So Cal's All-Time Roster: No. 29

He was with the Rams just four seasons and three games into a fifth, but it seemed much longer. As a rookie out of SMU, he ran for a first-year record 1,808 yards on 390 attempts and was name the NFL's rookie of the year. But the next season was even more spectatular: A league record 2,105 yards, breaking O.J. Simpson's mark of 2,003. On Dec. 9, 1984, Dickerson broke the mark with a 215-yard game against Houston at Anaheim Stadium. On the NFL's all-time rushing list, his 13,259 yards ranks sixth, and he's also in the top five with 2,996 rushing attempts. Some of those carries and yards, of course, came with the Indianapolis Colts ('87-'91), then to the Raiders ('92) and finally the Atlanta Falcons ('93). Why didn't he stay in L.A.? Ask Georgia Frontiere.
Dickerson was already bickering about his contract with the front office in '85, and during the strike-shortened season of '87, he was traded to Indianapolis in a three-way deal that included the Buffalo Bills. The Rams ended up with a running back, Greg Bell and three first-round picks. The Bills got Cornelius Bennett. The Colts had the guy who the Rams should never have lost.
The rest of his career, including a stint as a sideline guy on "Monday Night Football," is pretty much wiped out from L.A. sports memory.
In 1999, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also that year, the Sporting News had him slotted at No. 38 of the 100 Greatest Football Players of all time.
Greatness that all could have stayed in Anaheim.

Runner-up:
==Rod Carew, Angels (1979-'85 as a player, '92-'99 as a coach)
How 'about mixing in an RBI once and awhile, eh?
That's not an original line, just something we always think of when sizing up the Anaheim career of Carew, who spent his first 12 seasons with Minnesota (winning league MVP in '77 and the batting title in '69, '72, '73, '74, '75, '77 and '78). The Hall of Famer did collect his 3,000th hit with the Angels in '85 -- against the Twins.
The Angels thought enough to retire his No. 29 even though his efforts as a hitting coach later on were questionable.

Others to consider:
==Eric Turner, UCLA football ('87-'90)
Sports Illustrated's college-football-only list of the top players linked to a specific number decide that the Bruins former All-American safety was the best one here, based on 369 career tackles and 14 interceptions.
==Tay Brown, USC football ('30-'32)
An All-American tackle out of Compton who played in two Rose Bowls and two national title teams. The captain of the '32 team went into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame in 1980. Also was on the '31 and '33 Trojan track teams.
Other No. 29s:
==Harold Jackson, Rams ('73-'77)
==Adrian Beltre, Dodgers ('98-'04)
==Don Stanhouse, Dodgers ('82)

Sports Illustrated's pick for the all-time No. 29: Satchel Paige, over Carew and Dickerson, Ken Dryden and John Smoltz.

Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: