13 (number) - in Sports

In Sports

In rugby league:

• Each side has 13 players on the field at any given time.
• The jersey number 13 is worn by the starting loose forward or lock forward in most competitions. An exception is in the European Super League, which uses static squad numbering.

The jersey number 13 has been retired by several North American sports teams, usually in honor of past playing greats:

• In Major League Baseball:
  • The Cincinnati Reds, for Dave Concepción.
• In the NBA:
  • The Charlotte Hornets, for Bobby Phills, who died in a 2000 auto accident while playing for the team. The franchise continues to honor the number in its current identity as the New Orleans Hornets.
  • The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia 76ers, all for Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.
  • The Portland Trail Blazers, for Dave Twardzik.
  • The San Antonio Spurs, for James Silas.
• In the NFL:
  • The Miami Dolphins, for Hall of Famer Dan Marino.
  • The New York Jets, for Hall of Famer Don Maynard.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL have a policy of not retiring numbers unless the number's bearer either died or suffered a career-ending incident while a member of the team. Other players whose numbers would otherwise be retired instead have their numbers enshrined by the team as "Honoured Numbers", which remain in circulation for future players. The number 13 is currently honoured for Mats Sundin, who will formally enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2012.

In Formula One, the number 13 is not used. As such, the numbering goes 11, 12, 14, 15 under the current numbering system.

In U.S. college athletics, schools that are members of NCAA Division I are allowed to provide athletic scholarships to a maximum of 13 men's basketball players in a given season.

In rugby union, the jersey number 13 is worn by one of the two starting centres, usually the outside centre but sometimes the inside centre.

The number 13 is the most-commonly registered jersey number in modern roller derby.