Friday the 13th....The Day After

               

The Wade Blogs: Triskaidekaphobia : Top 13 players who wore No. 13

Triskaidekaphobia : Top 13 players who wore No. 13

This October is extra spooky considering it not only hosts Halloween but it also boasts a Friday 13th.

Sports players are known to be a supersitious bunch (after all this blogs name sake was known to eat the same exact chicken dinner during a hitting streak) but it is interesting to note that despite a general fear of the number some stars have been drawn to numero 13.

While the following 13 have embraced the number and made a name for themseleves it also interesting to note that each athlete in their own way had to endure a bit of bad luck. So with that in mind thewadeblogs.com uviels the following list of top 13 sports stars who dared to wear number 13.

1. Wilt the Stilt

Good Numbers: The Big Dipper is famous for putting up 100 points as well for the 20,000 number he claims who put out for him. Wilt also earned 4 MVPS along with 7 straight scoring crowns not to mention 2 championship rings during his storied career.

Bad Numbers: 1984...  year of Conan the Destroyer in which he played a supporting role alongside Ah-nold (actually we admit it is a guilty pleasure). Interestingly enough Chamberlain always wore a rubber band around his wrist due to a superstition.

How it all adds up: One of the greatest NBA stars ever. Not to mention Wilt was a great all-around athlete as he dabbled in track and field, volleyball, and even boxing. ( Check Wilt out playing the (softball) field at the picture at right.)

2. Dan Marino

Good Numbers: Undoubtedly one of the most prolific passers of all time Marino holds records in almost every category. Although his record 48 TDs in a season was recently eclipsed Dan the Man's rmarks are pretty impressive and might only be matched by Manning.

Bad Numbers: 0 Superbowl Rings. Also talk about the Pitts.. after a disappointing senior season in which he had tons of Heisman hype Marino would fall all the way to 27th in the draft with rumors of cocaine use running rampant.

How it all adds up: One greatest NFL QBs ever. If he had won just won championship we would have awarded him No. 1 on our list... instead we'll just send him a pair of isotoner gloves to show our love.

3. A-Rod

Good Numbers: Even in a down year the reigning AL MVP, hit .290 with 35 homers and 121 RBI

Bad Numbers: 24 errors were the most among AL third basemen. A-rod went 1-for-14 (.071) in the first-round playoff loss to Detroit and is 4-for-41 (.098) with no RBIs in his last 12 postseason games.

How it all adds up: Even if he does manage to stay healthy and make a run for Aaron's al-time home run record.. he'll still might be remembered most for not being able to hack it in the big apple.

4. Ralph Branca

Good Numbers: One of the reasons he claims to have worn the number 13 was to honor his family (which counted 14 children at the time minus his sister who had just past away). After starting the season with the Dodgers in the bullpen he would go onto to win 13 games in 1951 after winning 21 in 1947.

Bad Number: 2nd pitch in relief in 3rd game of a playoff. Branca gave up infamous 285 foot homer in the bottom of the ninth known as the "Shot Heard Around the World."

How it all adds up: Despite a prety good career Branca will always be known for being the unlucky pitcher on the losing end of one of baseball's greatest moments. Even to this day Branca won't let go of the fact that the New York  Giants we're supposedly stealing the Dodgers signs and Thompson was tipped off to his pitch.

5. Steve Nash

Good Numbers: 2 consecutive MVP awards

Bad Number: 2 consecutive bad haircuts... from surfer mop top to baldie... there has be some sort of happy medium.

How it all adds up: Outside of LaBlatt's Nash is def. the best import out of Canada (although did you know he was born in South Africa)

6. Omar Vizquel

Good Numbers: Won nine consecutive Gold Gloves (1993-2001) and a tenth in 2005. As of 2005, his .984 career fielding percentage is the highest of all-time for a shortstop in MLB history.

Bad Number: Lost in two attempts at the World Series.

How it all adds up: In an era of larger hitting shortstops like A-Rods, Jeters, and Ripkens Omar is a throwback and yet he continues to proved he is one of the best defensive shortstops ever.

7. Don Maynard

Good Numbers: in the 1968 AFL championship Maynard caught six passes for 118 yards and 2 and two weeks later he despite an injury he would help the jets to a 16 -7 upset over the colts

Bad Number: Selected No. 1 by the AFL's NJ Jets after being released by the New York Giants, he too would be hounded by the NYC press as became known about town as the  "NFL reject."

