22 (number) - in Sports

In Sports

• In rugby union:
  • The "22" is a line in each half of the field which is 22 meters from the respective try line. It has significance in a number of laws particularly relating to kicking the ball away.
  • In all international matches and almost all top-level league competitions, each team is allowed to name a squad of 22 players for a given match.
• In Australian rules football, each team is allowed a squad of 22 players (18 on the field and 4 interchanges).
• 22 is the number of players on the field in a football (soccer) match, and also the number of players on the field at any one time in an American football match.
• The jersey number 22 has been retired by several North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats:
  • In Major League Baseball:
    • The Baltimore Orioles, for Hall of Famer Jim Palmer.
  • In the NBA:
    • The Boston Celtics, for Hall of Famer Ed Macauley.
    • The Cleveland Cavaliers, for Larry Nance.
    • The Dallas Mavericks, for Rolando Blackman.
    • The Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, both for Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler.
    • The Los Angeles Lakers, for Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor.
    • The Lakers have separately honored #22 for Hall of Famer Slater Martin, who wore the number before Baylor when the team was the Minneapolis Lakers.
    • The New York Knicks, for Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere.
  • In the NFL:
    • The Baltimore Colts retired #22 for Buddy Young. Since the team's controversial relocation to Indianapolis, the current Indianapolis Colts have not retired any numbers, but continue to honor all numbers retired by the franchise in Baltimore.
    • The Detroit Lions, for Hall of Famer Bobby Layne.
    • The New Orleans Saints, for Tracy Porter.
    • The Dallas Cowboys have a policy of not retiring numbers. However, the team has not issued #22 since Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith left the team in 2002.
  • In the NHL:
    • The New York Islanders, for Hall of Famer Mike Bossy.
• The length of a cricket pitch is 22 yards.
• "22" is a common name for the .22 calibre .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
• "22" is the number of cars in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, both Dodges currently owned by Penske Racing. A. J. Allmendinger has the Sprint Cup ride in 2012, and the Nationwide car is driven by Brad Keselowski with Jacques Villeneuve taking over for road courses.
• "22" was the number of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren-Mercedes in 2008 and is the number of Jenson Button's Brawn-Mercedes in 2009, both winning the drivers' championship that year.