There are plenty of honorable mentions for a list like this. Either way, the nickname was intimidating, and so was Parker. He was an actor, a comedian, a philanthropist, a questionable rapper, a cop, a mixed martial artist. Obviously this is a subjective list and there are thousands of athlete nicknames, but for our purposes, these were chosen based on originality, in conjunction with their catchiness, humor, and level of intimidation. He is widely believed to be one of the NBA's most agile big man, standing seven feet tall and around 260 lbs, but moving like a much shorter and trimmer man. Sometimes, the new moniker comes from an inside joke with . It was part of me, but not in the professional basketball environment.. Names that come to mind are Michael Jordan, Ryne Sandberg, Troy Vincent, David Beckham, Bob Gainey, and Ron Lancaster. From left to right: Mary Lou Retton, Megan Rapinoe, and Serena Williams. Hearns, one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers in history as well as one of its most fearsome punchers, is a natural fit for a nickname like, "The Hitman." The name was later picked up by commentators and analysts. The attention even got Smart a look in the NFL, and he managed to stick around for parts of five seasons, including 2003, when he scored his only NFL TD in style on a 100-yard kick return. Lebron James recently made social media headlines by passing down the Lakers 23 jersey to newcomer Anthony Davis. Kemp, the driving force (along with Gary Payton) behind the SuperSonics' run as a power in the Western Conference, was given his nickname by Seattle broadcaster Kevin Calabro, who saw the name on a poster and decided to bestow it on Kemp. 100 Greatest Players by SABR. 1750 ne 167th st, north miami beach, fl 33162; the woman in the window rotten tomatoes; pima county jail money on books; ap stats unit 1 progress check . Jr. was a legendary American quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins for his entire professional career of 17 years. ROWLEY. The only other time was when his regular No.23 went missing prior to a game, forcing him to wear 12 as close to half of 23 as he could get. He could float, sting, shuffle. I wanna be able to dunk on somebody like him. The school changed its nickname to the Mean Green in Greene's first season there, but it does not appear that this was because of Greene's prowess. When I came back, I thought 45 was perfect because I did have an association with the number. If you're going to be known for your kicking, "The Toe" is one heck of a nickname. 17. He, of course, stuck with that number throughout his college and professional careers. Maurice "The Rocket" Richard is a legend in the city of Montreal. No one is positive about the fine point details on this nickname, other than the fact that it is a reference to Greene's alma mater, North Texas. He is unquestionably one of the greatest boxers, regardless of weight class, of all time. His first 589 carries in the NFL stands as the record for longest start in the league without a fumble. He has thrown for the most career yards of any NFL quarterback, has completed the most passes of any quarterback and still holds the most consecutive starts of any NFL player. New customers only. While he may have had thin legs, thus the fourth nickname, "Bird Legs," Montana had the thickest of hearts. He had as versatile an offensive game as anyone in the league despite not being a top-drawer athlete and leaper like some of his contemporaries. The solution to the Acronymic title for a legendary athlete crossword clue should be: THEGOAT (7 letters) Below, you'll find . The "King James" moniker applies in every way, from his primacy in the sport to the way that any team that secures his services becomes an instant contender, as well as the league's most-watched franchise. This is the number to wear if you're a quarterback. Old-school BMX rider Charles Townsend, who thrived between 1985 and 1996, remains an influential force in the sports realm with the melting pot of crafty, railroad-related nicknames he earned as an amateur. Mancini started his career 29-1, and only a four-fight losing streak to end his time in the ring sullied an otherwise sterling record. The nickname is a little bit lyrical, if you will, and aptly describes a man who racked up 3,630 career hits, was head and shoulders above just about all of his peers and one of the purest hitters and best overall players the sport has ever seen. This clue last appeared January 18, 2023 in the NYT Crossword. 9. