CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - On Saturday afternoon, the University of Virginia baseball program retired Ryan Zimmerman's No. 11.
The Kellam High School product attended the ceremony with his wife and their four children, Zimmerman becoming emotional as he addressed the sold-out crowd.
He's just the second person to have their number retired by UVA baseball, joining former coach Jim West whose No. 24 was retired.
"This city means a lot to me," Zimmerman said while in Charlottesville for his ceremony. "There's a lot of people here tonight that probably watched me play or that have relationships through baseball that obviously now going past baseball. If you enjoy the places you are, like I did here, then you have friendships and relationships that last your whole life.
"Didn't take it for granted, enjoyed every day and my dad always said there's always someone trying to take your job, and that's kinda the way I basically played since I got here."
Following Zimmerman's three-year playing career at UVA, he was drafted fourth overall by the Washington Nationals in 2005.
The Virginia Beach native played 16 seasons for the Nationals before retiring in February. He's Washington's franchise leader in games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, extra-base hits and total bases.
Zimmerman will become the first player to have his number retired by the Nationals when his No. 11 is retired by the team June 18.
