famous athletes number 23 nickname

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. Smith is a 15-time All-Star, 13-time Gold Glove Winner and a 1982 World Series Champion with the St. Louis Cardinals. Tiger Woods is a professional golfer and tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds multiple golf records. He retired as the all-time leader in goals scored with 894 and holds the all-time lead in assists with 1,963. Elgin Baylor. He holds the world record for 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 100 metres relay and is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016). He was a larger than life figure that was known for crushing home runs and winning seven World Series titles. Sorry Derek Jeter fans, but Big Red was the best thoroughbred race horse of all-time. According to Parish, former Celtics forwardCedric Maxwellgave Parish this nickname because of hisstoicnature. Follow your favourite Olympic heroes on their journey to the games. Clayton Kershaw. 24: Alworth, . 4 - Lou Gehrig by a sliver over Bobby Orr. Seriously? Forever remembered for his involvement in the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was known for his lightning-quick feet and agility, earning the moniker that would become inseparable from his legacy. 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. He has a career batting average of .356 and 1,772 hits. The league quirky tweaks of NFL rules, including a mad dash to midfield to gain possession of the ball, rather than a kickoff. 79 - Rosey Brown. Just as important as his stats to his legacy are the monikers we have come to know and fondly use to remember him. As if the Venezuelan pitcher needs any more names,Garcs' tongue-in-cheek nickname is a poke at his stature, and friends and teammates commonly refer to him by his moniker. Gossage is a nine-time MLB All-Star and won a World Series ring with the 1978 New York Yankees. Rod "He Hate Me" Smart was the shining star of the Vince McMahon's XFL, which lasted all of one season. Considered one of the best players in professional basketball history, Maravich's life ended and began when he suffered a heart attack while playing a pick-up game in Pasadena, Calif. Maravich was a devout Christian and said shortly before his death he would like to be remembered as a follower of Christ, and not a basketball player. Full Site Menu. Salley was also a co-host for "Best Damn Sports Show Period," alongside Tom Arnold and Chris Rose. Either way, the nickname stuck, as did the movie. 15: Carlos Beltran. Rodman earned his moniker with aggressive and often over-the-top defense. No. 2. Paige is considered one of the best pitchers to play baseball, and it is a crying shame he didn't get a chance to enter the Major Leagues sooner than he did. 23, even if it was for a short period during his career. As far as nicknames go, this one isn't much fun, but at least it's better than "Baby Shaq.". 99 for years because of an admiration for the football playerMark Gastineau, who also wore No. Nicklaus won 20 major titles before retiring to design golf courses. legendary athlete number 23 nicknamepeinture gris mtallis voiturepeinture gris mtallis voiture "The Human Highlight Film" has got to be one of the coolest nicknames in sport and it was perfect for Dominique Wilkins. Robinson was a six-time All-Star, World Series Champion, and the 1949 National League MVP. The former Super Bowl champion New York Giant gained the nickname due to his large stature and semi-rare left-handedness. In 1993, Williams started wearing the No. Maravich earned his nickname in high school, from his habit of shooting the ball from his hip, as if firing a revolver. 4: Brett Favre, QB Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers , New York Jets , Minnesota Vikings Reeves wasnicknamed"Big Country"by his college teammateByron Houstonwhen Reeves was amazed by his first airplane flight across theUnited States. Hardaway was a four-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA first team selection and NBA All-Rookie first team selection (1994). Robinsons #42 will never be worn by another Major League baseball player. 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. Cocaine usage peaked in the United States 1982 with 10.4 million users. These two sisters dominate women's tennis, changing the sport from one of finesse and skill into one characterizing violent power. So, Jordan divided it in half and wore #23. He earned the moniker "The Little General" for his leadership abilities on the court and also his fiery, competitive nature as a player. A power reliever, he put his full weight behind every pitch, so that he dropped hard to the right, sometimes falling off the mound. . 