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Shaquille O'Neal was far more than just another physically dominating presence inside the professional paint. And theres more: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in our genetic makeup, Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times and the medieval Catholic military order, the Knights Templar, had 23 grand masters. There are some great nicknames in the NFL: The Gunslinger (Brett Favre) Marion the Barbarian (Marion Barber) . "Too Tall" is a pretty obvious nickname for a guy standing 6-foot-9, but that's not abnormal for basketball. Comment below!JOIN THE TOTALPROSPORTS TEAM and SUBSCRIBE! Twenty-three is the number . June 16, 2021 Uncategorized No comments Uncategorized No comments Lane finished his career with 68 interceptions and a reputation as one of the most violent tacklers in the league. Number 23 is surely the most iconic and recognizable number in NBA history, mainly due to Michael Jordan's glorious career. Babe Ruth. Cream of the Crop: The Door, Satan's Wallpaper, Devilish Stopper. Iverson's nickname was given to him by a family friend and symbolized the fact that Iverson would be "The Answer" to the NBA's popularity woes. teacher regularly showed her Grade 2 students movies, a number of which were rated PG-13, including Iron Man 3 and Dr. His career batting average of .301 and his 521 home runs make "The Big Hurt" an easy nickname to understand. No. While the shared number sixteen are a pair of Nigerian Nightmares, Olajuwon, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, is not a nightmare by any estimation, unless one is playing ball against him. Comments. A truly great player, and a truly great nickname. View Reports-/5-RATE QUIZ. After taking the name, the man born Arnold Cream in Pennsauken, New Jersey, simply added "Jersey" to his name to distinguish himself. That didn't stop people from complaining about the complimentary but racist nickname however. In other words, Ben Zobrist. Create good names for games, profiles, brands or social networks. Be the first one to comment on this story. He currently holds a professional record of 34-5. Emailed daily. The nickname was so widely used that the only people who didn't address him as such were public address announcers in visiting arenas, likely tired of having Johnson school the home team. However, he was graceful, fast, fluid and supremely skilled, and despite battling injuries his whole career, put up incredible stats. Mitch Richmond is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, and LA Lakers. 19. Sometimes, no matter how fitting a nickname is, there isn't a truly great story behind it. Let's just stick with "The Admiral.". See More by this Creator. Comments. Never more than the fourth- or fifth-best player on any of his teams, Horry nonetheless developed a reputation for hitting huge shots at the biggest possible moments, earning him one of the best and most obvious nicknames in sports not to mention seven NBA titles. But it is Eldrick, and therefore Tiger is technically a nickname and one that honors one of his father, Earl's, military friends who also was called Tiger. Honestly, Blake "The Griffin" Griffin would probably sum up his legend just as crisply. In the Bible, Numbers 23:23 contains the phrase What hath God wrought, which was also the first message sent in code by Samuel Morse in 1843 and if you add up the numbers of the year Kurt Cobain was born (1967) and died (1994) you also get 23. Look in all brains and you'll find me there too. Hasek's time in Buffalo saw him lead the league in save percentage six years in a row and take home the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie in five of those seasons. Jim Carrey even starred in a 2007 movie called The Number 23 in which a troubled man becomes obsessed with a book, fittingly entitled The Number 23: A Novel of Obsession. The 170-pound netminder is now a goaltending coach for the Stars, naturally sharing his wisdom and resiliency with the new crop. There has been . YOU. All rights reserved. but there are none as clearly defined as Wayne Gretzky is to the NHL. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Every bit of 6-foot-4, Lemieux had a build usually associated with lumbering enforcers. Sometimes they are seemingly random, and sometimes they make perfect sense. 1. Gervin was known for three things: his prolific scoring prowess (he averaged 25.1 points per game for his career); his cool, unflappable nature on the court; and his almost alien ability to play basketball at the highest level while not sweating a drop. James is the most popular, visible athlete in the country, if not the world. Origins of nicknames can stem from the praise of teammates, broadcasters or the God-complexes of athletes themselves. The Ruud Devil is a fitting one as well for the retired Dutch footballer, who remains the second-highest goal scorer in Champions League history with 60 since retiring this past May. He has yet to actually be announced as Ryan "Master" Bader, but has indicated that he thinks it would be hilarious to hear Bruce Buffer announce him by that name prior to a fight. His talent was so far beyond the routine that we almost believed the 1971 film Get Carter was written in his honor, even though he wasn't born until 1977 and the movie had nothing to do with basketball. Technically, this isn't even a nickname because Hagler, annoyed that announcers did not refer to him by his preferred nickname, eventually changed his real name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler." Thomas was one of the only power hitters of his era to avoid PED suspicion and had a mastery of the strike zone like few other hitters of his time. Your login session has expired. king von why he told roblox id . With a professional record of 47-0, Mayweather has a couple of great nicknames that do his success justice. 25 References. His series of moves used to make opposing players look silly was referred to as the "Dream Shake,"not to be confused with the Harlem Shake which is the stupidest internet fad of all time. In a New York Times interview over a decade ago, Esiason announced that the nickname had been created by his own mother, prior to his birth, because of how much he kicked while she was pregnant. She holds the current Indian national record in 400 meters with a timing of 50.79 s that she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Robinson, by far the greatest basketball player in Navy history, was a singularly dominant force in college and one of the greatest centers in NBA history. Guy Mariano was absolutely the first skateboarder I looked up to. But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. The former Kansas City Chief, Christian Okoye, was a Nigerian-American running back who played six seasons in the NFL, earning one rushing title and two Pro Bowl appearances. Those last two qualities were the source of his nickname, one of the coolest (pardon the shameless pun) of all time. No one was cooler under pressure than Montana, and he has the hardware four Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs - to prove it. One of the greatest fighters of all time, Duran was also one of boxing's most legendary punchers a pressure fighter who liked to brawl with opponents, mainly because he almost always came out on top. 3 car was one of the most recognizable sights in NASCAR. Even though Anthony Davis' major achievement in the NBA came with the LA Lakers and with No. Chuck Liddell is one of the most prolific fighters in the history of the promotion and fought from 1998 until 2010, when he retired at age 40. His era is described as the golden age in basketball history, and he became the star of Indiana state. The seven foot tall Dream is the NBA's all-time block leader, is a two-time NBA Champion and a twelve-time All-Star. The most famous person to wear the number, and also the first genuine superstar to wear it, was Michael Jordan. Cream of the Crop: The Round Mound of Rebound, Leaning Tower of Pizza, Pillsbury Dough Boy, The Crisco Kid. SportsIcon Previews The Sports Metaverse with Legendary Athletes . His black No. The 285-pound southpaw was all heart. "Sweetness" is a great nickname for the late Walter Payton, who earned the nickname during his college career. Could have gone with "The Splendid Splinter" here, but something about "Teddy Ballgame" calls to mind a player whose talents transcended the sport, and that's exactly what Williams did. It still is amazing that a man who stood no taller than 6-foot-4 carved out a Hall of Fame career as a power forward. List of athletes by nickname; Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on . Ill have a think about the number 23, Clarke added. Former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal had a lot of nicknames throughout his career, including "Diesel," "The Big Cactus," and "Shaq Daddy.". Here's how the Page 2 staff ranked the best baseball nicknames of all-time: 1. Here's proof. The man who made triple-doubles a thing has a nickname that is obvious. 23 on his back. What legendary athlete has the number 23 nickname? You'd be enraged, right? He took the name from that of one of his favorite fighters, a welterweight from Barbados. I wanna be able to stick out my tongue like him in the air and yell in somebodys face like MJ.. Nicknames add color to sports and often become so popular that they serve as an athlete's de facto first name. Arguably the most physically dominant player in league history, O'Neal's nickname is simple a shortened version of his first name. This nickname needs no explanation, but one will be provided anyway. Report. Smart wasn't that great of a player, but he took full advantage of an XFL policy allowing players to put more or less whatever they wanted on their jerseys. "The Best Ever" may have been debatable a couple of years ago, but the more he wins, it seems to become less of a prophecy and more of a reality. 