Uniform numbers were used on a permanent basis by the Yankees and Indians in 1929, so that fans could tell who was who on the field. Those uniform numbers corresponded to the player's place in the lineup; those who batted leadoff wore number one, those who batted clean-up wore number four and so on.
This practice caught on and within a few years every team wore numbers. Shortly after it caught on, it began to change as numbers were retired by teams making the lineups impossible to complete thereby allowing players to wear other numbers not corresponding to the position in the lineup.
The following page is a comprehensive breakdown of every retired uniform number in the National League. Research by Baseball Almanac.
"How you played in yesterday's game is all that counts." - Robinson, Jackie. Hall of Fame Second Baseman. Class of 1962. Heroes for my Son. Meltzer, Brad. Author. Harper Publishing. 11 May 2010. Page 32.
Retired Numbers in the National LeagueEvery Number Retired by Every N.L. Team | A.L. Numbers |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Jackie Robinson (All MLB) | 42 | 2B | 04-15-1997 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Arizona Diamondbacks Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Luis Gonzalez | 20 | LF | 08-07-2010 |
Randy Johnson | 51 | LHP | 08-08-2015 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Atlanta Braves Retired Numbers(Includes Milwaukee Braves Retired Numbers) Click Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Hank Aaron | 44 | OF | 1977 |
Bobby Cox | 6 | M | 08-12-2011 |
Tom Glavine | 47 | P | 08-06-2010 |
Andruw Jones | 25 | CF | 09-09-2023 |
Chipper Jones | 10 | 3B | 06-28-2013 |
Greg Maddux | 31 | P | 07-17-2009 |
Eddie Mathews | 41 | 3B | 1969 |
Dale Murphy | 3 | OF | 1994 |
Phil Niekro | 35 | P | 1984 |
John Smoltz | 29 | P | 06-08-2012 |
Warren Spahn | 21 | P | 1965 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Chicago Cubs Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Ernie Banks | 14 | SS | 08-22-1982 |
Ken Hubbs * | 16 | 2B | 1964 |
Fergie Jenkins | 31 | P | 05-03-2009 |
Greg Maddux | 31 | P | 05-03-2009 |
Ryne Sandberg | 23 | 2B | 08-28-2005 |
Ron Santo | 10 | 3B | 09-28-2003 |
Billy Williams | 26 | OF | 08-13-1987 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Cincinnati Reds Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Sparky Anderson | 10 | M | 05-28-2005 |
Johnny Bench | 5 | C | 08-11-1984 |
Dave Concepcion | 13 | SS | 08-25-2007 |
Willard Hershberger ** | 5 | C | 1940 |
Fred Hutchinson | 1 | M | 1965 |
Ted Kluszewski | 18 | OF | 07-18-1998 |
Barry Larkin | 11 | SS | 08-25-2012 |
Joe Morgan | 8 | 2B | 06-06-1998 |
Tony Perez | 24 | 1B | 05-27-2000 |
Frank Robinson | 20 | OF | 05-22-1998 |
Pete Rose | 14 | IF | 06-26-2016 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Colorado Rockies Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Todd Helton | 17 | 1B | 08-17-2014 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Los Angeles Dodgers Retired Numbers
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Walt Alston | 24 | M | 06-05-1977 |
Roy Campanella | 39 | C | 06-04-1972 |
Don Drysdale | 53 | P | 07-01-1984 |
Jim Gilliam | 19 | IF-Coach | 10-10-1978 |
Gil Hodges | 14 | 1B | 06-04-2022 |
Sandy Koufax | 32 | P | 06-04-1972 |
Tommy Lasorda | 2 | M | 08-15-1997 |
Pee Wee Reese | 1 | SS | 07-01-1984 |
Jackie Robinson | 42 | 2B | 06-04-1972 |
Duke Snider | 4 | OF | 07-06-1980 |
Don Sutton | 20 | P | 08-14-1998 |
Fernando Valenzuela | 34 | P | 08-11-2023 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Miami Marlins Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Carl Barger *** | 5 | Executive | 04-05-1993 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Milwaukee Brewers Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Hank Aaron | 44 | OF | 10-03-1976 |
Rollie Fingers | 34 | P | 08-09-1994 |
Paul Molitor | 4 | 3B-DH | 06-11-1999 |
Robin Yount | 19 | SS-OF | 05-29-1994 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
New York Mets Retired NumbersClick Mets Retired Numbers For Franchise History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Keith Hernandez | 17 | 1B | 07-09-2022 |
Gil Hodges | 14 | 1B-M | 06-09-1973 |
Jerry Koosman | 36 | P | 08-28-2021 |
Willie Mays | 24 | CF-1B | 08-27-2022 |
