Payton is no exception and quickly garnered the nickname "Sweetness" for his ability to make plays, and slide through the defense with ease. 2 Deion Sanders, CB, Florida State (1985-88) Focus on Sport/Getty Images. We all know Dizzy and Daffy, Crazy Legs, Shoeless Joe, King James, The Great One and Air Jordan. These numbers can be passed down from one club legend to the next, as the tradition is in soccer. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). What famous athletes wore number 22? Rose took the nickname seriously and spent his career as a hard-nosed ball player, known for legging out extra-base hits and splendid play in the field. The long red locks flowing from his helmet while he seems impenetrable by gravity seems to make this nickname non-inventive, but still a perfect fit. Stan "The Man" Musial wore the number during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. Each time he reached a new team, he would shout out "Say hey, man" in order to get his teammates attention, and the name stuck with him wherever he went. Dan Marino, practically reversed the belief that 13 is an unlucky number. Muhammad Ali. 99. His nickname suggests as much, as it is indicative of a man who . Boyd played parts of nine seasons in the majors, and compiled a career 78-77 record, with 799 strikeouts. As owner of the Kansas City A's, Charles O. Finley thought his new pitcher needed a solid nickname, and citing Hunter's giant 'stache which looked like a catfish's whiskers, gave him the nickname "catfish.". His trash talking is the stuff of street legend and his longevity in the league cemented his status as an NBA great. The nickname would stick and become part of his identity throughout his playing years, summarizing Dawson's aggressive approach to the game and his Hall of Fame work ethic. Pel, byname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, (born October 23, 1940, Trs Coraes, Brazildied December 29, 2022, So Paolo, Brazil), Brazilian football (soccer) player, in his time probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world. Why he's here: When you start to look through MLB records for switch-hitters, you begin to put Beltran's stellar career in perspective. "The Great Bambino," "The Sultan of Swat," "The Colossus of Clout," and simply "The Babe," are all references to baseball's greatest legend. Whether they describe physical appearance, a catch phrase, or an extreme and unique ability, these nicknames follow their host, even beyond the grave. 2 - Secretariat. Triskaidekaphobic football fans dreaded the Sundays when Marino and the Miami Dolphins rolled into town, because it usually meant their defense was in for a long day. 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Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Brazilian Portuguese: [ds(w) atiz du nasimtu]; 23 October 1940 - 29 December 2022), better known by his nickname Pel (Portuguese pronunciation: ), was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward.Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th . Derek Lowe (Boston Red Sox) 6. Robinson broke Major Leagues Baseball color barrier, becoming the first black man to play in the league since the 1880s. the bat to Trumper. https://goo.gl/tX6CcK-~-~~-~~. Johnson was first dubbed "Magic" while playing Everett High School high as a 15-year-old sophomore. He played professional football in the NFL with theAtlanta Falcons(19891993),San Francisco 49ers(1994),Dallas Cowboys(19951999),Washington Redskins(2000) andBaltimore Ravens(20042005). When he recorded atriple-doubleof 36points, 18reboundsand 16assists. Baseball stars have had success with the number as well with Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and Zach Greinke thriving with the number 23 in . Troy Aikman and Johnston remain close friends, having won three Super Bowls together. In this sport, Lee Chong Wei sits on the throne. The Pro Football Hall of Famer has 16,726 career yards, along with 110 TDs on the ground. Aside from being a vegan, Salley is known for several other odd mannerisms and goofy antics. He has worn the iconic #7 for Manchester United as well as the Portuguese National Team and his current club Real Madrid. This obvious alias comes from the "Wizard of Oz," and is in combination with Smith's shortened first name, "Oz.". Michael Jordans #23 is the most iconic number in the history of sports. Reeves wasnicknamed"Big Country"by his college teammateByron Houstonwhen Reeves was amazed by his first airplane flight across theUnited States. Fans of this era only know his name as the legend, but quotes from players of his day tell the story of Wagner as a dirty player, often clueing infielders and holding baserunners by the jersey as they attempted to round a base. Hall of Fame linebacker got the nickname Mad Stork for his gangly frame (6-7, 220-pounds). He retired with the most wins of any quarterback in NFL history (which would later be broken by Favre, Brady, and Manning). Glen Davis was a big kid. 24: Alworth, . He was often compared to film character Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (played byCharlie Sheen) in the1989David S. Wardfilm Major League. Venus and Serena Williams. From Quiz: American Sports Nicknames. He is perhaps the best player in Major League Baseball history that is yet to enter the Hall of Fame, having been banned for life for lying about his involvement with betting on baseball. The thumb is not called a "finger," and therefore doesn't count. The countdown has begun for when the New York Yankees will retire the #2 of their recently retired shortstop, Derek Jeter. These players have left a lasting impression on their respective teams. Penny has attributed his successes in life to his grandma, who raised him up as a child while his mother was away working. 