23. 2 Coaches. He also may well be the best defensive player in NFL history, having racked up 198 sacks, 13 Pro Bowls and 10 first-team All-Pro nods during his illustrious career. His speed, combined with a 6'1 250-260 lb frame, made him an absolute nightmare for would-be tacklers. "Shaq and Pretty" would have sounded strange, but "Pretty" was indeed what Hardaway's grandmother called him. While there are many witty nicknames in the sports world that involve athlete's countries of origin or ancestry, such as Chan Sung Jung "The Korean Zombie" and Krzysztof Soszinsky "The Polish Experiment," a football player and boxer share this spot on the list as a pair of "Nigerian Nightmares.". Eldrick Woods' nickname "Tiger" was coined in honor of a friend of his father, according to an interview with Golf Digest. Legendary Athletes has been selected as the official youth partner for the Association of Professional Ball Players of America (APBPA.org). He is a "champion" in every sense of the word. winslow accident today; taches brunes sur feuilles de caoutchouc; . Our love for the title "King James" is like a bear trap; only one that's been left out so long that it's rusted shut. We spoke to him about the numbers four and 23. The Science of Hitting by Ted Williams could turn anyone into a .400 hitter. Known for his unbelievable resolve and will, the "Real Deal" was everything his handle implied, and then some. There have been many outstanding athletes to dawn the number 23. NBA. The name "Rocket" came from the speed of his fastball, which was steadily between 97 and 100 mph early on in his career. However, after seeing it used favorably in a headline, he came around on it. So for all of the ancient history, the conspiracies and obsessions from 23rdians, in sport No.23 became legend simply because we all just wanted to Be Like Mike. But it's so unique, and the athlete connected to it so great great enough that he could reasonably be called the greatest all-around baseball player ever that it ends up belonging in any conversation about iconic monikers. 23, LeBron James is 'The King' of the NBA and won two titles with No. Payton was long regarded as one of the league's most tenacious on-ball defenders as well as one of its biggest trash talkers. If you don't believe me, just ask Mike Tyson. The number refers to the year 1947 when the riffle was introduced into service with the Soviet Army. One of the best defenders in the world, FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is respected most for his relentless motor and undeniable grit. A personal favorite here, as this nickname succinctly describes Johnson's game he was a key bench player for the Pistons, one who could get hot in a hurry when he entered a contest and rolls off the tongue nicely. Free, a 1980 All-Star with a rainbow jumper, receding hairline and tremendous name. Rumor has it he never embraced names related to his height. Bad luck. A huge number of fans would like to nickname as per the nickname of the star. The only thing people remember about the XFL is that Vince McMahon created it and that Rod "He Hate Me" Smart was its biggest attraction. Cream of the Crop: Steam Engine Charlie, Black Magic, Chasemanian Devil. "The Great One" is not only the best hockey player of all time, but also has the greatest nickname in the sporting world. In DiMaggio's day, that sort of skill set meant he was compared to a great and majestic ship. Carmelo Anthony, Alex Morgan, Dennis Rodman, Tiki Barber, and Ronde Barber, George Foreman, Terrell Owens, and Metta World Peace have all, for better or worse, written . The fact that he was the league's fiercest dunker and a force at power forward probably helped it stick. One of the NFL's most explosive runners of the past decade, the 2014 Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawk makes our list at number six. For those who missed it, he is called "The Law Firm" due to the fact that a hyphenated last name in conjunction with a first name that sounds like it could be a last name, sounds like a potential name of a legal office. He wore the No.7 at Manchester United where he carried on a legend of its own, but it wasnt until he joined Real Madrid in 2003 that he wrote his name into the legend of another 23. Griffey Jr.'s nickname, like so many others, has both simple and perfect origins. "This partnership will allow us to engage the APBPA membership of current and former professional baseball players to lead the instruction at Legendary Athletes' 5 Tools youth baseball camps. 