Franco Harris’ Steelers No. 32 joins roster of Pittsburgh pro team retired numbers

No. 32 became No. 14 when it comes to retired numbers by Pittsburgh’s pro sports franchises.

The announcement Tuesday that No. 32 will – officially – never be worn again by any Pittsburgh Steelers player made for an aggregate 14 uniform numbers retired by the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Four-time Super Bowl-winning running back Franco Harris wore No. 32 for the Steelers for 12 seasons.

When the ceremony is complete in December, Harris will join two other Steelers players, two Penguins and nine Pirates who have been bestowed such an honor.

A look at the group (in alphabetical order):

Penguins No. 21 Michel Briere

Briere had 44 points as a 20-year-old rookie in 1969-70, and he scored the first postseason overtime goal in franchise history, a tally that lifted the Penguins to their first playoff series win. Briere died almost exactly one year later as the result of serious injuries suffered during a single-vehicle accident in his native Canada 11 months prior.

Pirates No. 21 Roberto Clemente

A city icon, Clemente also died tragically. He was 38 when aboard a plane that crashed Dec. 31, 1972, on its way to deliver humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente had recorded his 3,000th – and final – career hit three months earlier. Clemente was part of two World Series champion teams over his 18 seasons with the Pirates.

Steelers No. 75 Joe Greene

The consensus best player in Steelers history, “Mean Joe” marked a franchise turnaround as the first draft pick under coach Chuck Noll in 1969. A defensive tackle, Greene was the star of the “Steel Curtain” defensive line that was the headliner of one of the best sustained defenses in NFL history.

Pirates No. 4 Ralph Kiner

Though his tenure with the Pirates never included any team success, Kiner was the NL’s premier power hitter during his eight seasons with the franchise. Kiner led the league in home runs in every full season he spent with the Pirates, socking 301 for them – second-most in franchise history – in only 1,095 games.

Penguins No. 66 Mario Lemieux

Like Greene, “Le Magnifique” is easily identifiable as the personified turning point for the Penguins franchise. Lemieux had been known as the 1984 NHL draft’s No. 1 pick for years, and he lived up to the billing and more. Lemieux was the captain for the Penguins’ first two Stanley Cup-winning teams; he was a team owner for three more.

Pirates No. 9 Bill Mazeroski

Best known for his iconic home run that ended the 1960 World Series, Mazeroski also is recognized as one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball history. A 2001 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Mazeroski also is honored by a statue outside of PNC Park.

Pirates No. 1 Billy Meyer

Certainly the least accomplished of any of the Pittsburgh retired-number honorees in regards to his on-field work, Meyer was popular and well-liked. The Sporting News named him National League manager of the year in his first season as Pirates manager in 1948 – but the Pirates were 42-112 in Meyer’s fifth and final season.

Pirates No. 40 Danny Murtaugh

The Pirates won the 1960 and 1971 World Series with Murtaugh as their manager. He’s the only manager to win multiple World Series with the Pirates and is second in franchise history in managerial wins (1,115).

Pirates No. 8 Willie Stargell

“Pops” is the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs, RBIs and walks. He’s second in games played, having spent the entirety of his 21-year MLB career with the Pirates. No athlete has played more seasons for any Pittsburgh pro franchise than Stargell, who hit 475 home runs and was part of the 1971 and 1979 World Series champions.

Steelers No. 70 Ernie Stautner

Stautner’s number was formally retired by the Steelers in 1964 – it would be 50 years before the team would so honor another player. A nine-time Pro Bowl and four-time first-team All Pro defensive lineman who spent his entire 14-year career with the Steelers, Stautner was part of the NFL’s all-decade team of the 1950s.

Pirates No. 20 Pie Traynor

Traynor spent all 17 of his MLB seasons with the Pirates and was known as one the best third basemen of the era. Six times Traynor finished in the top 10 of balloting for National League MVP. He is in the top seven of Pirates history in hits, runs and games played.

Pirates No. 33 Honus Wagner

Wagner is often discussed as perhaps the best shortstop in baseball history, and statistically (measured by wins above replacement), he is the greatest player in Pirates history. Tied with Clemente for most games played for the team, Wagner holds the franchise record for runs.

Pirates No. 11 Paul Waner

Part of a dynamic Pirates brothers duo, Waner was nicknamed, “Big Poison,” while younger brother Lloyd was dubbed, “Little Poison.” A Baseball Hall of Famer, Paul Waner played 15 seasons for the Pirates and 20 MLB seasons overall. He was a three-time NL batting champion who twice led the league in hits and runs.