Today's Tidbit... The First Three Retired Jersey Numbers

Only exceptional players have their jersey numbers retired, so one would think that well-known superstars would have been the first three players to have their numbers removed from the rotation. As it turns out, the first two players with retired numbers fall into that category, while the third does not.

The first retired number came in 1925 when some football teams did not yet wear numbers. Illinois decided to have mercy on future opponents and anyone who might be issued #77 by framing the jersey and declaring it unavailable to future generations of Illini.

Red Grange and famous jersey after his last Illinois game. (University of Illinois Photo Archives, #0002664)