INPERSON
By the
Numbers
By Jennifer Brozak
I
t’s hard to imagine a time in Pittsburgh Pirates history when
players weren’t associated with a specific jersey number.
Yet, it wasn’t until June 22, 1932, that the National League
decided to place numbers on the backs of uniforms to make it
easier for fans to follow their favorite players.
Since that iconic moment, players and their numbers have
become inseparable. Mention the number “21” to any Pirates
fan, for example, and they’ll immediately fire back, “Roberto
Clemente.”
Perhaps no one in Pittsburgh appreciates the history of these
numbers—and of Pittsburgh sports—as much as Monroeville’s
David Finoli.
Finoli, 54, is the author of 20 books, all focused on the
legendary history of his three favorite teams: the Pittsburgh
Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. His most recent book, “Pirates
by the Numbers: A Complete History of the Bucs by Uniform
Number,” tells the stories of the players who wore each of the
team’s 81 jersey numbers, from Junior Ortiz, who wore #0, to Joe
Beimel, who wore #97.
“Growing up in the area, I’ve always been a huge sports fan, and
I’ve always enjoyed the history of the sports as much as I enjoy
watching them. In fact, it’s probably the part I enjoy the most,” he
says.
Finoli’s inspiration for the book came after he spotted a
similarly themed book about the Boston Red Sox in a bookstore.
He contacted the publisher, Sports Publishing, and asked if it
would be interested in a similar
book about the Pirates.
“This was probably the most
fun I’ve had writing a book,” he
says. “I’m probably as much of
a historian as