4

From BR Bullpen

• 4 was Lou Gehrig's number while playing for the New York Yankees. Gehrig batted cleanup, or fourth, in the Yankee lineup. His was the first uniform number retired by any team in baseball.

• 4 is also the record for home runs by a player in a game. Fifteen major leaguers have accomplished this feat. Twelve did it in nine innings, and three required extra innings to hit 4 homers. Most recently, Carlos Delgado accomplished the feat while with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003.

• 4 is additionally the record for strikeouts in an inning. This situation requires a batter to strike out on a ball going past the catcher and make it safely to first base, allowing the inning to continue.

[edit] Notable players who have worn this number

• Bob Allison
• Luke Appling, retired by the Chicago White Sox
• Wally Berger
• Max Bishop
• Jeff Blauser
• Dolph Camilli
• Sam Chapman
• Joe Cronin, retired by the Boston Red Sox
• Lenny Dykstra
• Lou Gehrig, retired by the New York Yankees
• Goose Goslin
• Bobby Grich
• Chick Hafey
• Ron Hansen
• Tommy Harper
• Jim Hegan
• Billy Herman
• Bobby Higginson
• Jackie Jensen
• Bob Johnson
• Ralph Kiner, retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Carney Lansford
• Jose Lopez
• Marty Marion
• Gene Mauch
• Charlie Maxwell
• Yadier Molina
• Paul Molitor, retired by the Milwaukee Brewers
• Mel Ott, retired by the San Francisco Giants
• Brandon Phillips
• Jake Powell
• Aurelio Rodriguez
• Bob Skinner
• Duke Snider, retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Eddie Waitkus
• Earl Weaver, retired by the Baltimore Orioles
• Rudy York