By: Matthew Lippe
Playing one sport at a high level is hard enough. Being able to play 2? Now that’s a next level athlete! Today we will look back at some of the Dual Sport Athletes you may have forgotten. Like always, if we missed any let’s us know in the comments!
***Disclaimer***: Bo Jackson, Dion Sanders, Jim Thorpe, and Michael Jordan we be left off this list, because they are all very well known.
John Havlicek (Basketball and Football)- Known for his great career with the Boston Celtics, Havlicek almost played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns. In 1962, not only was Havlicek drafted by the Celtics, but also by the Browns. He ended up choosing basketball (a wise decision), but many still believe he would have been great in the NFL.
Jim Brown (Football and Lacrosse)- Jim Brown is a legendary football player, but he was also legendary in another sport: Lacrosse. Back in the 60s, lacrosse was no where near the sport it is today, mainly played up North. None the less, Jim Brown dominated the sport. He attended Syracuse, where he would join the lacrosse team and would become an unstoppable force. In his senior season, Brown would score 43 goals and would be selected as a First-Team All-American. But you don’t have to take my word that Brown was good, take his. As he said in 1984 in a New York Time’s article “Lacrosse is probably the best sport I ever played”.
Danny Ainge (Basketball and Baseball)- Danny Ainge may not be the first person you would think as a dual sport athlete, but before he was the GM of the Celtics and the tenured NBA veteran, he was a young basketball and baseball player. His baseball talents were so impressive that he was drafted by the Blue Jays in 1979 and played 3 seasons with the team, before deciding to move towards a career in the NBA. In his three seasons (211 games total) he averaged a Batting Average of .220 and hit 2 home runs*.
Bob Hayes (Football and Track)- Nicknamed Bullet Bob, Bob Hayes was a tremendous athlete. He played both football and track at Florida A&M University and would go on to compete in the 1964 Summer Olympics, where he would set numerous world records. During 1964, Bob would also be drafted into the NFL, by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round. After the Olympics had finished, Hayes decided to pursue a football career and he would be very successful, winning a Super Bowl, being named a Pro-Bowl 3 times, and being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2009. As to which he enjoyed more? “Catching a game-winning touchdown is more of a thrill than winning gold medals”.
Dave DeBusschere (Basketball and Baseball)- Dave DeBusschere is another great example of an all-time great excelling at two sports at the pro-level. Although DeBusschere is mainly known for his hall of fame basketball career, he also played in the MLB. Signed by the White Sox in 1962, DeBusschere was a solid pitcher. In two seasons, he averaged a 2.9 ERA and played in a total of 36 games, all while still playing in the NBA! He would focus on his basketball career after the 1963 season, but he definitely could have made a career for himself in the MLB.
Bob Gibson (Baseball and Basketball)- Bob Gibson is one of the greatest baseball players toe ever set foot on the mound, but he was also a skilled basketball player as well. He attended Creighton University where he played at such a high level (averaged around 20 points per game) that the Harlem Globetrotters signed him. Unfortunately for the Globetrotters, Gibson chose baseball, but don’t let that take away from his skill. As the famous Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon said ” I thought Bob was a better basketball player than a baseball player. I think Bob could have played with any NBA team. He was that good”.
Wilt Chamberlain (Basketball and Track)- Everybody obviously knows Chamberlain for his basketball prowess, but if you don’t know about his track career then you’re missing out. Chamberlain attended the University of Kansas, where he would not only play basketball, but track and field as well. Wilt did many of the events, including sprints and high jump! Can you imagine a 7-foot basketball recruit doing high jump in today’s world! The injury risks would be unreal. This is why Wilt is one of the most amazing athletes ever: he was a 7-footer who was able to run and jump better than people a whole foot shorter than he was.
John Elway (Football and Baseball)- Baseball and Football are two sports that translate well to each other and John Elway is a great example of this. At Stanford, Elway played both football and baseball and his baseball talents caused him to be drafted by the Yankees in the 1981 draft. Even though Elway would only play limited time in the minors and would have a difficult start, he would finish his career on a hot streak hitting .356 in July. However, Elway would be drafted with the first pick in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and would leave his baseball career behind.
Dave Winfield (Baseball and Basketball)- Dave Winfield is remembered for having a phenomenal baseball career, but his basketball career is nothing to laugh at. Winfield attended the University of Minnesota on a scholarship for baseball, but he would also end up playing basketball as well. Maybe not quite as dominant as some of the other names on this list, Winfield still played two seasons of basketball and averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds*.
*All stats via Sports Reference