17 (number) - in Sports

In Sports

• The most famous Ford number in the V8 Supercar championship, Driven by Dick Johnson to bring 5 Australian Touring Car Championships to his name. Now driven by son Steven Johnson.
• The number of a car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owned by Roush Fenway Racing since 1999, Matt Kenseth has driven the car since its debut in 1999 until 2012. Consideration of replacing the number with the traditional Roush #6 for the 2013 season with new driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. has been considered.
• From 1987 until 2001, Hendrick Motorsports has used #17 for various drivers in the NASCAR Hall of Fame from 1987-90, and for a satellite team from 1991-92. It was also used by the team owner's son, who died in 2004.
• The jersey number 17 has been retired by several North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats or other key figures:
  • In Major League Baseball:
    • The St. Louis Cardinals, for Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean, who also had a notable career as a broadcaster for the team.
  • In the NBA:
    • The Boston Celtics, for Hall of Famer John Havlicek.
    • The Golden State Warriors, for Hall of Famer Chris Mullin.
    • The Los Angeles Lakers have not retired #17. However, the team has honored the number for Hall of Famer Jim Pollard, who wore it when the franchise was the Minneapolis Lakers.
  • In the NHL:
    • The Carolina Hurricanes, for Rod Brind'Amour.
    • The Edmonton Oilers, for Hall of Famer Jari Kurri.
  • No NFL team has retired the number.
• The number that footballer Marc-Vivien Foé wore for the French clubs Lens and Lyon, retired by both clubs after his death from heart failure during a semifinal match in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. Foé also wore the 17 shirt for the Cameroon national team at the time of his death.