Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_Evans
Dwight Evans made his major league debut with the Red Sox on September 16, 1972, during a Red Sox 10–0 win over the Cleveland Indians.[3] Evans appeared in a total of 18 games late in the season, batting 15-for-57 (.263) with one home run and six RBIs. Early in his major league career, Evans was primarily a defensive standout (he would win eight Gold Glove Awards) with a modest bat. In the second half of his career, he became a powerful hitter, twice winning a Silver Slugger Award. Originally, Evans was assigned the uniform number 40, but quietly he wanted to wear number 24, the number of his idol Willie Mays. In 1973, the Sox gave him number 24, the number he wore for the rest of his career.