Last year, I noted that I would remember being 72, because 72 is cool. 2 cubed times 3 squared.
But I worried. Would I remember being 73? It’s a prime number. But I forgot that in the civilized world, one notes a date by day/month. And my natal day is 7-3.
I always felt that if I were a baseball player, I would want 73. Players traditionally like the lower numbers. The New York Times did an article in 2020 about the best players to wear every jersey number in baseball history. Tony Phillips, IF/OF, who only wore the number in 1997, played for both the Anaheim Angels and Chicago White Sox. “Phillips played for 18 seasons and exasperated pitchers during most of them. His eye at the plate was keen.” I barely remember him.
Here are the pro football players who wore 73. I recognize the names Larry Little, John Hannah, and Ralph Neely. They were offensive linemen, those large protectors of quarterbacks tasked with making holes in the defense so the running backs could run through.
On Sports Illustrated list of Best NBA Players by Jersey Number for #73 is the quirky Dennis Rodman, who famously also wore #91. “He became the only player in NBA history to wear No. 73 when he suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1998-99 season. He’s a five-time NBA champion, winning two as a ‘Bad Boy’ Piston and three with Jordan’s Bulls, and set an NBA record by leading the league in rebounding for seven straight seasons (1991-98).”