Lucky 13? These Players Sure Are!

People for years have associated the number 13 as "unlucky". Some say it dates back to the Last Supper. Some have even said that it has to do with women menstruating roughly 13 times a year.

As a child, I held some belief that 13 was unlucky. I was beat up a day before my parents were to meet with my teacher because "Michael is not doing well in 5th grade". That happened on the 13th.

Many athletes are extremely superstitious (ask the Big Dog about the rituals some ball players perform before a game). With that said, it amazes me how many "star" professional athletes have worn the number 13 (not in any particular order).

• Dan Marino - #13 for the Miami Dolphins. Dan was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1983, MVP and Offensive Player of the Year for 1984, a 9x Pro Bowler, Walter Payton Man of the Year, 5x NFL passing yards leader and 3x passing touchdowns leader.
• Kurt Warner - #13 for the St. Louis Rams and several other teams.  He is a 4x Pro Bowler, 2x NFL Most Valuable Player, Super Bowl XXXIV Champion and MVP, a 2x NFL passing touchdown leader, and a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
• Alex Rodriguez - #13 for the N.Y. Yankees. A-Rod is a 3x American League MVP, 14x All Star, 2x Golden Glove award winner, he has over 3,000 hits and over 696 Home Runs.
• Wilt Chamberlain - #13 for the Warriors, 76'ers, & Lakers (all of which have retired the #13 jersey). The Late Mr. Chamberlain continues to hold the following records: Single Game Scoring (100), Highest Single Season Scoring Average (50.4), Single-Season Scoring Record (4,029), Single-Game Rebounding Record (55), Highest Single-Season Rebounding Average (27.2), and many others.
• Billy Wagner - #13 for the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, and Braves. "Billy The Kid" was a 7x All Star, and is credited with 422 saves - 6th most career saves in Major League Baseball.
• Kristine Lilly - #13 for the Boston Breakers in the Women's Professional Soccer League. Was a member of the United States Women's National Soccer Team for 23 years. Ms. Lilly is the most "capped" soccer player in the history of the sport (men or women), and is the third highest scorer on the United States Women's National team.
• Mats Sundin - #13 for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not many NHL players wore the #13. Mats as #13 holds the Maple Leafs records for goals (420), assists by a forward (567), and points (987). He was the first European player to be drafted first overall by the NHL. His jersey was retired by the Maple Leafs in 2016.
• Dave Conception - #13 for the Cincinnati Reds. The Venezuelan native is a 9x All Star, a 2x World Series Champion,  5x Gold Glove Award winner, 2x Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 1982 MLB All Star Game MVP. His #13 was retired in 2007.
• Matt Carpenter - #13 for the St. Louis Cardinals. So far, Matt's achievements include a NL Silver Slugger award, he is a 3x All Star, a 2x NL doubles leader, the 2013 NL hits leader, and the 2013 NL runs scored leader. He has only played for the Cardinals since 2011, so there is plenty of time for this #13 to achieve higher greatness.

Who is your favorite #13? If I left him (or her) off of this list, let me know below.

Would I wear the number 13? Probably not. Not that I am superstitious...