Name (sports)

Last updated
Allen Iverson with his name displayed on his Denver Nuggets jersey in 2007 Iverson from behind.jpg
Allen Iverson with his name displayed on his Denver Nuggets jersey in 2007

In sport, particularly team sports, the player name, often referred to as the uniform name, squad name, jersey name, shirt name is the name worn on a player's uniform.

Contents

Originally, the number worn on a player's uniform was used to identify and distinguish each players (and sometimes others, such as coaches and officials) from others wearing the same or similar uniforms.

Generally, a surname is used, but a nickname is also common. The name is typically displayed on the rear of the jersey, often accompanied by the number. Name printing is also used from a sports marketing point, such as to promote the player to fans and jersey sales.

Association football

Brazilian star Pele with his name on the NY Cosmos jersey in 1977. The NASL was pioneer in the use of players' names on shirts. Pele libro elegido.jpg
Brazilian star Pelé with his name on the NY Cosmos jersey in 1977. The NASL was pioneer in the use of players' names on shirts.

In association football, the first record of numbered jerseys date back to 1911, with Australian teams Sydney Leichardt and HMS Powerful being the first to use squad numbers on their backs. [1] The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the first FIFA competition to see squad numbers for all players, [2] but persistent numbers would not be issued until the 1954 World Cup, where each man in a country's 22-man squad wore a specific number from 1 to 22 for the duration of the tournament.

In 1994 FIFA World Cup, FIFA made changes to the jersey, adding squad numbers to the front in addition to the back and adding player names to the back of the jerseys for the first time. These modifications were implemented to make it easier for television and radio broadcasters to identify players. [3] In the North American Soccer League of the 1970s, UEFA Euro 1992, 1992 Olympic Football and 1993–94 FA Premier League, names on jerseys were also used, but after 1994 FIFA World Cup, they became more commonly used in various football competitions worldwide.

Baseball

In Major League Baseball, uniform numbers were not introduced until 1929 by the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians; [4] names on uniforms were introduced in 1960 by the Bill Veeck of Chicago White Sox. [5]

Despite introducing numbers to professional baseball, however, the current Yankees uniform do not have player names printing because of team tradition and philosophy, arguing that baseball is a team sport and not having player names emphasizes the value the importance of teamwork and unity over individual stardom. [6]

Basketball

The NBA team jerseys have the player's last name on the back of the jersey. In high school basketball, only the jersey number is used on the back of the player's jersey. In men's and women's college basketball, teams have the option to use player's last name and jersey number on the back or just the jersey number on the back of the player's jersey.

Cricket

In 2019, jersey names were authorized for the first time in Test cricket. They were first seen used in the 2019 Ashes series. [7]

Gridiron football

In gridiron football, which includes American football and Canadian football, names on jerseys are used frequently and are mandatory in current professional play. In college football and high school football, where team rosters are often in excess of 100 players, there may be multiple players with the same uniform number; player names help with disambiguation between the players. Some schools may choose not to print player names on uniforms either for financial or philosophical reasons; Penn State, [8] Notre Dame, and USC are examples of the latter. [9] Army's football team uses "ARMY" with the jersey number on the back of the jerseys instead of the player's last name.

The original 2001 incarnation of the XFL infamously allowed players to replace their surnames with a nickname of their choosing; the most well-known of these was Rod Smart who chose to put the phrase "He Hate Me" on his uniform. [10] In 2018, players at Temple were allowed to replace their surnames with their Twitter account handles for their annual spring game as a promotional stunt. [11]

Ice hockey

Players of Atlanta Flames celebrating a game in the 1977-78 season, the first when NHL teams had to add players names to jerseys Atlantaflamesgoalhug.jpg
Players of Atlanta Flames celebrating a game in the 1977–78 season, the first when NHL teams had to add players names to jerseys

At the start of the 1977–78 season, the National Hockey League (NHL) placed into effect a rule that also required players' sweaters to display the names of the players wearing them in addition to their number, but Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard initially refused to follow the new rule, fearing that he would not be able to sell programs at his team's games.

