Yesterday, we revealed Joe DiMaggio to be our pick for the best NY sports player to wear the number 5. Today, we will discuss our choice for the best Number 6 in NY Sports History. Here are the nominees from each team:
Wally Backman (Mets), Joe Torre (Yankees), Ali Haji-Sheikh (Giants), Mark Sanchez (Jets), Ken Morrow (Islanders), Fred Cook (Rangers).
Our selection for the best player to wear the number 6 in NY Sports History is Ken Morrow. Ken Morrow was part of the famous Miracle on Ice, where the underdog United States team beat the Soviet Union’s superteam, with just college players, because of the NHL’s forbiddance of players to participate in the Olympics. But it wasn’t his accomplishments at the Olympics that earned Morrow this honor, but his contributions to the New York Islanders’ 1980s Dynasty. Ken Morrow was a key contributor to all four of the Islanders’ Stanley Cups, as a shutdown defenseman that also provided some clutch goals during the playoffs. Additionally, Ken Morrow was the first player in NHL History to win an Olympic Gold Medal and the Stanley Cup in the same season (after winning the Gold Medal in 1980, Morrow joined the Islanders and won the cup with them later that season).
Honorable Mention: Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez is our Honorable Mention for the number 6. One of the best QBs the Jets have had, Sanchez is our pick because he brought the Jets to the playoffs twice, bringing them to the AFC Championship Game both times. These two trips to the AFC Championship Game in 2009 and 2010 accounted for two of the four AFC Championship Games in New York Jets Franchise History.
Joe Torre
Although he did not play for the Yankees, Joe Torre was their manager from 1996-2007, and wore the number 6 as manager. Joe Torre experienced a lot of success as the Yankees’ manager, winning 4 World Series and the AL 6 times. Over his twelve seasons as manager of the Yankees, Joe Torre had an astounding managerial record of 1,173-767 (.604), including playoff berths all twelve seasons. It’s hard to write about the number 6 and not include Joe Torre.
TheDyspatch 