79 - Rosey Brown. famous athletes number 23 nicknamemeat carving knife blank. James has worn different numbers throughout his career but is probably tied together most with the number 23. Unless he attempts a return to baseball, which isn't likely, he will be eligible for the Hall of Fame following the 2012 season and could be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and definitely deserves to be elected. Publish date: May 25, 2009. . The #7 shirt at Manchester United has been worn by several of the greatest players of all time. BATS THAT THEY HAVE WIELDED E. MAYNE'S PRICELESS COLLECTION The Stradivarius to Kreisler . In 1993, Williams started wearing the No. "The Mailman always delivers" was the phrase that followed Malone from his college days until the end of his career and beyond. Smith is a 15-time All-Star, 13-time Gold Glove Winner and a 1982 World Series Champion with the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the course of his prolific career, he wore the #80 for three different teams, but is best remembered for wearing it in the red and gold of the San Francisco 49ers. "AK-47" is simply Kirilenko's initials plus the number on his Utah Jazz jersey. According to Parish, former Celtics forwardCedric Maxwellgave Parish this nickname because of hisstoicnature. The legendary coach lived to be 99-years-old, passing away last June. Carry on with the slideshow, and impress your friends with your newfound street cred. When the Bears needed a short yardage gain, there was "The Fridge," banging through the line and stumbling into the end zone. 13, is right above him at the No. He added an "H" to his name later in his career in homage to his Muslim faith. Over 75 years after Ruth's professional baseball career ended, he is still regarded as the best baseball player to ever live. Gordon earned his nickname when he burst on to the scene in 1989 at the age of 21, when he went 17-9 in his first full season in the majors. The #7 has been passed down from Kevin Keegan to Kenny Daglish to Luis Suarez, and many others have held the honor of wearing the most iconic number for one of Englands most decorated football clubs. The big man also played for the USA Basketball team, was a two-time NBA Champion, won the NBA MVP in 1995 and was a 10-time NBA All-Star. Marino is one of the most prolific passers in the history of the NFL, amassing 61,361 yards during his seventeen seasons in the league. All players are Canadian unless indicated otherwise. Hardaway was a four-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA first team selection and NBA All-Rookie first team selection (1994). For most of his career, Jordan sported the #23, except for one season during which he donned #45 after his return from retirement. He is the most dominating boxer in the history of the sport and is synonymous with boxing legend. Follow your favourite Olympic heroes on their journey to the games. Malone was known for his consistency and durability and for teaming up with a sprightly white guy in short shorts all those years as a member of the Utah Jazz. Drexler has had his nickname since his days at the University of Houston, named for his speed and athleticism on the court and his pleasant and easygoing nature in his private life. He was also the second most prolific passer in NFL history, with 51,475 career passing yards, despite only leading the NFL in passing yardage once. mark reinstein/Shutterstock. Hayes earned many nicknames during his playing days, such as "The Judge" and his self-proclaimed "Jedi" alias for his pre-Super Bowl XVIII quotes stating he was "The only true Jedi in the NFL" (Star Wars was immensely popular in the late '70s and early '80s). After nearly 14 seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, the team traded him to the Bucks for the remainder of the 2003 season. Although Mike Bossy only played 752 games, he . Let's start with the two most simple nicknames: Mike and MJ. Plummer is currently a racquetball champion in his native Idaho and was recently interviewed and quoted as saying he loves his life in his small town. As time passes, these athletes will be remembered for the accomplishments achieved while wearing their preferred numbers. and the name stuck. During and following his boxing career, Tyson is known for his unusual and often frightening quotes and taunts and also several run-ins with law enforcement. 