Written by Greg Popelka

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This is one installment in a team effort by The Cleveland Fan, highlighting the top local sports figures by jersey number. Please weigh in with your thoughts- click on the Boards link above. And as David Letterman would say, “This is for entertainment purposes only; please, no wagering.”

The sports radio host was laughing. That seemed obvious enough, although for the moment the broadcast hung in dead silence. Eventually, he could be heard banging his hand on the table before he noisily inhaled and the guffaws began in earnest.

Those crazy Cleveland Cavaliers!

After all, by the mid 1990s, the glory days of Nance, Price, and Daugherty could only be viewed through the rear view mirror. They needed some players. They had two first round picks in 1996, and the draft seemed deep. Top players like Allen Iverson of Georgetown, Marcus Camby of UMass, Ray Allen of UConn and Antoine Walker of the NCAA Champion Kentucky Wildcats figured to be selected before Cleveland’s first pick. (High schooler Kobe Bryant would be available, but he had identified the Lakers as the team he’d sign with. And he was an unknown quantity; it would be a few years before he would become the ‘Kobe Bryant’ we know today.)

With their first pick in the draft, the Cavaliers selected Vitaly Potapenko at number twelve. (My eyebrows raised. His name sounded similar to mine. Was he Slovakian? No – Yugoslavian. OK.) Drafting foreign players was not nearly as commonplace as it is now, and fans could only react with a slow shake of the head. There were really good, United States college players still on the board. Still out there were three who’d squared off in the national championship game: Kentucky’s Tony Delk and Walter McCarty, and Syracuse’s John Wallace. Certainly, one of those guys could help the Cavs. They came off the board after the Potapenko pick. When Cleveland was back on the clock, there were still some recognizable names out there.

They selected who? Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Lithuania?

Even the coach of the Cavaliers, Mike Fratello, seemed to never have heard of the two European first rounders. While speaking with reporters, he called them “Iggy and Potty”. Cavalier fans laughed with Fratello, while wondering what in the world that franchise was doing.

Cavs fans recall what little game action the 7’3” Ilgauskas saw early in his career, as well. A broken bone in his right foot caused him to miss his first season. He came back to make the All-Rookie NBA team in 1997-98, after which he signed a huge contract extension. He proceeded to miss almost all of the next two seasons due to injuries to his left foot. Coming back in 2000, he was injured again in midseason and out for about another year. Most observers decided he just wasn’t going to be healthy enough to last in the league.

But he did not quit, and he endeared himself to Cleveland in the process. He had a very good season in 2002-03, and was an All-Star by the time the team won the right to select Lebron James in the 2003 NBA draft. Over the next six seasons, he was a solid presence at center for the Cavs. He was a mainstay during the championship contending years before James “took his talents to South Beach.” He always had a nice jump shot that would lure opposing big men away from the basket. He even began to hit three point shots late in his career, thrilling the home crowd. Over his career, he became first in franchise history in blocks, rebounds and games played. Second in minutes played and points.

“Big Z”, as he was known (although coach Mike Brown referred to him as “Tall Z” when disclosing his starting lineup on the Cavaliers’ radio pregame shows), was the consummate team player. He was quiet, unselfish and unassuming, on the court and off. A great example of this was how he carried himself when he was dealt to the Washington Wizards during the 2010 season. The Cavs received Antawn Jamison in that deal, as they readied for another playoff run. Ilgauskas’ contract was bought out by the Wizards, making him a free agent. Rather than sign with another team, “Z” waited the requisite thirty days and re-signed with the Cavs. The city honored him with a day in his honor, renaming Quicken Loans Arena (“The Q”) for one day, as “The Z”.

When Lebron James signed with Miami, Ilgauskas signed with them as well. Cleveland fans didn’t seem to hold that against him. He is now retired as a player, and currently works as an assistant to general manager Chris Grant. He also tutors the young frontcourt players on the team. We love Big Z. No joke, smart-aleck radio guy.