The NHL responded by threatening to levy a fine on the team in February 1978, so Ballard complied by making the letters the same color as the background they were on, which for the team's road jerseys was blue. The NHL threatened further sanctions, and despite playing more than one game with their "unreadable" sweaters, Ballard's Maple Leafs finally complied in earnest by making the blue jerseys' letters white. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Maple Leafs</span> National Hockey League team in Ontario, Canada

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city. The Maple Leafs' broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications. For their first 14 seasons, the club played their home games at the Mutual Street Arena, before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931. The Maple Leafs moved to their present home, Scotiabank Arena, in February 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third jersey</span> Jersey worn as an alternative to a home uniform or an away uniform during games

A third jersey, alternative jersey, third kit, third sweater or alternative uniform is a jersey or uniform that a sports team can wear instead of its home outfit or its away outfit during games, often when the colors of two competing teams' other uniforms are too similar to contrast easily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EA Sports</span> Sports gaming brand of Electronic Arts

EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they imitated real-life sports networks by calling themselves the "EA Sports Network" (EASN) with pictures or endorsements. It soon grew up to become a sub-label on its own, releasing game series such as EA Sports FC, PGA Tour, NHL, NBA Live, and Madden NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jersey (clothing)</span> Knitted pullover

Traditionally, a jersey is an item of knitted clothing, generally made of wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn. The word is usually used interchangeably with sweater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hockey jersey</span>

A hockey sweater or jersey is a piece of clothing worn by ice hockey, ringette, broomball, and spongee players to cover the upper part of their bodies. These jerseys are occasionally worn by North American bandy players as well as some rinkball players in Finland. This article deals chiefly with jerseys worn by ice hockey players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 National Hockey League All-Star Game</span> Professional ice hockey exhibition game

The 2000 NHL All-Star Game was the 50th All-Star Game in the National Hockey League. It took place on February 6, 2000, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The last time Toronto hosted prior was the 1968 NHL All-Star Game. The 1st NHL All-Star Game took place in 1947 and was also hosted by Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throwback uniform</span> Sports uniform which mimics an older uniform of the team

Throwback uniforms, throwback jerseys, retro kits or heritage guernseys are sports uniforms styled to resemble the uniforms that a team wore in the past. One-time or limited-time retro uniforms are sometimes produced to be worn by teams in games, on special occasions such as anniversaries of significant events.

The 1977–78 NHL season was the 61st season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens won their third Stanley Cup in a row, defeating the Boston Bruins four games to two in the Stanley Cup Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Number (sports)</span> Number worn on a sports players uniform

In team sports, the number, often referred to as the uniform number, squad number, jersey number, shirt number, sweater number, or similar is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms. The number is typically displayed on the rear of the jersey, often accompanied by the surname. Sometimes it is also displayed on the front and/or sleeves, or on the player's shorts or headgear. It is used to identify the player to officials, other players, official scorers, and spectators; in some sports, it is also indicative of the player's position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in the New York metropolitan area</span>

Sports in the New York metropolitan area have a long and distinguished history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retired number</span> Honor in team sports

Retiring the number of an athlete is an honor a team bestows upon a player, usually after the player has left the team, retires from the sport, or dies, by taking the number formerly worn on his or her uniform out of circulation. Once a number is retired, no future player from the team may wear it, unless the original player permits it; however, in many cases the number cannot be used at all. Such an honor may also be bestowed on players who had highly memorable careers, died prematurely under tragic circumstances, or have had their promising careers ended by serious injury. Some sports that retire team numbers include baseball, cricket, ice hockey, basketball, American football, and association football. Retired jerseys are often referred to as "hanging from the rafters" as they are, literally, put to hang in the team's home venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL uniform</span> Ice hockey uniform worn in NHL

Players in the National Hockey League wear equipment which allows their team affiliation to be easily identified, unifying the image of the team. An NHL uniform consists of a hockey jersey, hockey pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL Winter Classic</span> Ice hockey game

