How did Major League Baseball players get their number?

Answer 1

The New York Yankess during the 1920s were the first team to place numbers on the backs of their players' jerseys. (They have never placed their names on their jerseys). Originally, the numbers corresponded to the players' spot in the batting order (Babe Ruth batted third and wore number 3, Lou Gherig batted fourth and wore number 4 etc). Other major league teams eventually adopted numbers for their players and used the same system. Later on as players came and went the numbers were "recycled". Some teams "retired" a number, which meant that on one would ever use that number on that team again. Usually, position players (non pitchers) are given the lower numbers, while pitchers are given the higher numbers. Each team has its own particular set of requirements for assigning numbers to its players. Besides numbers retired by a certain team, all teams have agreed never again to assign number 42 to any player in honor of Jackie Robinson, who is credited with breaking the color barrier in MLB. Only Mariano Rivera, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, currently wears number 42, as he was grandfathered into wearing that number because it was assigned to him prior to the MLB agreement.