How it all adds up:  Broadway Joe and Maynard put the Jets on the map and incidently to this day are the only two players to have their numbers retired by the J-E-T-S. AFL/NFL/CFL aside Maynard put up numbers that would earn him a spot in Canton.

8. Dave Concepion

Good Numbers: 2 World Series Rings. 5-time All Star. Part of the legendary Big Red Machine and one best infields ever alongside Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.

Bad Numbers: Spent all 19 season with Reds which is prety admirable but considering he had to deal with Marge Shot not to mention Shotize's crap on the turf we'd have to classify his later years as trying.

How it all adds up: One best shortsops of the 1970s.

9. Kurt Warner

Good Numbers: The Arena League and Wolrd Football journeyman threw for a record 414 passing yards and 2 touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV .  He was Super Bowl MVP in 1999, becoming one of the select few to win both the League MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same year.

Bad Numbers: In four games with his new cardinal team in 2006 Warner has been thubs as he kept fumbling the center exchange. As result he recently relingusihed the reigns to Leinart.

How it all adds up: For a few years there Warner was one best QBs in the league. Although now it looks like he'll be hanging up his spikes, Kurt should look on the bright side at least his wife got rid her hair spikes (her new blonde hair can be seen here.)

Note:

• Warner's number 13 was retired by the Iowa Barnstormers as well as by the Amsterdam Admirals .
• Warner's number was actually 12 in high school, as his favorite quarterback growing up was Roger Staubach.

 

10. Michael Ballack

Good Numbers : 75 goals in 232 Games Played in Bundesliga. Ballack has always worn the number 13 shirt for every club that he has played for (Chelsea, Bayer Munich) as well as theGerman national team.

Bad Numbers : 119 minute (29th of extra time). Lost a heart breaker in extra time to the eventual champs Italy in the World Cup semis. Due to an injury Ballack would sit out the 3rd place match which his team would go onto win.

Other noteable "13"s in soccer Premier League include William Gallas formerly of chelsea

• Cristian Chivu of A.S. Roma
• Aliaksandr Hleb of Arsenal
• Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan
• Ji-Sung Park of Manchester United

 

11. Mats Sundin

Good Numbers: 1st european player to ever be chosen #1 in the NHL entry draft. Sundin is the only player in the to have scored at least 70 points (excluding lock-out shortened season ) in each of the last 13 seasons. 

Bad Numbers: 15 stitches. In the opening game of the 2005-06 season on October 5th, he took a puck to the face which fractured his lower orbital bone. He returned to the line up on November 5th, 2005, exactly one month after sustaining his injury.

How it adds Up: How Swede a career it has been for the Swedish team captain but many hockey heads tend to agree that Teemu Selanne might be the most talent number 13 currently sporting skates.

12. Smarty Jones (2004) / Forward Pass (1968) / Burgoo King (1932)

Good Numbers: Each horse started their respective triple crown campaign form the 13th gate at Churchill downs and would go on to win the Derby as well as the Preakness.

Bad Numbers: 3rd race... Belmont. Burgoo King won the Derby and Preakness, but was forced out of the Belmont with a bowed tendon–that effectively ended his racing career. Forward Pass won on a DQ at the Derby, and won in Baltimore, only to come in 2nd at Bemlont. Smarty Jones came in 2nd after going out too fast allowing a 36-1 shot to beat him by a length.

How it all adds up: If you win the from 13th gate at the Derby.. it is pretty much a sure bet you are going to lose the Triple Crown.

Also how it doesn't add up: thewade lost probably at least 13 hrs researching these facts, scouring horse numerous racing databases.

13. NASCAR #13

Good Numbers: In 2000 Robby Gordon had a pretty good year in car number 13 as he had one Top 5 and two top 10s earning him 1309 Nextel cup Points and in 1998 Musgrave won over $1.2 million in just seven races.

Bad Numbers: 0 wins in 30+ years.

How it all adds up: Despite having 25+ different drivers since 1975 no driver in car 13 has won a race.

Honorable Mention:

Glenn Robinson - Bucks (The Bucks didn't stop here as the Big Dog signed an unprecedented 10-year, $68 million contract in 1994 but the journeyman is now out of the NBA)

Lance Parrish - Tigers (Before their was Pudge.. it was hard to budge this Tiger from the plate)

John Sydahar - Bears (one last NFL players not to wear a helmet he was the Bears #1 choice in the first NFL draft in 1936)