her other numbers in TB were #49, #9, and #11, and she guest played with numbers #5, #22, #00, and #8 (was a #3 but had to duct tape a #8 because another player had #3). The number #22 was always kind of special because that is her birthday. Oh...I forgot...The weekend she guest played with #22 the player who owned that number showed up the next day for the tournament, so my DD got #00 duct taped into #88 because #00 was pitching. She did get the #00 in another guest play just in case you are counting. She is listed on her current TB team's roster as #23, but she had jersey #5 again at last weekends tournament in Burlington. Not one of these numbers did she get to pick, but she seems the happiest with good old #5.

 

Hmmm...

We had try outs and I had a kid who we thought was going to be OK so we asked her on. Her dad called/emailed 5 times to ask what he could do to get the number 17, which belonged to a decent (HA) pitcher named Kristen Murphy.

I politley asked him (the first 3 times) to ask her to pick another. He tried a
4th time, said she couldn't function without it, I suggested she was a good enough player without that, and asked him to have her pick another.

The last time he emailed me asking me what it would take to get it, I cut her (and the family) on the spot.

If a number is that big of a deal, most of the time, she ain't know player. sorry.

I told mine more than once, get over it and pick another.

 

Well, I have to put my two cents worth in here. If the top pitcher in the state wanted a new number I think they would get it, no matter who has the number now. I don't think it's who you are or who you play for. It's how good you are! If a team wants you bad enough, they will give you what you want.

 

That could happen. But what if she then wanted, for instance, another player on the team to carry her bat bag for her? Then one might question the reasoning behind taking away something (the uniform number) that belonged to someone else. That number could mean as much to another player.

Maybe at the professional level but not below that. Otherwise, "team" wouldn't be a good description.

 

Solved

We solved the number issues, we buy uniforms 0-17 and various sizes and that is what our kids wear. It has worked well and actually at 18U level, I have not had issues with numbers except as someone said the marginal player!

 

You play for the name on the front--not the number on the back--or something like that

 

Doesn't matter

I had the same number in school from the 8th grade till I got to the 11th grade. The # 5. My Jr. year I was on varsity and the Sr. got their numbers first. One Sr told me that the #5 was his. Had no problem with it and was planning on getting another #. For some reason he would not let it go and the day we got uniforms he kept on and on about it. After getting his 5 he even held it up in front of me waving it. I am usually pretty laid back about everything. My turn came and I seen the #10 had not been taken yet. So, I got it and held it up to the Sr and told him that I got the #10 because I'm twice the player you are. Everybody busted out laughing. There were not many that liked that guy anyway. Kept the #10 whenever possible since.

 

Numbers

I don't let mine choose. They get what I give them. It's based on size and order, however, Once a person graduates, a junior can ask for that number, but by then they have had the same number for 3 years so they have become attached to it. We don't have any repeat numbers on the JV and Varsity teams. They have the exact same uniforms so we know exactly what we have, and when we do a program, or move someone up to varsity it is always good. So if you've been #8 for 3 years chances are you don't want to be #3 your senior year.