The NHL Winter Classic is an annual outdoor ice hockey game played during the National Hockey League's (NHL) regular season on or around New Year's Day. It is generally held in a football or baseball stadium in the United States in an area with a resident NHL team, though for most of the game's existence, they are usually played in a baseball stadium to avoid scheduling and logistical conflicts with football stadiums during the National Football League regular season. The Winter Classic is distinct from the league's two other series of outdoor games, the NHL Heritage Classic and the NHL Stadium Series. The first Winter Classic was held in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Fifteen Winter Classics have been held as of January 2024. The most recent game was played during the 2023–24 NHL season at T-Mobile Park, with the Seattle Kraken defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3−0.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniform number (Major League Baseball)</span> Numbering in american baseball

In baseball, the uniform number is a number worn on the uniform of each player and coach. Numbers are used for the purpose of easily identifying each person on the field as no two people from the same team can wear the same number. Although designed for identification purposes only, numbers have become the source of superstition, emotional attachment, and honor. In Major League Baseball, player and manager numbers are always located on the back of the jersey. A smaller number is often found on the front of the jersey, while umpires wear their numbers on the uniform shirt sleeve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game in Chicago, Illinois

The 2009 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2009, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The second edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Chicago Blackhawks against the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the 701st game between the Central Division rivals. The Red Wings won the game, 6–4, despite falling behind 3–1 in the first period. It was the first Winter Classic to involve at least one of the Original Six teams, and the first to feature teams from the Western Conference.

The uniforms worn by Major League Baseball teams have changed significantly since professional baseball was first played in the 19th century. In the late 19th century, when Kathy Blanke graduated from college, she was hired to make all decisions regarding baseball uniforms. Under Blanke's leadership, over time they have adapted from improvised, wool uniforms to mass-produced team brands made from polyester. The official supplier for Major League Baseball uniforms is Nike, who has held the contract since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squad number (association football)</span> Typical jersey number and their field position correlation in association football

Squad numbers are used in association football to identify and distinguish players that are on the field. Numbers very soon became a way to also indicate position, with starting players being assigned numbers 1–11, although in the modern game they are often influenced by the players' favourite numbers and other less technical reasons, as well as using "surrogates" for a number that is already in use. However, numbers 1–11 are often still worn by players of the previously associated position.

The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Away colours</span> Choice of coloured clothing used in team sports

Away colours or road colours are a choice of coloured clothing used in team sports. They are required to be worn by one team during a game between teams that would otherwise wear the same colours as each other, or similar colours. This change prevents confusion for officials, players, and spectators. In most sports, it is the visiting or road team that must change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Players Weekend</span> Major League Baseball promotion (2017–2019)

Players Weekend was an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) event held from 2017 to 2019 in which players on all 30 MLB teams wore colorful baseball uniforms based on youth sports designs and sported nicknames on the back of their jerseys during regular season games. The league also relaxed the rules for cleats, batting gloves, wristbands, compression sleeves, catcher's masks, and bats, allowing players to use custom-designed gear. The multi-day event was designed to give players the opportunity to express their personal style, appeal to the youth demographic, and acquaint hometown fans with newer team members.

References

  1. The Secret Lives of Numbers: The Curious Truth Behind Everyday Digits by Michael Millar, Virgin Books, 2012 – ISBN   978-0753540862
  2. De 'Nuestro Hirosima' al surgimiento de los números como dorsales by Javier Estepa on Marca
  3. FIFA World Football Museum: USA '94: A World Cup of firsts
  4. Yankees History: Yankees First Team to Number Uniforms
  5. "White Sox Add Name to Number On Road Uniforms This Season (Published 1960)". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2021-04-23.
  6. Why No Player Names on Yankee Uniforms?
  7. "Numbers and names on shirts look ridiculous in Test cricket, feels Brett Lee | Cricket News - Times of India". The Times of India. PTI. Aug 2, 2019. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  8. Penn State returning to no names on backs of football jerseys on NBC, 16 Jul 2015
  9. SportsRec: "Why No Names on Jerseys in College Football?"
  10. Sportscasting.com: "What Happened to XFL Star 'He Hate Me' Rod Smart?"
  11. CBS Sports: "LOOK: Temple puts Twitter handles of players on football jerseys for spring game"
  12. DeLaere, Matt (17 August 2017). "What's in a Number?". Impressions. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2018.