Longtime Tampa Bay Rays senior advisor Don Zimmer will have his uniform number 66 retired posthumously on April 6 -- Opening Day -- at Tropicana Field.
Zimmer, whose number rose by one each year he was with the Rays to signify his number of years in pro baseball, was with the organization for 11 years (2004-'14), which was his longest tenure among the 14 teams that employed him over his career.
“Don Zimmer enriched the lives of everyone in the Rays family, and he played a significant part in the growth of our organization,” Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg said in a press release. “Zim’s presence has been a gift to the game of baseball, and his influence will be felt for years to come.
“It has been a true privilege of my stewardship of the Rays to have had Don as such an important part of our organization. It is with great pride that we honor him and the game by retiring his number.”
Zimmer, who died on June 4, 2014, after a period of declining health, will have his No. 66 join No. 12 (Wade Boggs) and No. 42 (Jackie Robinson) as retired numbers for the Rays. Robinson's 42 is retired by all Major League Baseball clubs.
His wife, Soot, and son, Tommy, will be among those present for the ceremony that will be held before the start of the first Rays game of the season against Baltimore. First pitch is scheduled for just after 3:00 p.m.