99 (he originally wore the No. 31.April (Latin origin) meaning "open". In modern sports, athletes are valuable assets that are the centerpiece of advertising campaigns and the faces of their organizations. 6. The moniker became the genesis of a shoe deal Iverson signed with Reebok and became almost an alter-ego for the prolific scoring guard. A lot of these athletes have worn other numbers as well. The name stuck throughout Rich Gossage's playing days, and he is affectionately known by the moniker to this day. 10 Tiger Woods Image Credit- PGA Tour. Of course, talking about wood is also a perfect fit for this career above-average hitter. Leonard Buck (Baseball) 5. Robinson possessed tremendous self-control, enduring racial slurs, death threats, and hostile fans around the country. 5 - Joe DiMaggio. In the power categories, it's . A six-time NBA All-Star broke into the league in 1989 with the Seattle SuperSonics and got his nickname, according to Wikipedia.org: "after Sonics announcerKevin Calabrosaw a poster with the name and found it fitting to add to his radio broadcasts.". Jones is said to have 106 sacks unofficially and is one of the most notorious pass-rushers in the history of the game. That brings his total annual income to roughly $80 million. Shaun's nickname is born out of obvious connections. Although he personally disliked the nickname, Wooden became known as the "Wizard of Westwood" during his days as UCLA basketball head coach, where he was noted for turning troubled athletes into upstanding stars. He is considered the . He is a two-time NBA MVP and 13-time NBA All-Star selection and is currently ranked second all-time in NBA scoring. The obvious nickname is the third generation of his birth name. He is the most dominating boxer in the history of the sport and is synonymous with boxing legend. Not every player to wear the #7 has found success with the club, but it has been donned by icons that have had a lasting impact on the beautiful game. The ESPN World Fame 100 is our annual attempt to create a ranking, through statistical analysis, of the 100 most famous athletes on the planet.. We started with Forbes' annual list of the highest . Brown is widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time, thanks to his brutal yet elegant rushing style. The eccentric cross-dresser earned his play in NBA history as a Champion with the Chicago Bulls, and as a psycho, after kicking a camera man in the jewels, drawing a record number of technical fouls, tearing his jersey off before leaving the court when ejected, wearing a dress for a promotion on multiple occasions, piercing every area of his body and dating Carmen Electra. HIGHLAND PARK, IL - OCTOBER 21: A gate with the number 23 controls access to the home of basketball legend Michael Jordan on October 21, 2013 in Highland Park, Illinois. It has been said that Floyd actually fell asleep several times during games in his career, and his hooded eyelids certainly didn't help refute the claims. Aaron's nickname epitomizes his performance at the plate. After playing for a minor . Dykstra was a three-time All-Star, World Series champion and Silver Slugger Award winner while playing for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. But who makes it into Australia-only top 10? The legend became the Baseball Hall of Famer in 1962. Athletes have been blessed with some inventive and fun nicknames. Baseball stars have had success with the number as well with Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and Zach Greinke thriving with the number 23 in . Montana became a football great with the San Francisco 49ers, finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and compiled a career rap sheet that looks like this: The Hall of Famer lost his index finger in a gruesome farming accident, in which he was putting material into a feed chopper, slipped and got his hand mangled. A list of the greatest athletes to wear the number 22 would be incomplete without one of the NHL's most prolific scorers of the late 1970s/1980s. The thumb is not called a "finger," and therefore doesn't count. Jerry Rice is unquestionably the greatest wide receiver in the history of the NFL. The wily pitcher was a fan favorite despite his volatile personality, and his moniker is indicative of his aggressive pitching style. famous athletes number 23 nicknamemeat carving knife blank. Howe is a PR dream, the face of the NHL and a legend in the realm of professional hockey. The nickname may not be specific to the Yankees shortstop, but he personifies the alliterative nickname with consistent big hits when needed most. He collided with teammate Tim Raines, and other teammates shouted, "You're a big unit.". Poor preparation, missing an important detail, or completely offend a certain segment of the audience. 