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Okay, so former University of Michigan quarterback Drew Henson -- he started at UM ahead of a fellow named Tom Brady -- made his NFL debut yesterday and gave desperate Dallas Cowboy fans a glimmer of hope for the future. Henson, as most of you know, is the former New York Yankee "third baseman of the future," who concluded his career in pinstripes 1-for-9 with three strikeouts and a career OPS+ of -40. At the same time -- and in the same metropolitan area, no less -- 6'10" RHP Chris Young signed a multi-million dollar extension with the Texas Rangers, who had to outbid the Sacramento Kings for the former Princeton center. Which brings us to our ...

Question of the Day: Who is the most memorable multiple-sport athlete of the last century, and more importantly, why? (Note: "most memorable" doesn't always equate with "best" or even "most talented.") Who didn't play multiple sports who should have, or in retrospect, chose the wrong sport?

Let's get some of the obvious ones out of the way, though please do jump in with your comments on and memories of these and others: Bo Jackson, Jim Thorpe, Deion Sanders, Brian Jordan, former Blue Jays Danny Ainge and Mark Hendrickson, as well as Ron Reed, Dave DeBuscherre ... who else? Are there any two-sport hockey players of note other than Tom Glavine, who never made it past "prospect" on the ice?
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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_Moffatt - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:20 AM EST (#12881) #
Are there any two-sport hockey players of note other than Tom Glavine, who never made it past "prospect" on the ice?

Hockey Hall-of-Famer Babe Dye:

    Cecil "Babe" Dye was a halfback for the Toronto Argonauts and such a good baseball player that Connie Mack offered him the extraordinary salary of $25,000 to join his Philadelphia Athletics team in 1921. But Dye limited his baseball to playing outfield with Baltimore, Buffalo and Toronto in the International League. His real career was in professional hockey.
_mathesond - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:20 AM EST (#12882) #
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_Didrikson_Zaharias
I don't think she played hockey, although she very well may have, but my vote would be for Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
_mathesond - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:23 AM EST (#12883) #
http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/conachrl.shtml
Are there any two-sport hockey players of note other than Tom Glavine, who never made it past "prospect" on the ice?

Lionel Conacher won 2 Stanley Cups and a Grey Cup (Scored 15 points in Toronto's 23-0 shutout of Edmonton).
_DeMarco - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:25 AM EST (#12884) #
For me, the most memorable two sport player was Danny Ainge. I watched him come up with my favorite baseball team, and then watched him help my favorite basketball team win a championship.
_Moffatt - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:27 AM EST (#12885) #
There's quite a few guys who have played in both the NHL and CFL, including Dunc Munro, whose son is a friend of our family. :)
_Mosely - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:35 AM EST (#12886) #
I'm with mathesond. You have to give major props to Lionel "Big Train" Conacher here. Nobody can come close to that career - at least I'd be surprised if anybody did. Amateur wrestling champ, pro wrestler, AAA baseball player, pro lacrosse legend and hall of fame member, hockey player (two cups and hall inductee), member of parliament. That's crazy.
_Jonathan - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:37 AM EST (#12887) #
Is there any doubt? Bo Jackson!
_Smirnoff - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:54 AM EST (#12888) #
This would be a great time to post that pic of Carlos Delgado skating with Tie Domi. Sadly, I can't find it. :)
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 11:21 AM EST (#12889) #
It's hard to say that an MVP chose the wrong sport, but if you ever saw Kirk Gibson go over the middle to catch a pass for Michigan State, you know this guy could have been Steve Largent.
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 11:38 AM EST (#12890) #
In fact, in the early '80's, the Tigers outfield could've had quite a Big 10 football feel to it, as Rick Leach, the former Michigan QB, preceded Henson into MLB vagaries.Leach had awful timing as he left Detroit after the '83 season -- and came to Toronto -- just in time to miss the Tigers' magical '84 run, then left the Blue Jays just before they started winning titles.
_Wildrose - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 11:51 AM EST (#12891) #
Best multi-sport athlete I've come across in recent times , Steve Nash.

In his grade 12 year in Victoria he was the B.C High School Provincial MVP in basketball, rugby, and in soccer (brother Marty on Canada's national team).As well he was an outstanding baseball prospect as a shortstop ( along time lower mainland baseball scout told me " the best I've ever seen" )He also played hockey up until age 13, although I'm not sure how good he was.

