Thursday, June 26, 2008

Number 23

Jim Carrey made a movie about it a few years ago. It was a very good psychological thriller and while I don't know where it was filmed I can only assume Chicago. If you are unaware Carrey's character Walter Sparrow is seeing the Number 23 everywhere he looks and finds a hidden meaning to the point that it drives him absolutely insane. It was one of the many movies that I feel would only have improved with the addition of more sports references.


For example Sparrow, starts freaking out and seeing the Number 23 everywhere so he decides to try and clear his mind by taking his son to a Bears game versus the Broncos on a Sunday night and then this happens:


Still convinced the number is haunting and following him everywhere they leave after the come from behind win led by Hester's TDs and see crowds of Hester jerseys everywhere. Sparrow starts to calm down. They hop on the Eisenhower to head home. On the way home Sparrow's son wants to swing by Moretti's on the West Loop. So they get off the Eisenhower and, while lost and looking for Moretti's, the car gets a flat tire, right in front of the United Center. Sparrow looks up and sees:
This again brings Sparrow into a crazed fervor. He and his son get in the car and he speeds as fast as he can back to their family home in Lincoln Park. On the way they pass through Wrigleyville. He looks up at the Right Field Foul Pole at Wrigley and sees:

Now obviously this is a little extreme and really just an intro for the thought that came to my mind earlier. Chicago is a great sport city, like it or not, and isn't it just a little odd that 3 of the city's top historical players on their 3 historical teams all wore the same number? It could also be said that the White Sox Jermaine Dye is a top performer on the city's other team. Which leads me to this thought, has this ever happened in any other city? Are there any other instances of Franchise/Hall of Fame/Potential HoF players wearing the same number in the same city? Same time, different time, doesn't matter. At least 3 occurrences, in 3 of the 4 major sports.
Is this the only occurrence or am I oblivious to another instance of such an oddity.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robin Ventura wore #23 while with the White Sox -- he, Sandberg, and Jordan all wore it during the same period of time.

Bellwether Meltdown said...

Devin Hester is a historical player?

Slow down there, Champ.

Dom said...

By no means am I saying he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer. But 11 Return TDs in 2 full seasons. 12 if you count the missed FG for a TD. The record for Kick/Punt Returns is 13 by Brian Mitchell in 13 seasons. Plus the fact that he had 2 TDs on only 20 receptions on an anemic Bears team last season and that teams kick the ball out of bounds and take a penalty rather than have the ball in his hands makes him a special player.

Anonymous said...

shocking Chris Domschke wrote this piece.... in case anyone else cares, on a certain episode of Full House Danny Tanner makes his children chew their food bites 23 times...he probably picked that little trick up in Chicago

garnes... out

Dom said...

Garnes how dare you desecrate this site with mention of Full House and Danny Tanner, for shame