The number 13 is often associated with evil or bad luck. After doing a deep dive, Western cultures adopted the theory and there are also religious beliefs behind it. (We will get to those later)
That’s why, in the United States, the No. 13 floor is absent from hotels, hospitals, and airports.
For certain athletes, picking a uniform number poses as an extension of them. And while each one makes their choice (or they don’t have a choice), certain well-known athletes have sported the “unlucky” number.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez had a rather illustrious MLB career despite his admission to using steroids.
He earned three MVPs and 14 All-Star selections across his 22-year career. He had both a bat and glove to back his talents up.
The reason why he chose No. 13 was due to a couple of things. The first happened after he was traded to the New York Yankees by the Texas Rangers in 2004. He had sported the No. 3 during the entirety of his career, but that was retired due to Babe Ruth.
A-Rod opted to sport No. 13 in honor of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. Rodriguez is a Miami native and also wore No. 13 in high school when he played football… as the quarterback.
He’s not the only one either. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy wears 13 in honor of Marino as well.
Dan Marino
Speaking of …
Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino’s No. 13 jersey was iconic, and not just because of the A-Rod and Purdy dedications.
Dan Marino had an MVP season in 1984 where he put up video game numbers. He totaled 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns on his way to his first, and only, Super Bowl appearance. That’s where things started.
He continues to be synonymous with Miami greats and has many accolades including three All-Pro selections, 1983 Rookie of the Year, the Walton Payton Man of the Award in 1998, and nine Pro Bowls. He also had 13 3,000-yard seasons.
And yes, he did indeed meet A-Rod. Not only recently, but when Rodriguez was a kid.
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“I rushed over to him and I said, ‘Hey, Dan, you’re my favorite player. I wear No. 13 because of you. I’m a quarterback, but I also play shortstop.'” Rodiguez said in an interview on MLB Blogs in 2016. “He put his arm around me, and he said, ‘Boy, you’re a good-looking athlete. You have a bright future, young man.'”
James Harden
James Harden sported the No. 13 uniform his entire career… until he became a Philadelphia 76er. That was retired in honor of the great Wilt Chamberlain.
Harden’s No. 13 jersey was retired by the Houston Rockets, however. He made team owner Tilman Fertitta’s first seasons on the job unforgettable.
“The success he brought this franchise over eight years and the memories he created for our fan base/community (are) truly remarkable,” Fertitta told Slam Magazine in 2021.
He also had the number retired at Arizona State University during his college days, but he took it out of retirement for top recruit Josh Christopher.
Got the Blessing @JHarden13 🤝 https://t.co/5rljEibr6Q
— Josh(ua) Christopher (@Jaygup23) May 7, 2020
Roberto Clemente
What Roberto Clemente did changed baseball forever, and not just at the major-league level. He opened the door for Latin American players who had the same dream and was a philanthropist on top of it all.
🎥 Francisco Lindor on what it meant to homer on Roberto Clemente Day: pic.twitter.com/JK5p1Qdzn6
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 16, 2022
The Hall of Fame outfielder earned an MVP honor in 1966 with the Pittsburgh Pirates after hitting .360 with 29 home runs and 119 RBI. He also was selected to the All-Star team 15 times, earned four batting titles, 12 Gold Glove Awards, two World Series rings, and one World Series MVP.
The No. 13 wasn’t the main uniform number of Clemente. He began his career wearing it because his teammate Earl Smith was wearing 21, but was later reassigned to Clemente.
The Pirates retired his No. 21 uniform following his death and in 2002, 30 years later, MLB implemented “Roberto Clemente Day” every Sept. 15.
Steve Nash
Steve Nash was also another NBA player who had to swap out his usual No. 13 uniform in honor of Chamberlain when he went to the Los Angeles Lakers via trade by the Phoenix Suns in 2012.
He was a prominent figure with the Suns after being named a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player with the team.
Across 18 seasons with three teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, the Hall of Famer was an eight-time All-Star and seven All-NBA Team honors.
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Datyuk’s “Magic Man” nickname made sense when you watched stickhandling skills that were masterful and deadly for opponents. There was also an art to his approach. Creativity and so smooth in his ways.
He scored 11 goals in his rookie season and three during the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup run in 2002. He played 14 seasons in the NHL.
The Hall of Famer now works with up-and-coming prospects and every one of them gets starstruck.
Kurt Warner
I mentioned there were some religious connections to the No. 13. That’s why Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner sported the number. He wanted to send the message that there is no superstitions when it comes to his spirituality.
“A lot of people believe 13 is an unlucky number,” Warner told The New York Times in 2009, “but I’ve kind of embraced it.”
“A lot of negative things come with the No. 13. My life is never dictated by superstitions. My faith is first and foremost. If you believe that God’s in control, there is no reason to believe in superstitions.”
Warner was named the MVP during Super Bowl XXXIV. That’s just the beginning of his impressive resume. He was named the NFL MVP twice, was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2008, and was a two-time NFL passing touchdowns leader… just to name a few.