I've said this before on this blog, it bugs me that people say Nash is not a great NBA athlete, when clearly he is. Also as a parent I think you can fall into a trap of having your progeny specialize in only one sport at ayoung age. I think the Nash example of playing a variety of sports as a youngster has a lot of merit.
_Jabonoso - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:01 PM EST (#12892) #
Wasn't Eric Gagne an excellent goalie?
Chris Carpenter also played hockey. do not know at what level though?
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:04 PM EST (#12893) #
Gagne was a scrapper..A Good one too

Bo Jackson was the best. no doubt.

Kirk Gibsone was something special
_Fawaz K - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:05 PM EST (#12894) #
Memorable? Neon Deion, porbably because he never did master shutting up - a two-sport talented loudmouth.
Craig B - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:10 PM EST (#12895) #
The Big Train has already been mentioned, so I will go with the next best thing - Jim Brown, the greatest running back before Barry Sanders, was also one of the finest lacrosse players in history. Brown is (other than Babe Didrikson) the only athlete I know of who is one of the twenty or so best players in the entire history of two sports.
_Tyler - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:12 PM EST (#12896) #
Bo knows, but Zez says. Peter Zezel played in one of those Canadian soccer leagues that goes bankrupt every couple of years in addition to the NHL.
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:18 PM EST (#12897) #
Zezel was hardly a hockey player...
_Dunny.. - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:19 PM EST (#12898) #
And I don't think he does anything but eat potato chips anymore..he's honestly about 250-260 pounds..He's a human basketball now.
_Moffatt - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:21 PM EST (#12899) #
There's probably other players who excelled in both soccer and hockey, particularly from Europe. Wasn't Federov a star soccer player as a teen?

Brown is (other than Babe Didrikson) the only athlete I know of who is one of the twenty or so best players in the entire history of two sports.

I dunno. I'm pretty good at 5-pin bowling and Dance Dance Revolution. :)
_Brian W - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:24 PM EST (#12900) #
For most memorable you have to at least mention Michael Jordan and his attempt at baseball. And one that I always remember: Tom Quinlan who was drafted by the Calgary Flames (4th round in 1986) before choosing the Blue Jays (who took him in the 27th round that year).
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:30 PM EST (#12901) #
Zezel was hardly a hockey player...

With 873 NHL games played and 219 goals, I would say that Zezel was a hockey player and a pretty good one at that.
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:34 PM EST (#12902) #
the only athlete I know of who is one of the twenty or so best players in the entire history of two sports.z

Hmm. I guess Willie Gault and Renaldo Nehemiah never really reached that echelon in the NFL, huh? There must've been other Thorpe-like athletes who reached the Olympics in one thing and played professionally in another. Hey, didnt' Gault get to both the summer and winter Olynpics? Or did he fall short of bobsled fame?

The QB litany, of course, is littered with John Elway, Henson, Shea Morenz, Adam Dunn and many others.

Do you guys remember Professional Pinch Hitter Thad Bosley? Am I making this up, or wasn't he an outstanding college football player?
_mathesond - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:35 PM EST (#12903) #
Anyone wanna make a case for the Olympic sprinters-turned-wide receivers/pinch runners that helped usher in the era of sports specialization, 70's style?
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:36 PM EST (#12904) #
Didn't Bob Hayes win an Olympic sprint gold and then star for the Cowboys?
_mathesond - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:40 PM EST (#12905) #
And does Carl Lewis count for succeeding in both Track and Field?
_Wildrose - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:43 PM EST (#12906) #
Not to mention his renowned singing exploits as well...
_Mosely - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:44 PM EST (#12907) #
And I don't think he does anything but eat potato chips anymore..he's honestly about 250-260 pounds..He's a human basketball now.

Peter Zezel suffers from Anemia. He's gained a lot of weight as a result. He's making a recovery now.
_MK - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:48 PM EST (#12908) #
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Hughes
Aren't there a few two-sport Olympic "stars" who compete in speed skating in the winter and cycling in the summer, because the muscle groups developed are the same for both?

