Favorites By The Number…Part One

I have been a sports fanatic since the early 1960s. From that period to the present, many athletes have become personal favorites of mine. Since there is a lull in the sports scene right now, I have decided to do a few columns that will feature those athletes. Being a fan of lists, this is the manner in which I will present them. Also, being somewhat anal retentive, the list will be done numerically, using the player's uniform number. Here are my first 20.

#1 - Oscar Robertson, Milwaukee Bucks. The "Big O" led the Bucks to their only NBA Championship in 1971.

#2 - Junior Bridgeman, Milwaukee Bucks. This former Buck has become a prominent figure with the Wendy's corporation.

#3 - Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves. This former catcher became a five-tool center fielder that won MVP awards for the Braves in 1982 and '83.

#4 - Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers and Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks. This number is dead even for me. Both are all-time greats in their respective sports. Conspicuous by his absence is a certain #4 that now plays football on the other side of the Mississippi River.

#5 - Paul Hornung, Green Bay Packers. The "Golden Boy" was Vince Lombardi's favorite and my first real sports hero ever.

#6 - Sal Bando, Milwaukee Brewers, Carl Furillo, Brooklyn Dodgers, Tony Lazzeri, New York Yankees and Rico Petrocelli, Boston Red Sox. I don't really have a favorite number 6, so I chose four Italian-American baseball players that wore it.

#7 - Reggie Dunlop, Charlestown Chiefs. Aging player/coach for the Chiefs in the movie Slap Shot. I am also a big fan of the actor who portrayed Reg - Paul Newman. R.I.P. Paul.

#8 - Cam Neely, Boston Bruins. NHL star that was the first winger that I ever heard referred to as a "power forward". And he was!

#9 - Randy Hundley, Chicago Cubs. The "Rebel" was my very first baseball favorite. His given name is Cecil Randolph Hundley.

#10 - Ron Santo, Chicago Cubs. Although I now despise everything about the Cubs, I have to admire what this man has overcome in his life. He is a real fighter.

#11 - Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers. Another NHL great that played forever.

#12 - Zeke Bratkowski, Green Bay Packers. Zeke was Bart Starr's backup on the greatest team ever. He accomplished this despite being drafted originally by the hated Chicago Bears.

#13 - Chester Marcol and Chris Jacke, Green Bay Backers. A couple of kickers that made watching the Green and Gold fun, albeit for different reasons.

#14 - Brendan Shanahan, Detroit Red Wings (primarily). Yet another NHL guy makes my list. Shanahan not only "lights the lamp", but he will knock the snot out of you if you get out of line.

#15 - Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers. Starr was the field general for Lombardi's dynasty. His given name is Bryan Bartlett Starr. Bart is a remarkable, giving person who should be a role model for today’s young athletes.

#16 - Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers. Clarke was the captain and star center during the Flyers' "Broad Street Bullies" championship run.

#17 - Jim Gantner, Milwaukee Brewers. "Gumby" was as fierce a competitor as you would ever see. Now he does TV commercials for bad feet and not being able to hear. Huh?

#18 - Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh Pirates (primarily). Van Slyke was the first to tell everyone what they already knew - former teammate, Barry Bonds was/is a total jerk. Word Andy.

#19 - Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers. I still can see "The Kid" riding his motorcycle around County Stadium's warning track during the Crew's post World Series celebration. Yount won MVP awards as both a shortstop and a center fielder.

#20 - Gorman Thomas, Milwaukee Brewers. "Stormin'" was always a favorite. His down-to-earth demeanor and balls-to-the-wall style of play made him hard not to like. Now if he had only been healthy for game 7 against St. Louis…

That's my first 20. Next up will be numbers 21 through 40. Until next time…From The Booth.