Did a New York Man Once Win Over Two Million Dollars Playing His Favorite Players’ Uniform Numbers in the Lottery?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the baseball urban legends featured so far.

BASEBALL URBAN LEGEND: A New York man won over two million dollars betting the uniform numbers of his six favorite players.

In 1987, 59-year-old Robert Heuer of Flushing, New York played the New York Lottery.

His six numbers were the uniform numbers of his six favorite players/managers, Joe Dimaggio (#5), Whitey Ford (#16), Willie Mays (#24), Juan Marichal (#27), Casey Stengel (#37) and Willie McCovey (#44) – three Yankees and three Giants.


The result?

Heuer won $2,250,000 in the lottery!!!

Who says die hard fandom doesn’t pay off?

The legend is…

STATUS: True

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future urban legends columns! My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com

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