Yeah, Clara Hughes, for one... COMN.
_MK - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:49 PM EST (#12909) #
Peter Zezel's soccer skills were what made him one of the best faceoff men in the NHL for many years. He'd tie up the other guy's stick with his and then kick the puck to a teammate.
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:52 PM EST (#12910) #
I didn't know that was why Zezel had gained so much weight, I'm sorry to hear it..

Zezel was ok, I just hate the Leafs more than the Yankees themselves.
_Jobu - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:55 PM EST (#12911) #
http://www.peterzezel.com
And he's got a surprisingly cool website. COMN.

PS. *quietly* aaaaaarrrrrrgooooooooossss.
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 12:58 PM EST (#12912) #
I heard Zezel was makin like 500 bucks a game playin Senior "A" hockey.. that's not to shabby

Ofcourse, it's probably not true
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:01 PM EST (#12913) #
Zezel was ok, I just hate the Leafs more than the Yankees themselves.

Only 207 of Zezel's 873 regular season games were with the beloved Maple Leafs.
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:05 PM EST (#12914) #
Once A leaf... I used to be a big Gary Roberts fan..He's now the scum of the Earth..:)

Let's Go Rangers!
_MK - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:09 PM EST (#12915) #
Rangers?!? They're the Mets of the NHL -- huge payroll, no results. :)
_Jobu - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:11 PM EST (#12916) #
Rangers?!? They're the Mets of the NHL -- huge payroll, no results. :)

I JUST had the same discussion with a co-worker two days ago. At first we tried to develop a leaf/met comparison but the leafs make the playoffs to often (before droping out in the second round). So then we settled on the rangers.
_Dunny - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:11 PM EST (#12917) #
Don't I know it..It's tough being a Die Hard Ranger fan in Grey County...Atleast they're on the right track now.

Leaf fans can thank me for Leetch later
_Magpie - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:31 PM EST (#12918) #
There's quite a few guys who have played in both the NHL and CFL

You would have to mention Gerry James, fullback and left-footed place kicker for the Blue Bombers - he played 11 years in the CFL, winning the Schenley twice as outstanding Canadian player, and parts of five years in the NHL with the Leafs. He managed to play in a Grey Cup game and a Stanley Cup final in the same season, which may be a unique accomplishment.
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:40 PM EST (#12919) #
He managed to play in a Grey Cup game and a Stanley Cup final in the same season, which may be a unique accomplishment.

bringing to mind of course that Neon Deion once played in an NFL game and in a MLB playoff game on the same day.
_rodent - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:46 PM EST (#12920) #
Magpie beat me to it. I will add that I remember (yes, remember,) James scoring four touchdowns in game, and I think with the leafs he was on a line with the Cullen brothers.
_Magpie - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:52 PM EST (#12921) #
Jim Thorpe, Babe Didrickson, Lionel Conacher. For sure.

Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Danny Ainge, Brian Jordan...etc. Jordan probably accomplished the most. Bo was far away the most impressive, but we all know what happened. Ainge wasn't really a good ML player

Jeff Conine is apparently one of the best racquetball players around. Or was, anyway. From his bio at MLB.com:

Is a world-class racquetball player... won the 1985 Junior National Championships and has participated in several pro tournaments... was third with his wife at the 1993 U.S. Racquetball Doubles Championships in Phoenix... in the 1999 U.S. National Doubles Racquetball Championship following the 1999 season, Jeff and Cindy won the 25-and-over mixed doubles title, while Jeff placed second with Steve Lerner in the men's 30-and-over division finals...

Baseball and hockey... Aha! Found the reference!

Johnny Pesky, from Oregon, was apparently a fine hockey player. The Red Sox made him stop.

Uhh... golfers? Michael Jordan? Robin Yount? Grant Fuhr?

How about those great Blue Jays prospects, Jay Schroeder and Chris Weinke?
_Magpie - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 01:54 PM EST (#12922) #
I will add that I remember (yes, remember,)

I can only remember him playing football. :-)
_Magpie - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:06 PM EST (#12923) #
A few more baketball guys: Bob Gibson (Harlem Globetrotters!), Tony Gwynn (San Diego State, drafted by the Clippers), Joe Gibbon (All-American at U of Miss)

