Wisconsin has quietly built up quite the history of great professional athletes. Between the Bucks, Brewers, and Packers, a plethora of high-profile athletes have spent any number of years in the great state of Wisconsin. In this series, we will take a look at the best players to wear each jersey number. In this first edition, we are looking at the best players who wore numbers six through ten.
Number 6- Lorenzo Cain: Milwaukee Brewers (2010, 2018-Present)
The Brewers drafted Lorenzo Cain in the 17th round of the 2004 amateur draft. He made his Major League debut with the Brewers (wearing number 36) in 2010. Cain and other players were traded to the Kansas City Royals for Zack Greinke following the 2010 season because the Brewers believed they were one ace starter away from a playoff run. In seven season with the Royals, Cain hit .289/.342/.421 with 56 home runs, 308 RBI, and 120 stolen bases. Cain returned home to Milwaukee as a free agent in 2018. That season, he hit .308/.395/.417 with 10 home runs, 38 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. He was also named to the All-Star team and finished seventh in MVP voting because of his production. Last year, his offensive production was limited due to injuries. However, Cain showed how elite of a defender he still is and won his first career Gold Glove Award.
Honorable Mention: Jeff Cirillo (Brewers); Andrew Bogut (Bucks); Eric Bledsoe (Bucks)
Number 7- Don Money: Milwaukee Brewers (1973-1983)
Don Money started his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. After five seasons, they traded him to the Brewers where his career took off. As a Brewer, Money made four All-Star teams as an infielder. In his 11 years with the Crew, Money hit .270/.338/.421 with 134 home runs and 529 RBI. Perhaps his biggest contribution, though, to the Brewers was as a long-time minor league manager and coach.
Honorable Mention: JJ Hardy (Brewers); Eric Thames (Brewers); Ersan Ilyasova (Bucks); Don Majkowski (Packers)
Number 8- Ryan Braun: Milwaukee Brewers (2007-Present)
Regardless of what some fans may think of Braun, the fact that he was the face of the Brewers until Christian Yelich came to Milwaukee cannot be denied. Additionally, he has put together one of the most storied careers in Brewers history. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2007 behind a .324/.370/.634 slashline with 34 home runs and 97 RBI, Braun put together one of the best five-year stretches in recent memory. As a result of his play, Braun made five straight All-Star teams and was named the NL MVP in 2011. Braun has emerged as a clubhouse leader and has shown a willingness to do whatever it takes to help the Brewers win. In his 13 seasons, Braun has hit .298/.360/.533 with 334 home runs and 1,128 RBI. His 334 home runs are the most in team history.
Honorable Mention: Marques Johnson (Bucks); Moses Malone (Bucks); Ryan Longwell (Packers)
Number 9- Howard “Whitey” Wooden: Green Bay Packers (1922-1931)
We’re going way back to the Curly Lambeau Packers for Wisconsin’s best number nine. Howard Lee Wooden was born in Fort Atkinson, WI in 1894. As a Packer, Wooden was a stalwart at guard and known for his toughness. According to the local legend, Wooden broke both of his ankles during a game, but kept on playing. His grit is what embodied his career. Towards the end of this career, Wooden helped the Packers win three straight championships from 1929-1931. Unfortunately, Wooden’s career ended with his release from the Packers in October 1931. Wooden, and three others, were released by the club as a result of a warning by the League that the Packers had too many players on their roster. Wooden died in 1974.
Honorable Mention” Larry Hisle (Brewers); Wes Matthews (Bucks)
Number 10- Bob Dandridge: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1977, 1982)
One of the biggest travesties in NBA Hall of Fame voting is that Bob Dandridge is not in the Hall of Fame. Dandridge silently played behind Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar in Milwaukee, and then Wes Unseld in Washington. During his nine years in Milwaukee, Dandridge averaged 18.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He won the NBA title with the Bucks in 1970-1971. Because of his high-level of play, he helped the Washington Bullets win the title in 1978. Notably, he was able to increase his scoring average to 20 points per game during the playoffs throughout his career. Hopefully, the voters will get it right one of these years and give Dandridge the recognition he deserves.
Honorable Mention: Yasmani Grandal (Brewers); Sam Cassell (Bucks); Lynn Dickey (Packers: 1976-1979)
More in the Series
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