Baseball is a beloved sport in the United States, with millions of fans around the world. Throughout the years, many great players have come and gone, and their legacies have been honored by the retiring of their jersey numbers. One of the most iconic numbers that have been retired is the number 21, which has a long and storied history in the sport. But is number 21 actually retired from baseball?
History of Number 21 in Baseball
Number 21 has been worn by several of baseball’s greats throughout the years, and has been associated with some of the sport’s most beloved figures. The most famous player to wear the number was Roberto Clemente, the Hall of Fame outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente wore number 21 from 1955 until his death in 1972, and it was retired by the Pirates shortly after his death in honor of his tremendous impact on the team and the game.
Since then, the number 21 has been retired by several teams in the Major Leagues, including the Atlanta Braves, the Oakland Athletics, the Philadelphia Phillies, the San Francisco Giants, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Each team had a great player who wore the number, including Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, and Tim Raines. These players all had a tremendous impact on the game, and their contributions are honored by the retirement of their jersey numbers.
The Retirement of Number 21 Across All Major League Teams
Despite the fact that the number 21 has been retired by several teams in the Major Leagues, it has not been retired across all teams. This is because the number is still being worn by players on various teams in the league. This includes players such as Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has worn the number since 2018.
Furthermore, the teams that have retired the number 21 have done so in honor of the specific players who wore it, rather than to honor the number itself. This means that each team can choose to retire a different number in the future if they so choose, as long as the player who wore it had a significant impact on the team and the game.
Conclusion
In conclusion, number 21 has been retired by several teams in the Major Leagues, but it has not been retired across all teams. Each team has made the decision to retire the number in honor of a specific player, rather than to honor the number itself. As such, the number 21 is still being worn by several players across the league.