And Gene Conley played with the Celtics during the off-season.
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:10 PM EST (#12924) #
Ah, the San Diego reference reminds me ... Tony Clark was a star hoops guy at SDSU and a fellow named Winfield ended up with the Padres after being drafted by three sports leagues (I assume the NBA and the ABA).
_DeMarco - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:12 PM EST (#12925) #
I recall Winfield actually getting drafted by a soccer league, but I'm not 100%
_Magpie - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:13 PM EST (#12926) #
Winfield was drafted by four teams in threew sports: the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, the ABA's Utah Stars, and the NFL's Minnesota Vikings -- even though he never played college football - as well as the Padres.
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:17 PM EST (#12927) #
There was a guard with the old Buffalo Braves who also played soccer in the old NASL in the 70's. Name escapes me right now.
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:17 PM EST (#12928) #
Oh I got it. Randy Smith.
_MatO - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:28 PM EST (#12929) #
Subsequent checking reveals that Randy Smith never actually played in the NASL. The Tampa Bay Rowdies tried to sign him in 1975 but the Braves would not allow him to play. He was an all-American at Buffalo State in soccer.
_DeMarco - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:30 PM EST (#12930) #
Chris Chelios is currently practicing with the Greek bobsled team.

Honestly, I wouldn't be able to make that kind of thing up.
_Rob - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:36 PM EST (#12931) #
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/us_sport/3995595.stm
He's not kidding. COMN.
_Daryn - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:37 PM EST (#12932) #
The Rock! CFL and WWE.. not to mention Major Motion Pictures... he might be the richest of the two sport athletes... (ok feel free to debate the "athlete" part... should be good for a couple hundred redundant words)

actually, I don't think you can touch Bo... Deion and Brian Jordan both played football AND baseball, but neither of them was the dominating machine in both sports that Bo was...

in fact, I would argue that in Bo's poorer sport, he was more dominate than the best of the other two... but its a close argument, Deion is a pretty good cover guy.. (but a poor receiver)
_Jim - TBG - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:42 PM EST (#12933) #
http://www.torontobaseballguys.com
He wasn't the greatest, but in his career, Mark Hendrickson has:

hit a 3-point basket
blocked shots
collected assists and steals
pitched a shutout
hit a home run

which is a pretty cool resume. He might be the only man in history with a shutout, homer and 3-pointer.
_Donkit R.K. - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:48 PM EST (#12934) #
There is no debate about the athleticism of most pro wrestlers. It may not be a sport, but (most of) these guys are serious athletes. There are still the odd Hulk Hogan who currently has the athletic ability of a stump, but check out Rey Misterio or Chris Benoit or the Dynamite Kid from the 80s or Kurt Angle or Ricky Steamboat ... It may be "fake" but the athleticism is real... Thank you ;-)
_Four Seamer - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 02:54 PM EST (#12935) #
but its a close argument, Deion is a pretty good cover guy..

It's easy to lampoon Deion, but you have to recognize that Deion is one of the finest cornerbacks ever to play professional football. His run support was a little sketchy, as his tackling was less than superb (to put it charitably), but in his heyday, first with the Falcons and then with the Forty-Niners and the Cowboys, Deion Sanders was flat out dominant. Bo Jackson was a pretty good baseball player, but in response to your suggestion that he dominated his second sport to a greater extent than Sanders and Jordan dominated their first, he never did anything to approximate in baseball what Sanders did on the football field.
_Nolan - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:02 PM EST (#12936) #
I remember hearing once that Gretzky was a pretty good baseball prospect, a shortstop actually. Can anyone confirm this?

If so, it puts him on the same level as Jordan...
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:02 PM EST (#12937) #
Jim-TBG, I was going to suggest that the only reason Hendrickson stands alone in that regard is that neither Reed nor DeBusschere played in the era of thethee-point shot. But it turns out neither one ever homered, either!

Does this elevate Hendrickson to the two-sport-star Pantheon?
_Nicholas - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:07 PM EST (#12938) #
Wasn't Larry Walker a hockey player when he was a kid? Some guy on ESPN yesterday was a pro bowler and a champion horseshoe player. Does that count???
_Dr. Zarco - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:07 PM EST (#12939) #
Since Hendrickson is 6'9", can we assume he dunked in the NBA as well? That'd add something-shutout, homer, 3-pter, dunk. Impressive.
_Pete Warren - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:09 PM EST (#12940) #
Two words

Kenny Lofton

Hoops star at Arizona I believe....I could be wrong
_Nolan - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:15 PM EST (#12941) #
Stan Musial was an outstanding basketplayer and, I believe, had options if had wanted to go that route.
_Jim - TBG - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:17 PM EST (#12942) #
http://www.torontobaseballguys.com
Since Hendrickson is 6'9", can we assume he dunked in the NBA as well?



