MLB & other pro sports same dude [Archive]

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tigers527

05-04-2006, 04:05 PM

Please add to this list....
1 Jim Thorpe (MLB NFL)
2 Deion Sanders (MLB NFL)
3 Bo Jackson (MLB NFL)
4 Drew Henson (MLB NFL) I know only like 5 games for NY but still.
5 Danny Ainge (MLB NBA)
Those are off the top of my head...the ones that follow are the suggestion of the following good folks
6 Brian Jordan (MLB NFL) -Zito 75
7 Mark Hendrickson (MLB NBA) -Alanta Braves Freak
8 Dave Debussere (MLB NBA) -Gee Walker
9 Gene Conley (MLB NBA) -Gee Walker
10 Frank Baumholtz (MLB NBA) -Wamby
11 Chuck Connors (MLB NBA) -Utter Chaos
12 Ron Reed (MLB NBA) -Utter Chaos
13 Cotton Nash (MLB NBA) -Utter Chaos
14 Tom Brown (MLB NFL) -JohnGelnarFan
15 George Halas (MLB NFL) -serumgard
16 Vic Janowicz (MLB NFL) -wamby
17 Chad Hutchinson (MLB NFL) -Alanta Braves Freak
18 Ernie Nevers (MLB NFL) -cooldrive
19 Ralph Terry (MLB PGA) -Budtaff

Zito75

05-04-2006, 04:53 PM

tigers527

05-04-2006, 05:09 PM

6. Brian Jordan
7. Michael Jordan

Did Michael play any non spring training MLB games? I know including Drew Hensen kind of leaves that rule a little suspect, but I want the people that played at that highest level. Otherwise it will turn into all the college football greats.

Brian Jordan was the Arizona Cardnals DB right? Oops Falcons...gotta love that Google and the edit features on these puter things.

Did any NHL guys cross? I would not think so, although, Larry Walker played hockey in its lower levels. And who was that pitcher that played in the NBA then for the Blue Jays? Or was that Halladay, but never played in regular season NBA?

Atlanta Braves Freak

05-04-2006, 05:49 PM

Mark Hendrickson was the NBA player he played for the Nets and then went to the Blue Jays and now with the D-Rays. Tom Glavine was drafted by the LA Kings (NHL) but I doubt he played with them.

Gee Walker

05-04-2006, 05:54 PM

Old-time NBA players who also played MLB

Dave DeBusschere
Gene Conley

wamby

05-04-2006, 06:59 PM

Old-time NBA players who also played MLB

Dave DeBusschere
Gene Conley

I think Frank Baumholtz did also.

tigers527

05-04-2006, 07:13 PM

I think Frank Baumholtz did also.
Yup, and looks like one of the good ones at both, which there are but a few? Bo knows.....As it seems Frank was 2nd team all NBA in 1946-47 season he went right on to play from 47-57 with the Reds collecting over a thousand hits, and batting .290

Gee Walker

05-04-2006, 07:48 PM

RuthMayBond

05-04-2006, 07:54 PM

tigers527

05-04-2006, 08:02 PM

It would be interesting to try and create a "power/speed" type stat to rate the 2-sport players. Someone like Danny Ainge (NBA all-star and MLB flop) would rate lower than someone like Gene Conley, who was a good player in both sports.

Bo Jackson made the 1989 MLB all-star team (on hype, IMHO) but was not an NFL impact running back (2 career touchdowns???).

Would the all-time 2-sport player be - hold your nose - Deion Sanders? You can't argue with his NFL stats... and he was probably better than Bo Jackson in baseball. Led the league in triples once, finished second twice in SB... a bit better than average starting outfielder for a few years of part-time play.

Bo Jackson played 4 years in the NFL with 2782 yards and 16 TDs. I would vote Bo myself, but then again I was one of the people at the Bo vs. Barry show (MNF Monday Night Football Pontiac Silverdome). Without injury he'd be the shoe in for best 2 sport athelete.

Although, all the other pro sports get the short end, as you cant play both in the same season. There's too much crossover between the seasons. No MLB/NHL, MLB/NBA.

Manute Bol played a minor league hockey game for 1 very short shift as a publicity stunt (and of course to raise money for the Sudan).

As to Danny Ainge and the MLB flop (he played 3 years got a seasons + worth ABs and hit .220) Now Drew Hensen theres a MLB flop (9ABs 1H)...you still have to be pretty good to be a MLB flop, just ask Michael Jordan.