4 in assists and Nash, another who wore No. Nash led the league in assists five times. He used the technique of crouching with his left arm out to fight opponents, and experienced many successes. Bettis is certainly a large man, weighing 252lbs while standing only 5'11" tall. . Jones is said to have 106 sacks unofficially and is one of the most notorious pass-rushers in the history of the game. 23: Chamberlin, Guy Chamberlin. Jones owes his alias to his family, who constantly told him he was "A chip-off-the-old-block," in reference to his father. McGriff's alias is just one of the many nickname brainchild ideas of ESPN analyst Chris Berman, who noticed the slugger's name resembled that of the National Crime Prevention Council mascot "McGruff.". Wagner was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1936, gaining 95.13 percent of the vote. Reese was a 10-time All-Star and two-time World Series Champion with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Rodman earned his moniker with aggressive and often over-the-top defense. He appeared in six postseasons with the Dodgers (1949, 195253, 195556, 1959), facing theNew York Yankeesin the first five and theChicago White Soxin the final. If the Cuban pitcher ever wanted to sue the founder of Pilates, he may have a solid case. The tall glass of water got his famous alias from multiple sources: According to Paige, his nickname originated from childhood work toting bags at the train station. The Wu-Tang Clan references are as . The durable fire-baller still holds the MLB record for career strikeouts and still fields questions about the day he plunked Ventura and subsequently pummeled him after getting him in a head-lock on the mound. Jackson was also a prolific hitter, and many historians feel he could have broken several records had he not been banned from baseball after the 1920 season. 7 - Mickey . Either way, the nickname stuck, as did the movie. The high-flyer ranks 13th in career scoring in the NBA and is mentioned nearly every year during the dunk contest and has been a judge in the competition multiple times. For certain teams, some numbers hold a special place in club lore and the hearts of the fans. It seemed so right to give him the nickname, giventhe man many consider to be the best boxer of all-time is also named "Sugar Ray" (Robinson). Ryan recorded 5,714 strikeouts, 324 wins and a TKO of Robin Ventura in his 27-year career. Jeffries boxed in a time where blacks were heavily persecuted, and "The Great White Hope" was a moniker for his desire to destroy all blacks with his boxing abilities. The legendary Boston Red Sox outfielder had many nicknames, such as:"The Kid","Teddy Ballgame," and"The Thumper.". Either way, the nickname is very fitting of one of the most dominant strike-out pitchers the game has ever seen. Each sprin Really? His lawyer should have been named "The electric no possibility of victory but still attempting attorney.". Chamberlain is still holds the NBA record for points scored in a single game, and the paper he is holding is the number of points he dropped on the New York Knicks in 1962 as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors. It has spawned other nicknames involving athletes with the last name "Rodriguez," including the current record holder for most saves in a season, Frankie "K-Rod" Rodriguez. Jim Browns career in the National Football League only lasted nine seasons, but his impact on the game has lasted through history. Which got us thinking about the greatest athletes . Any way you slice it, the man could hit, and the "Splendid Splinter" seems to be the most creative nickname ever concocted for the lefty. Clayton Kershaw. 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He played his entire career from 1995-2001 with the Vancouver Grizzlies. As of 1999 . No joke here, just a great player and an exceptional man. Birth date: September 12, 1913. He hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons (195357) and averaged 42 home runs, 124RBI, 123 runs and a .320 batting average between 1953-1956. Playing for the University ofColoradoBuffaloes in 1994, Kordell Stewart completed a Hail Mary passto beat theUniversity of Michigan27-26, a play known as "The Miracle at Michigan.". Another aspect of the game that set it apart from traditional American football were the names on the back of the jerseys. But who makes it into Australia-only top 10? The ability to play both QB and WR gave Stewart the nickname "Slash," as in quarterback/(slash)receiver. It has spawned other nicknames involving athletes with the last name "Rodriguez," including the current record holder for most saves in a season, Frankie "K-Rod" Rodriguez. "Prime Time" was more than just a nickname for Sanders, it became his alter-ego, and it became difficult to separate the man from the legend. As far as boxing nicknames are concerned, "The Executioner" isn't very imaginative but still intimidating. Steve Nash - Jackson is No. Professional sports seems to be the perfect breeding ground for bizarre and hilarious nicknames for athletes. White was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection. Wayne Gretzky is widely considered the best hockey player ever to play the game, in the same conversations with Gordie Howe and Brett Hull. A sporty name from a Paralympic athlete can remind children to never give up. 5. Gordie Howe is considered one of the best hockey players in history but is also known for his friendly personality, kind demeanor, longevity as a player and prolific goal-scoring. The world's 50 highest-paid athletes collected an astounding $2.97 billion before taxes and agents' fees over the last 12 months, smashing last year's record total by 8%more than $200 .