Mike Piazza | 31 | C | 07-30-2016 |
Tom Seaver | 41 | P | 06-24-1988 |
Casey Stengel | 37 | M | 09-02-1965 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Philadelphia Phillies Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Grover Alexander | No Number | P | 04-06-2001 |
Dick Allen | 15 | 1B / 3B | 09-03-2020 |
Richie Ashburn | 1 | OF | 1979 |
Jim Bunning | 14 | P | 04-06-2001 |
Steve Carlton | 32 | P | 1989 |
Roy Halladay | 34 | P | 08-08-2021 |
Chuck Klein | No Number | OF | 04-06-2001 |
Robin Roberts | 36 | P | 1962 |
Mike Schmidt | 20 | 3B | 1990 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Pittsburgh Pirates Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Roberto Clemente | 21 | OF | 1973 |
Ralph Kiner | 4 | OF | 1987 |
Bill Mazeroski | 9 | 2B | 1987 |
Billy Meyer | 1 | M | 1954 |
Danny Murtaugh | 40 | M | 1977 |
Willie Stargell | 8 | 1B | 1982 |
Pie Traynor | 20 | 3B | 1972 |
Honus Wagner | 33 | SS | 1956 |
Paul Waner | 11 | OF | 07-21-2007 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
St. Louis Cardinals Retired NumbersClick Cardinals Retired Numbers For Franchise History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Ken Boyer | 14 | 3B | 05-20-1984 |
Lou Brock | 20 | OF | 09-09-1979 |
Jack Buck | -- | Announcer | 2002 |
August Busch, Jr. | 85 | Executive | 04-13-1984 |
Dizzy Dean | 17 | P | 09-22-1974 |
Bob Gibson | 45 | P | 09-03-1975 |
Whitey Herzog | 24 | M | 07-31-2010 |
Rogers Hornsby | -- | 2B | 1997 |
Tony La Russa | 10 | M | 05-11-2012 |
Stan Musial | 6 | OF-1B | 09-29-1963 |
Red Schoendienst | 2 | 2B-M | 05-11-1996 |
Ted Simmons | 23 | C | 07-31-2021 |
Enos Slaughter | 9 | OF | 09-06-1996 |
Bruce Sutter | 42 | P | 09-17-2006 |
Ozzie Smith | 1 | SS | 09-26-1996 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
San Diego Padres Retired NumbersClick Logo For Team History In Alphabetical Order |
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Steve Garvey | 6 | 1B | 1989 |
Tony Gwynn | 19 | OF | 08-13-2002 |
Trevor Hoffman | 51 | P | 08-21-2011 |
Randy Jones | 35 | P | 1997 |
Dave Winfield | 31 | OF | 04-14-2001 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
San Francisco Giants Retired Numbers
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Barry Bonds | 25 | LF | 08-11-2018 |
Orlando Cepeda | 30 | 1B | 07-11-1999 |
Will Clark | 22 | 1B | 07-30-2022 |
Carl Hubbell | 11 | P | 1944 |
Monte Irvin | 20 | OF | 06-26-2010 |
Juan Marichal | 27 | P | 1975 |
Christy Mathewson | -- | P | 1988 |
Willie Mays | 24 | OF | 1972 |
Willie McCovey | 44 | 1B | 1975 |
John McGraw | -- | M | 1988 |
Mel Ott | 4 | OF | 1949 |
Gaylord Perry | 36 | P | 07-24-2005 |
Bill Terry | 3 | 1B | 1985 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Washington Nationals Retired Numbers
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Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Gary Carter | 8 | C | 07-31-1993 |
Andre Dawson | 10 | OF | 1997 |
Tim Raines | 30 | OF | 06-19-2004 |
Rusty Staub | 10 | 1B-OF | 05-10-1993 |
Ryan Zimmerman | 11 | 3B | 06-18-2022 |
Name | Retired Number | Position | Date |
Retired NL Numbers | Research by Baseball Almanac |
Hank Aaron, Sparky Anderson, Rod Carew, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Reggie Jackson, Greg Maddux, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, and Casey Stengel have each had their number retired by more than one major league team.
* The Chicago Cubs retired #16 for Ken Hubbs after he died in a plane crash, then reactivated it in 1965.
** The Cincinnati Reds retired #5 for Willard Hershberger after his suicide, then reactivated it in 1942.
*** The Florida Marlins retired #5 for Carl Barger, the first team president, who died from an aneurysm during the 1992 Winter Meetings. On April 5, 1993, the day the Marlins played their first-ever regular-season game, the team retired the number in his memory, as his favorite player was Joe DiMaggio (who wore #5 in his career). When the franchise was renamed the Miami Marlins in 2012, they reactived the number.
Jackie Robinson was the first and only player whose uniform number (42) was retired by Major League Baseball (April 15, 1997).
Did you know that the St. Louis Cardinals organization has retired more numbers than any other National League team in history?