Sports superstitions: Wearing No. 13

Sports

Sports superstitions: Wearing No. 13

Athletes wearing jerseys with number 13.

Many athletes won't touch the number 13 when choosing a jersey, but some guys buck superstition (or try). Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (left) wears No. 13 because No. 3, his jersey of choice with former teams Seattle and Texas, is retired thanks to a guy named Babe Ruth.

Legendary Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino racked up numerous records and honors en route to making the NFL Hall of Fame in his trademark 13 but he never won the Super Bowl.

Chicago White Sox manager (and ex-Brave) Ozzie Guillen has always worn No. 13 and it's been fairly lucky for him. His ChiSox swept Houston in 2005 to win their first World Series since 1917.

Bobby Thomson's (23) "Shot Heard 'Round The World' walk-off homer in 1951 gave the New York Giants the pennant, breaking the hearts of Brooklyn Dodgers fans. It's one of baseball's most well-known moments but a lesser known fact is this: Dodgers reliever Ralph Branca (not shown) surrendered the fateful homer. Branca's jersey number? 13.

Closer Will Ohman (shown here with the Cubs, but most recently with the Braves) wears #13. It's not because his last name is pronounced "Omen," but because he's a fan of fellow jersey 13-wearer Billy Wagner.

Jersey #13 was lucky for QB Kurt Warner, who went from Arena League obscurity to NFL glory after he led the Rams to a 1999 Super Bowl victory. It proved lucky, sort of, again for Warner in the 2008 season when he led the Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII - where they lost to Pittsburgh.

The late Pirates legend Roberto Clemente is known for wearing No. 21 but was originally issued No. 13 by Pittsburgh.

Wilt 'The Stilt' Chamberlain wore No. 13 for Kansas, the Harlem Globetrotters and three NBA teams, saying the number was unlucky for his opponents but not for him. Chamberlain was named to 13 All-Star teams. Coincidence?

Jersey #13 didn't do journeyman pitcher Jeff Fassero any favors. He bounced around the minors until age 28, when he made it to the bigs. Fassero retired from MLB in '07 with a 121-124 W-L record.

Mets closer Billy Wagner made his MLB debut Sept. 13, 1995. But in an unlucky turn, the No. 13-wearing stopper will miss the 2009 season due to injury.

Rays' slugger Carl Crawford hasn't been hampered by wearing #13. The Rays went to the World Series for the first time in the club's history in 2008.

Omar Vizquel (right) has donned the No. 13 jersey for all of his games played at shortstop. He recently set the MLB record in the category. Vizquel has played for the Mariners, Indians and Giants, always wearing 13. He most recently signed a minor league contract with Texas.

Obviously, this guy's a hockey fan but we're guessing he approves of No. 13 jerseys on athletes from any sport. But will wearing #13 save their lives? Probably not.

1/13

Many athletes won't touch the number 13 when choosing a jersey, but some guys buck superstition (or try). Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (left) wears No. 13 because No. 3, his jersey of choice with former teams Seattle and Texas, is retired thanks to a guy named Babe Ruth.

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