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. Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on Wikipedia Mario Lemieux is a hero to many hockey fans, but not only because of his contributions to the Pittsburgh Penguins on the ice. 2 pick in the draft", "Philadelphia Eagles Media Guide bio 2013", "Pitt's 'Shady' McCoy shines in South Bend spotlight", "Get to Know Gary Player, Golf's Legendary Black Knight", "Big Phil feeling huge pressure at Hazeltine", "Our Exclusive Ranking: 75 Best Rivalries in Golf (#11-20)", "Gulf Times Qatar's top-selling English daily newspaper Sport", "Final Round: Rookie Reavie closes like seasoned veteran", "How Golfer Retief Goosen Played His Way Into the Hall of Fame", "Beethoven breezes for Holy Bull | Kentucky Derby 135", "Lester Piggott to open New Wiltshire Stand at Salisbury", http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/sports/hockey/the-legendary-9-maurice-rocket-richard/a-heros-funeral.html, "Mogilny, Reichel, Roberts combo on fire", "Ovechkin, Caps look to build off Game 5 momentum against Flyers", "Kovalchuk, Avery Fuel Rivalry; Did Kovy Go Too Far? Hall of Famers by Jersey Number. The legendary Boston Red Sox outfielder had many nicknames, such as:"The Kid","Teddy Ballgame," and"The Thumper.". While most remember him for his playing days in baseball, Williams is also a true American hero, leaving the game twice to enlist in the United States Armed Forces as a Marine Corps pilot. Dan Marino, practically reversed the belief that 13 is an unlucky number. Ranker Sports. . The 6'9", 271lb lineman recorded 57 sacks in his career but played before the sack became an official stat in 1982. Kukowas a member of the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the late '90s, where he gained his nickname for his superb play and country of origin. Paralympic athletes are a source of hope and optimism for many people. "Sugar" Ray Leonard owes his legendary moniker-alias toSarge Johnson, assistant coach of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. The ability to play both QB and WR gave Stewart the nickname "Slash," as in quarterback/(slash)receiver. He became known as "The Ryan Express" when he came into games because of his fastball that easily topped 100 mph on a routine basis. Really? Whatever the case may be, the five-time Negro League All-Star, World Series Champion and Hall of Famer was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, and he wore his moniker with honor. He is famous for his blocked shots and on-the-court bouts with Shaquille O'Neal while O'Neal was a member for the Orlando Magic. He is also one of the most dominant. Source: Getty Images He is alsoknown for his 10-year reign asmiddleweightworld champion and setting a record for defending it 20 consecutive times. An eight-time Pro Bowl . The nickname comes from Wilt's height and slender build and the obvious rhyming of his first name. If the Cuban pitcher ever wanted to sue the founder of Pilates, he may have a solid case. For most of his career, Jordan sported the #23, except for one season during which he donned #45 after his return from retirement. LINK Famous athletes who wore the number 32: 1. Is it still cool to diss her or is it too far gone now? The nickname stuck throughout his career and separated his fairly common name from the rest of the herd. In his era, people of this stature were commonly called "stretch," for the way they appeared lengthened out as if someone had grabbed their toes while someone else held them by the head and pulled in the opposite direction. There are a couple of stories regarding the origin of Randy Johnson's nickname. 1. Most recently, Suarez brought the shirt some disgrace with his on-field antics, but he also helped Liverpool mount their best title challenge in over a decade. For the fourth year running, Cristiano Ronaldo took the crown as the world's most famous sporting icon in ESPN's World Fame 100. Orenthal James was shortened to O.J., which is an acronym shared by "Orange Juice," and there you have it. Famous for wearing the number 23 jersey throughout the entirety of his career, Murphy achieved much while playing, including . One of the greatest athletes ever, Usain Bolt is popular by the nickname 'Lightning Bolt'. 