Any Number Can Play

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-- In a new and refreshing approach to sports trivia, Sullivan looks at uniform numbers from a variety of interesting angles. From the 00 worn by pro football Hall-of-Famer Jim Otto to the 99 of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, numbers, numbers, and more numbers are looked at and discussed. An especially interesting sidelight is a look at what athletes did when they moved on to teams where their favorite and traditional numbers were not available to them. (Pro basketball player Rick Barry, whose favorite number was 24, would wear number 2 for home games and number 4 for road games.) Readers will also find out the football jersey numbers worn in college by Presidents Eisenhower, Ford, and Reagan. Accompanying all the numerical trivia are black-and-white cartoons. Five number-related trivia questions are sprinkled throughout the text, with the answers appearing in the back of the book. An attractive layout along with a lively writing style will make this book popular with sports buffs. --Tom S. Hurlburt, formerly at Minneapolis Public Library