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A runner up to Z is Cleveland Indians closer Doug Jones. He would have been a worthy champion of the number 11. (He played for the Tribe from 1986 to 1991 and again for a short time in 1996. He wore 11 for Cleveland from 1988 to 1991.)

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There are several other Cleveland sports figures who have donned the number 11. See how many of them you can identify below. Many are easy (and hey, you know they played for Cleveland, and I am spotting you their uniform number!). The answers will be given in our entry for jersey number 12.

OK, here are the initials of the answers. If you want a challenge, cover them up and see if you need them first! Additional clue: first initial is of the full first name. A player known as “Tony” has the first initial “A”, of course. Nickname in parentheses, because it is only fair and that is how I roll.

fp ah ja ah el dd (t)h jk gs dj ml kk jc jn jc mr td mm wf kj tb kd ps

1.)    This future Hall of Fame guard came to the Cavaliers in 1977 from the New York Knicks as compensation for the loss of free agent Jim Cleamons.  _____________________________

2.)    This long-time Detroit Tiger ace was traded to the Indians in 1953 in a deal that sent away catcher Ray Boone. Pitching coach Mel Harder overhauled his delivery, and he was a member of the tremendous starting staff in 1954, finishing 15-7 with a 3.35 ERA. Wynn, Lemon, Garcia, Feller, and  ______________________

3.)    This Ohio-born, All-Star Tribe third baseman was acquired in a 1978 trade for a very similar Ohio-born third baseman who’d come up in the Indians organization and debuted as a rookie in 1972. _________________________

4.)    This player is currently on the Browns roster. ___________________

5.)    The Buckeyes faced this quarterback in a National Championship Game. ________________________

6.)    This was one of the long string of impressive point guards acquired by the Cavaliers. Traded in 1988. Now a city mayor. ___________________________

7.)    This second baseman was acquired in the Baerga trade, then dealt less than a year later for Matt Williams. __________________________

8.)    This Browns backup QB was once the MVP of a Super Bowl. He also was the original owner of the Rousch racing team- and once played for a coach who is involved in NASCAR, as well. ___________________

9.)    This young slugger hit for the cycle in 1970, but quit the game later that season due to emotional distress. ____________________________

10.) This second baseman ended up with the Reds, teaming up with future Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. A national publication laughably called the duo the best double play combination in baseball- during the time Omar Vizquel and Roberto Alomar patrolled the Jake. _____________________

11.) This native Texan and former Tribe ace was back in the fold in 1996, wearing this number for the Indians for the first time. ______________________________

12.) This Browns QB was a replacement player in 1987. As such, he helped them make the playoffs that season. _____________________________

13.) This point guard was once lauded on the cover of a national publication as the best in the NBA. __________________________

14.) Rollie Hemsley was once Bob Feller’s personal catcher. This player was Johnny Allen’s. He and Hemsley once caught baseballs thrown from the top of the Terminal Tower. _____________________

15.) This powerful first baseman was best known as a Milwaukee Brave. He came up with the Reds. He played for the Indians in 1963, and managed them for one horrible season, in 1967. ______________________

16.) This was the Game One starting QB for the new era Cleveland Browns. In 2001 the Browns intercepted him an incredible seven times. ______________________________

17.) He played second base for the Indians from 1968 to 1972. ________________________

18.) He came in the deal that sent Roberto Alomar to the Mets. That was the ill-fated Alex Escobar trade. ____________________________

19.) He was the backup Browns quarterback in the early 1960s. Also wore #15. __________________

20.) A 1970s Tribe catcher who was dealt prior to Frank Robinson joining the team. They didn’t get along. Long time bench coach for championship teams in both leagues. _______________________

21.) Came up with the Tribe and hit a grand slam on his first big league pitch. Dealt to the Padres. ______________________

22.) Utility player, had previously been a Colorado Rockie. _____________________

23.) A first baseman who seemed to put good wood on the otherwise unhittable Randy Johnson. His bat was switched with the illegal and confiscated Albert Belle bat by Jason Grimsley at Comiskey Park in Chicago. ____________________________

Thank you for reading.