I'd say that's a safe assumption.

Plus, he's drawn a walk. He's a moneyball two-sporter!
_James W - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 03:48 PM EST (#12943) #
Easily Bo Jackson. That catch where he runs ON the side of the wall while wearing the old baby blues for Kansas City will never be forgotten. Plus his cartoon form was in that old Pro-Stars cartoon with Gretzky and Jordan.
_Master of Zubaz - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 04:59 PM EST (#12944) #
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb292/is_198810/ai_n5539792
Ben Johnson. From the doped up world of International track; Ben moved into the doped up world of professional football.

COMN for details.

Inicdentally; Big Ben was hired by Diego Maradonna to be his personal trainer in 1997!! HA
_NDG - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 05:56 PM EST (#12945) #
A little bit of a sidetrack here, but did anyone see the Falcons game yesterday. Vick amazes me, everyone around him looks like they are moving in slow motion. Just how fast is he? He wins best two position in one sport for me as a combo quarterback/running back.
_Stan - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 05:59 PM EST (#12946) #
Bill Eziniki Played for leafs and was a professional golfer
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 07:05 PM EST (#12947) #
I do not understand how anyone can say "easily Bo Jackson" -- and at least three here have -- in a world that brought us Jim Thorpe. Was Bo a better athlete, head to head? PRobably would have been, sure. That takes us back to the era-specific discussions of our all-time draft last week. But he WAS the early NFL, played MLB and oh by the way won Olympic Gold in BOTH the pentathlon and the decathlon.

Ho-lee ...
Lucas - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 07:22 PM EST (#12948) #
FWIW, AP voted Thorpe the greatest football player of the first half of the 20th century. He also had a 99 OPS+ playing mostly for the Giants in the 1910s.
_Jim - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:07 PM EST (#12949) #
Don't forget the great Scott Burrell, who was selected in the first round by both the Mariners and Charlotte Hornets. The Jays took him in the 5th round in 1990. He won an NBA title with one of Jordan's Bulls teams.
_Jim - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:08 PM EST (#12950) #
'A little bit of a sidetrack here, but did anyone see the Falcons game yesterday'

I was at the Falcons game yesterday. Vick is a broken leg and a ruined career waiting to happen. He's makes spectacular plays but I'd much rather have a throwing/pocket QB then someone who's game is scrambling.
_James W - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 10:36 PM EST (#12951) #
Myself, I say "Easily Bo Jackson" because he's the most memorable to me. As a 24-year old, I don't ever remember seeing Jim Thorpe play any sports.
_Mick - Monday, November 22 2004 @ 11:02 PM EST (#12952) #
This is just a guess, but I'd hazard that nobody who read Da Box currently remembers seeing Thorpe play. He died in 1953 at the age of 66, after all.
_Magpie - Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 01:36 AM EST (#12953) #
This is just a guess, but I'd hazard that nobody who read Da Box currently remembers seeing Thorpe play.

Nope.

Before My Time.

Gosh. I don't get to say that often enough.
_David A - Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:02 AM EST (#12954) #
Obviously it's Red Wing and part-time Greek Bobsledder Chris Chelios; he's the greatest, just ask him.
_Clint - Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 03:50 PM EST (#12955) #
Here's hoping that our own Gabe Gross becomes the greatest multi-sport athlete ever.
_Josh G. - Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 01:05 AM EST (#12956) #
Eric Lindros appeared on an Upper Deck baseball card as a Toronto Blue Jay. I don't know if this was just a publicity stunt or if he ever actually played any professional baseball.
_Daryn - Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:58 AM EST (#12957) #
How about "Too Tall Ed Jones" Defensive Lineman and Pro Boxer LOL
_Four Seamer - Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 12:04 PM EST (#12958) #
How about "Too Tall Ed Jones" Defensive Lineman and Pro Boxer LOL

Not to mention his sterling work on a Very Special Episode of Diff'rent Strokes, when he talked a suicidal Arnold off the ledge of the penthouse...
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