The story behind the shirts on their backs

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, July 3, 2002 | 9:25 a.m.

To sports fans, the number 23 will forever be associated with Michael Jordan, just as No. 99 conjures images of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky.

While some athletes wear whatever uniform number is given to them, others carefully choose their number for superstitious or personal reasons.

Of the 25 players on the Las Vegas 51s, infielders Phil Hiatt, Rick Bell and Joe Thurston were the only ones who asked for a specific number.

"If a certain number isn't available, then the lower the number, the smaller the jersey size," 51s clubhouse manager Rick Schweitzer said. "So if a particular number isn't available in a particular size, they'll choose a secondary number.

"If I have a player coming from (double-A) Jacksonville or on a rehab assignment, they get whatever number is available in their size."

In spring training, the Los Angeles Dodgers have players fill out a number preference list. Whoever has the most big league experience gets the first opportunity to write his name next to his preferred number. When camp breaks, Schweitzer gets the list, then assigns the leftover numbers.

Hiatt began wearing No. 23 in 1996 while he played in Toledo to honor his wife Misty, who wore the same number while playing center field at the University of West Florida.

"I hit 42 home runs that year and never stopped wearing it since," Hiatt said.

Bell's number of choice, 25, also runs in the family. He and brothers David and Mike wear the number worn by grandfather Gus, a former big league outfielder, and father Buddy, a former major league third baseman who managed the Tigers and Rockies, now a minor league consultant for the Cleveland Indians.

Rick had no problem securing the number, but it was off-limits to David, a second baseman with the San Francisco Giants, because it is the number worn by slugger Barry Bonds.

"Ever since we've been playing, we've tried to get No. 25," Rick said. "We try not to make a big deal about it though. If it's not available, we'll play in whatever."

That's the attitude of players such as outfielders Mike Kinkade and Luke Allen and pitchers Dennis Springer and Scott Aldred.

Allen said he wears a different number every season, while Aldred said of the No. 38 on his back, "I wear it because it fits."

When 51s manager Brad Mills was a player in college and with the Montreal Expos, his favorite numbers were 5 and 7. As a manager, he gravitated toward No. 9, the one he now wears.

"I always liked Ted Williams," Mills said. "And my college coach at Arizona, Jerry Kindal, wore it. I like the way it looks."

Same for outfielder Bubba Crosby, who puts on No. 34 each day.

"It was the last number they had here," he said. "I would wear No. 9. I like No. 9, but not for the historical reasons. I've just been wearing it since I was in pee-wee ball, then in high school and college."

Thurston wore No. 10, the same number worn by father Joe Sr., throughout Little League and high school. But as a freshman at Sacramento City College, he didn't have the seniority to pick No. 10, so he wore 30 because it was the newest and cleanest-looking jersey left. He hit over .500 his first season, over .400 the next.

"(No. 30) stuck ever since," Thurston said.