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. Number of nicknames: 15+ officially (possibly up to 26), Cream of the crop: The Big Shaqtus, The Diesel, Shaq Fu, Wilt Chamberneezy, The Big Baryshnikov. His natural ability coupled with a dizzying array of moves, including his signature "Dream shake," made guarding him more like a nightmare. Wepner, who inspired Sylvester Stallone to write the script for "Rocky," is well known for falling mere seconds short of going the full 15-round distance with Muhammad Ali and for knocking Ali down in their fight. Aaron . Wilkins might have actually exceeded Jordan's capacity in those areas, and his nickname is a reference to the fact that fans in attendance or watching on television could always count on Wilkins to reel off several spectacular plays game in and game out. A lot of these athletes have worn other numbers as well. It was Tim Raines, a teammate while playing for the Montreal Expos, who first called him "Big Unit." Larry wore No.45 for the brothers varsity team so Michael, wanting to be like his older sibling, picked 23 as close to exactly half of Larrys number as he could get and a legacy was born. Just in his time at New Orleans with 23 on his back, Davis earned six All-Star selections, led the league in blocks three times, won an All-Star MVP, and averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds. The name, then, makes perfect sense, but one almost wishes that it had been invented out of whole cloth, with no backstory at all. Anthony's lakers jersey made using our basketball uniform template. MJ won a total of six NBA titles, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year award, 10 scoring titles and three All-Star MVPs in his 15-year career with the Bulls and Washington Wizards. Please logout and login again. James entered the league in 2003 and wore No.23 with the Cleveland Cavaliers until 2010, when he left for the Miami Heat and wore number six. Dwight Howard - "Superman", "Foul on You", (for the large number of fouls called on Howard during the 2010 NBA Playoffs), "D12" Kevin Huerter - "Red . Ancient sex, conspiracies and MJ: How 23 became sport's most legendary number HOME . Bring the cinema experience home with new movies and old favourites. Possibly one of the most well-known athletes of all-time, George Herman Ruth could have had his nickname "Babe" included with Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, and Boomer Esiason, but it was just one of many for the 22 year pitcher turned outfielder. While he remains one of the greatest 'field generals' in the league's history, there is no doubt that his constant attempts to fit passes into nearly impossible places were risky and occasionally lost games. The . An athlete's quest for greatness goes far beyond the playing field. Rank (Sport) Athlete % Correct; 1 (Basketball) Michael Jordan: 93.1%: 3 (Basketball) LeBron James: 74.7%: 5 (Soccer) David Beckham: . Globally, however, after Jordan and because of Jordan there are two other standout owners of the No.23. One of the most courageous, durable, and legendary fighters in boxing history, Holyfield is also the possessor of one of its greatest nicknames. Then a woman in the crowd at one of his boxing matches tells him he is "sweet as sugar." She also showed the class the first film . Cream of the Crop: Zeke from Cabin Creek, The Logo, Mr. Magic Johnson is the third man to share this spot on our list. There are few jersey numbers that resonate quite like #23, and though the number is synonymous with Michael Jordan, he isn't the only one who wore it. How does a guy born Walker Smith Jr. become "Sugar" Ray Robinson? Sometimes the simplest nicknames are best, and what better one for a man many still consider baseball's true home run king than "Hammerin' Hank." Nicknames go with athletes like beer and chicken wings go with Sunday afternoon football. He currently holds a professional fighting record of 35-11, but is on a three fight winning streak since his 2013 start with Bellator, which of course followed his three fight losing streak with the UFC. 22: Joey Bats (Jose Bautista) Bautista once did a very funny sketch that was a version of the baseball bat scene in "The Untouchables." A fitting end to a beloved career. Alston's NBA career was solid, if unspectacular, but his legacy as one of the most entertaining street-ballers of all time is still going strong. | When Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal took the NBA by storm in the mid-1990s, everyone termed them "Shaq and Penny." Like English, other great players wore the number for some games.