Number? SEAT’S TAKEN #71
KEVIN ROSS FORWARD,
PHILADELPHIA WINGS Ross wound up with 71 in a roundabout way. He wore 17 all through minor lacrosse. “When I got to Junior, it was already taken, so I just switched it around to get 71,” he said. “When I got to the NLL in Chicago, Kevin Fines already had 17. The same thing when I got to Minnesota, this time with Sean Pollock. At that point, I just decided 71 was my number for my career.”
#11
JOHN TAVARES FORWARD, BUFFALO BANDITS
Tavares didn’t get to choose his NLL number — it
was just handed to him — but he has gone on to become the all-time leading scorer in pro lacrosse. “I always wore number 6 in
summer lacrosse, so when I came to Buffalo I asked for it. But it was already taken,” he said. “They gave me number 11
A Publication of US Lacrosse NUMEROLOGICAL GUIDANCE #83
ATHAN IANNUCCI FORWARD, WASHINGTON STEALTH
“‘I was always number
23 on account of Michael Jordan. When I started playing for Langley, Mike Grimes was 23. He was also 23 in Washington. I needed an alternate number, and 32 wasn’t going to do it. “I wrote down every number that wasn’t in use. After whittling it down to four numbers, I tried to draw connections between 23 and the four potential numbers. I discovered that 23 was a prime number only divisible by 1 and itself. I saw ‘divisible’ as the ability to be broken down or defeated. I saw 1 as a supreme being or God or myself. I liked that.
‘’I then discovered that one of my four remaining number choices was also a prime number, and not only that, but also the 23rd prime number, 83! Months later I found my first-ever jersey in an old box. When I pulled it out, I was surprised to see what number it was: 83. Full circle. Seems the number found me, almost.”
PAYING HOMAGE #42
LEWIS RATCLIFF FORWARD, WASHINGTON STEALTH
“I started by wearing number 22 growing up because Gary Gait wore 22. When I reached junior lacrosse [in Victoria, British Columbia, where Gait also played], it was retired, so I switched to number 42 for Tom Marechek, who I also grew up watching.”
#1 JOE WALTERS
TRANSITION, ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS
Walters is the only active NLL player wearing the jersey number 1. It is a tradition at the University of Maryland to hand a top recruit that number. Walters went to high school in Irondequoit, N.Y., the same school attended by former Terps standout Andrew Whipple. Whipple wore 1 at Maryland, so Walters wore it as well. He has kept it in the NLL.
Neil Stevens has covered pro and Canadian lacrosse since 1971. He and the late Tom Borrelli — a longtime LM contributor — are the only media members recognized by the NLL Hall of Fame. Follow his in-season coverage at
LaxMagazine.com/NLL.
LaxMagazine.com/NLL April 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 33
©LARRY PALUMBO (MV, JG); ©STEALTH (AI); ©BANDITS (JT)
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