12 (number) - in Sports

In Sports

In the rugby codes:

• In rugby union:
  • One of the starting centres, most often but not always the inside centre, wears the 12 shirt.
  • The competition that was founded in 2001 as the Celtic League changed its name in 2011 to Pro12, reflecting its status as a 12-team league after it expanded in 2010 to include teams from Italy.
  • The Southern Hemisphere competition now known as Super Rugby was known from 1996 through 2005, an era in which it had 12 teams, as Super 12.
• In rugby league, one of the starting second-row forwards wears the number 12 jersey in most competitions. An exception is in the European Super League, which uses static squad numbering.
• In rugby (union) sevens, the IRB Sevens World Series had 12 "core teams" that competed in all events through the 2011–12 edition. The number will increase to 15 starting in 2012–13.

In both soccer and American Football, the number 12 can be a symbolic reference to the fans because of the support they give to the 11 players on the field. Texas A&M University reserves the number 12 jersey for a walk-on player who represents the original "12th Man", a fan who was asked to play when the team's reserves were low in a college American football game in 1922. Similarly, Bayern Munich, Hammarby, Feyenoord, Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo, Seattle Seahawks, Portsmouth and Cork City do not allow field players to wear the number 12 on their jersey because it is reserved for their supporters.

The jersey number 12 has been retired by several North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats (or, in one case, a team's fans):

• In Major League Baseball:
  • The Tampa Bay Rays, for Hall of Famer Wade Boggs.
  • The Toronto Blue Jays, for Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar.
• In the NFL:
  • The Buffalo Bills, for Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.
  • The Miami Dolphins, for Hall of Famer Bob Griese.
  • The New York Jets, for Hall of Famer Joe Namath.
  • The San Francisco 49ers, for John Brodie.
  • The Seattle Seahawks, for their fans (the "12th Man").
  • The Dallas Cowboys have a policy of not retiring numbers. However, the team has not issued #12 since the retirement of Hall of Famer Roger Staubach.
  • The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have a policy of not retiring numbers, having retired only one number (70) in their earlier history. However, the Steelers have not issued #12 since the retirement of Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.
• In the NBA:
  • The Cincinnati Royals, for Hall of Famer Maurice Stokes, who suffered a career-ending head injury in 1958, the team's first season in Cincinnati. The franchise continues to honor the number in its current incarnation as the Sacramento Kings.
  • The New York Knicks, for Dick Barnett.
  • The Utah Jazz, for Hall of Famer John Stockton.
• In the NHL:
  • The Detroit Red Wings, for Hall of Famer Sid Abel.
  • The Montreal Canadiens, for Hall of Famers Yvan Cournoyer and Dickie Moore.
  • The Vancouver Canucks, for Stan Smyl.
• The jersey number 12 has also been retired by the men's basketball program of the University of North Carolina for Phil Ford.

In Canadian football, 12 is the maximum number of players that can be on the field of play for each team at any time.

In ten-pin bowling, 12 is the number of strikes needed for a perfect game.

In curling, the House or the circular scoring area, is 12 feet in diameter.

In cricket, another sport with eleven players per team, teams may select a "12th man", who may replace an injured player for the purpose of fielding (but not batting, bowling or keeping wicket).

In association football, 12 was also the number of teams in the finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup in its first two editions in 1991 and 1995.