RuthMayBond

05-04-2006, 08:05 PM

Would the all-time 2-sport player be - hold your nose - Deion Sanders? You can't argue with his NFL stats... and he was probably better than Bo Jackson in baseball. Led the league in triples once, finished second twice in SB... a bit better than average starting outfielder for a few years of part-time play.He'd probably have the edge over DeBusschere, Groat, Brian Jordan, Carroll Hardy, Walt French, Greasy Neale. But I'd love to know what kind of a fullback Christy Mathewson was

Utter Chaos

05-04-2006, 08:15 PM

Chuck Connors, Ron Reed and Cotton Nash played baseball and basketball.

tigers527

05-04-2006, 08:25 PM

Chuck Connors, Ron Reed and Cotton Nash played baseball and basketball.
Odd fact about Chuck Connors, November 5 1946 became the first player to shatter a backboard...then he played for the Cubs and then became a TV star "rifleman".....I love Google.

Ron Reed is in the Indiana sports HOF. And Cotton Nash looks like a passable NBA guy, but not much of a MLB career. <shrugs>

Erik Bedard

05-08-2006, 02:17 PM

I'd take Thorpe over Deion just about any day. Conley has to be the best basketball/baseball player ever. Unfortunately, he will only be remembered for jumping the Red Sox to go to Jerusalem.

JohnGelnarFan

05-08-2006, 02:43 PM

Tom Brown - Washington Senators(1 year) and Green Bay Packers. I think he also played for the Redskins

serumgard

05-08-2006, 08:52 PM

George Halas played in a few games for the Yankees in the '20s. Don't know if he actually played any games in the NFL.

Chad Huntington (?) was the only guy to pitch in MLB and play QB in the NFL.

cooldrive

05-08-2006, 09:20 PM

Ernie Nevers, a charter member of the Canton Hall of Fame, went 6-12 with

a .300 BA for the Browns.

tigers527

05-08-2006, 09:23 PM

George Halas played in a few games for the Yankees in the '20s. Don't know if he actually played any games in the NFL.

Chad Huntington (?) was the only guy to pitch in MLB and play QB in the NFL.

George Halas not only played but (according to Wikipedia) also stripped Jim Thorpe of the ball and returned the fumble for 98 yards for a TD. Can't find your other guy? You dont mean Chad Hutcherson (or something like that) the Cowboy QB from a few years ago? Bubby Brister was drafted to play SS in the major leagues but he played football (so he dont count).

KingSwisher

05-10-2006, 10:01 AM

Odd fact about Chuck Connors, November 5 1946 became the first player to shatter a backboard...

Not really. Just depends on what version of the internet you want to believe.

Gus “Honeycomb” Johnson. One of the heroes of my youth, Gus was arguably the second best power forward, behind Jerry Lucas, for an eight-year stretch ending in 1971, despite standing but 6-6. Four times he was second-team All-NBA, and he’d have garnered more honors if not for a serious knee at age 32, a few months after his greatest season (1970-71). The NBA began it’s “All-Defensive” teams in 1969, and Gus made first team in 1970 and 1971. A dominant rebounder, he even outboarded his teammate and rebounder extraordinaire Wes Unseld in the 1970-71 season that saw the Baltimore Bullets compete in the Finals for the first time. (Alas, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson led the Bucks to a 4-0 sweep.) He was the Jim Brown of the NBA, combining strength, power, speed, quickness and leaping ability. A solid scorer and the greatest 6-6 shotblocker ever, he had the misfortune to play before the league recorded swats. He had a number of epic battles with Top 50 player and Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere of the Knicks. He was also the first to shatter a backboard while dunking. Gus probably would have made the Top 50 if he hadn’t died so young, in 1987. He wasn’t around nine years later to remind people what a force he was. Let’s just say that if Gus had battled Charles Barkley when both were in their prime, it’s Barkley who would have been forced to cry, “You’re my daddy!”

"If [Louis Williams] is being compared to Allen Iverson, those are big shoes to fill. I would tell him to keep smiling and do what you say you're going to do. He's there to fit in, not take over."
- Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins, the first high-schooler drafted into the NBA - and the first player to shatter a backboard. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975.

RuthMayBond

05-10-2006, 10:05 AM

Gus was arguably the second best power forward, behind Jerry Lucas, for an eight-year stretch ending in 1971, despite standing but 6-6. He was also the first to shatter a backboard while dunking.

<- Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins, the first high-schooler drafted into the NBA - and the first player to shatter a backboard.>

And I think I recently heard another player being called the first. That's a LOT of firsts :eek:

wamby

05-10-2006, 10:21 AM

Vic Janowicz played for the Pirates and the Redskins. He also won the 1950 Heisman Trophy while playing for my alma mater.

This would, of course, make him the first Heisman winner from The Ohio State University to play in the Major Leagues.

Atlanta Braves Freak

05-10-2006, 10:57 AM

<- Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins, the first high-schooler drafted into the NBA - and the first player to shatter a backboard.>

And I think I recently heard another player being called the first. That's a LOT of firsts :eek:
I can dispute that but it would get into basketball, but I have Chad Hutchinson's rookie card from when he was with the Cardinals. His career ERA, 24.75.

Sean Casey

05-12-2006, 08:28 PM

Dave Winfield never played any pro sport except baseball, but he was drafted by both an NBA team and an NFL team, along with MLB, of course.

Budtaff

05-13-2006, 09:25 AM

Would Ralph Terry count? He joined the PGA tour after his pitching career ended. Not sure if your confining this to team sports or not.

tigers527

05-13-2006, 09:39 AM

Would Ralph Terry count? He joined the PGA tour after his pitching career ended. Not sure if your confining this to team sports or not.

Sure that counts. I was also trying to think if any ballplayers became boxers. I know Mark Gastino (or however you spell it) and Ed too tall Jones did from the NFL. Jones was actually a pretty good boxer.

tigers527

05-13-2006, 09:41 AM

Dave Winfield never played any pro sport except baseball, but he was drafted by both an NBA team and an NFL team, along with MLB, of course.

If we got into that line though the list would be huge....but one of the closest was Kirk Gibson. When battling wrist injuries in MLB he was strongly considering the NLF (as you dont need your wrists as much in that sport). The Dodgers thank goodness he stuck with the b ball.

Aa3rt

05-13-2006, 11:19 AM

Here's a link to an old thread (started in 2002 and revived in 2005) that covered this very same topic...

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=1174

I always mention my favorite second stringer, Jerry Dean (Jake) Gibbs, who had the misfortune to come up to the Yankees as they began their decline in the mid-1960's. Jake had been an All-American footballer at Ol' Miss and also played in the CFL. I still have my Jake Gibbs signiature catcher's mitt almost 40 years later. :crazy

bluezebra

05-14-2006, 11:49 AM

Christy Mathewson played pro football (NOT NFL) for a team Connie Mack organized.

Bob

JohnGelnarFan

05-14-2006, 01:18 PM

Wilt Chamberlain played Basketball and Volleyball. According to Wikipedia,he helped found a pro volleyball league and was also a player. Stretching it? :)

Utter Chaos

05-14-2006, 05:23 PM

Wilt Chamberlain played Basketball and Volleyball. According to Wikipedia,he helped found a pro volleyball league and was also a player. Stretching it? :)Yes, that's stretching it since he's looking for guys that played Major League Baseball and another sport. :D

ACrank

05-14-2006, 05:57 PM

If you are counting Michael Jordan - then add John Elway and Ricky Williams, as both played minor league baseball (Elway for the Yankees and Williams for the Phillies).

tigers527

05-14-2006, 06:24 PM

If you are counting Michael Jordan - then add John Elway and Ricky Williams, as both played minor league baseball (Elway for the Yankees and Williams for the Phillies).

I did not put Jordan on the list as he did not play MLB regular season games/game. That link above (5 or so posts), sometime around 2002 on here, covers all the people we have....except the fellows more recent then that....Drew Henson, Chad Hutchinson.

JohnGelnarFan

05-15-2006, 02:05 PM

I thought so! :p I think I only know of one Pro Volleyball player other than Wilt.

Yes, that's stretching it since he's looking for guys that played Major League Baseball and another sport. :D

soberdennis

05-17-2006, 03:24 AM

George Halas played in a few games for the Yankees in the '20s. Don't know if he actually played any games in the NFL.

Chad Huntington (?) was the only guy to pitch in MLB and play QB in the NFL.
Halas played 68 games for the Yanks in 1919. He hit .198 and hung up his baseball uniform forever. If you read the thread I started, now you know the answer to my question.
Halas did play in the NFL too.
I know it wasn't the NBA. But a side note is that Bob Gibson played for the Globetrotters.