3 - Babe Ruth. #23 is now retired by both the Chicago Bulls and North Carolina Tar Heels. Other nicknames, aliases, and monikers include: "Shaq," "Shaq Fu," "The BigAristotle," "The Big Daddy," "Superman," "The BigAgave," "The Big Cactus," "The Big Shaqtus," "The BigGalactus," "Wilt Chamberneezy," "The BigBaryshnikov," "The Real Deal," "Dr. Shaq,""The BigShamrock," "The BigLeprechaun," "Shaqovic,"and the most recent, "The Big Conductor.". 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. However, steroids will likely only be a small blip on his write-up when his playing days are over, and it seems America will remember him for his philanthropy and for coming through in the clutch. Clemens' major league career has clearly been overshadowed by steroid use allegations in recent years, but the pitcher's dominance on the mound is worth noting. One of the greatest athletes the United Kingdom has ever produced, Mo is a world famous distance runner. Best Known For: American track and . Johnson can now be considered one of the most successful athletes of all time. Robinson's nickname is derived from his service in the United States Navy. Jim Browns career in the National Football League only lasted nine seasons, but his impact on the game has lasted through history. The best player on the greatest dynasty in professional sports was Bill Russell. 79, which is kind of interesting, but a few football players have. Musial is, to this day, regarded to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. He then cemented his status as a hockey legend when he secured ownership of the Penguins and stopped them from moving to Kansas City. 6 during his days with the Boston Celtics. 22: Joey Bats (Jose Bautista) Bautista once did a very funny sketch that was a version of the baseball bat scene in "The Untouchables." ESPN have announced the top 20 most famous athletes of 2019. Derek Lowe (Boston Red Sox) 6. Payton is no exception and quickly garnered the nickname "Sweetness" for his ability to make plays, and slide through the defense with ease. He did however appear in summerstock productions ofDamn YankeesandFiddler on the Roof.". Kuko is considered one of the best wingmen to ever play the game, and therefore might be the only man on the planet capable of gettingFranck Ribry a real date. The Pro Football Hall of Famer has 16,726 career yards, along with 110 TDs on the ground. 1 - Oscar Robertson. Glen Davis was a big kid. Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. However, he is also known as "Wild Thing" for his unusual delivery to the plate. No. The #7 shirt at Liverpool has a long and storied history that has seen some of the clubs best players wear the number. Birth Year: 1913. This obvious alias comes from the "Wizard of Oz," and is in combination with Smith's shortened first name, "Oz.". Rices legendary hands were developed throughout his childhood, when he worked as a brick mason. "The Great One" is the simplest way to describe his talents, although a more creative moniker would gain more points. Named for his aggressive and controversial driving style, "The Intimidator" is the biggest name in the history of NASCAR and the father of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. His No. LeBron James's net worth 2018 is around $485 million. "Real Deal Holyfield" followed Evander throughout his boxing career, as he captured cruiserweight and heavyweight division championships and defeated Mike Tyson twice, losing chunks of both ears the second time around in the famous 1997 bout. He has been inducted into the Pro and College Football Hall of Fames as well as the Atlanta Falcons ring of honor. Nicklaus earned the nickname at an early age because of his shock of blond hair and stout build. As time passes, these athletes will be remembered for the accomplishments achieved while wearing their preferred numbers. Lemieux was rewarded for his efforts with a third Stanley Cup, which he won as the owner in 2009. These individuals are synonymous with these names and will always remember their playing days and the monikers we used to make them legends of the lingo. It has been said that he could run 100 yards in 10 seconds and high jump over six feet. There's something about being a football player while making a living in Chicago that attracts nicknames like a moth to a flame. Johnson once said toDave Jacobs, "That kid you got is sweet as sugar," and the nickname stuck. Birth State: Alabama. Williams is perhaps best known for giving up the game-and-World Series-winning home run to Joe Carter and the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series.