The rosy-cheeked snow-skateboarder is beloved by extreme-sport fans and revered by hot-weathered athletes for his ability to survive the harshest conditions. Rod Carew. The owner of the Charlotte Hornets has earned lucky number thirteen here due to his iconic nickname. A list of some of the most popular nicknames in the world of sports, including soccer, football, hockey and more. Still, beyond Michael Jordan's own greatness while wearing No. Ryan Bader, a former "The Ultimate Fighter" winner, is always a contender in the UFC's Light Heavyweight division. YOU. Posted October 23, 2018 As with many nicknames, its genesis is secondary to how famous its namesake made it. A good way to earn a nickname is to be so good that one just fits perfectly. Well, he borrows his friend Ray Robinson's birth certificate so that he can get around the AAU's age restriction and box. Legendary nicknames - The most original athlete nicknames. His play on the field was sometimes referred to as "sweet," although no defender thathe flattened would have classified the experience as such. The nickname of one of basketball's highest fliers, the man who popularized the dunk like none before him, comes from one of his friends. The 36 most iconic female athletes of the past century. This was in the mid-1990s, at a time when Michael Jordan was not in the league, and its popularity was not nearly what it is today. The God of Cricket, Bradman of Modern era, whether he tired. And to those embraced individuals, bravo for the sportsmanship. 4 . But while Zorilla may be the second baseman's craftiest nickname, it's also the stinkiest. Given what became of his postplaying days, the "Hustle" part seems especially apropos. Cream of the Crop: TheAnimal (Muppet-inspired of course), TheFlyingTomato. Green, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner, has been wearing the No. Bad luck. One of the most physically imposing players throughout his career, Malone was also one of the most consistent. Does it have a great origin story? The greatest self-promoter and trash talker in sports history, Ali in his later years was as beloved and recognizable a sports figure as the world has ever seen. 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 . List of athletes by nickname; Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on . 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. Babe Ruth. 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. However, "The Hfck From French Lick" is much more fun, rhymes and calls to mind Bird's humble roots growing up in a small, rural town. 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. You'd be enraged, right? There are plenty of honorable mentions for a list like this. Share with Friends Add To Playlist. Archer is a legendary athlete like Milkha Singh who succumbed to Covid-19 on June 19 numbers sprinkled! He was an actor, a comedian, a philanthropist, a questionable rapper, a cop, a mixed martial artist. Rank (Sport) Athlete % Correct; 1 (Basketball) Michael Jordan: 93.1%: 3 (Basketball) LeBron James: 74.7%: 5 (Soccer) David Beckham: . Sound familiar? 26. 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. The legendary talent earned his fair share of intimidating nicknames, few of which truly detailed his actual prowess. One of the most courageous, durable, and legendary fighters in boxing history, Holyfield is also the possessor of one of its greatest nicknames. Ancient sex, conspiracies and MJ: How 23 became sport's most legendary number HOME . Cream of the Crop: Zorilla, Zobi Wan Kanobe. The ten-time All-Pro player finally won a Super Bowl in 1997 with the Green Bay Packers. Michael Jordan is a six-time NBA Champion, five-time league MVP and a fourteen time All-star. He continued to don the 23 for the University of North Carolina and then most famously in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls. 23 in NBA history. A three-time champion goalie with the Edmonton Oilers during the '80s, Andy Moog was 5'6" of pure inspiration. 2 Coaches. ET. | His nickname, "The Bayonne Bleeder," stems from his New Jersey heritage but also his propensity for cuts. Nicknames add color to sports and often become so popular that they serve as an athlete's de facto first name. Does this nickname really need much explanation? 1. Davis has worn the 23 jersey for the majority of his career, in which he has been NBA All-Star and achieved an Olympic gold medal. If your team had Robert Horry, you felt great in close games. "The Splendid Splinter" (Ted Williams) 2. He hit the ball very hard, very often, and it earned him this nickname with his teammates. That name morphed into "Dr. J," and the rest, as they say, is history. 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. 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. A graceful sprinter with long strides, she dominated Asian track-and-field events for most of the 1980s, winning 23 medals in all, 14 of which were gold. "It's Sunday afternoon and Tiger's on fire today" is much more catchy. NBA Nicknames Funny NBA Nicknames For NBA . SportsIcon CEO and Co-Founder Chris Worsey previously built a number of EdTech startups . His era is described as the golden age in basketball history, and he became the star of Indiana state. The first is David Beckham, arguably the most recognisable sportsman former or current on the planet. That didn't stop people from complaining about the complimentary but racist nickname however. Alain Prost. With beer and hot dogs his only fuel, The Bambino became a legend with his ability to dominate as a hitter and a pitcher. Was he actually the greatest fighter of all time? He is number two all time in terms of strikeouts thrown and won the World Series back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Otherwise, you probably find it fitting, given Bryant's tendency to strike quickly and spectacularly, often leaving opposing teams and fans feeling plenty of pain. She commented that his game reminded her of how youths in Chicago played street ball and said his ball skills were reminiscent, for her, of the enthusiasm of such young people. Heck, he was often more of a superstar cricketer than a baseball slugger. What do you get when you cross one of the most intimidating presences in football with a Baptist minister? Hirsch was a tall, lanky guy with an unusual running style, and it is that running style that earned him the "Crazy Legs" nickname, with some observers suggesting that it appeared his legs were moving in six different directions at once. His legacy will forever be defined by the people he's influenced and the reputation he's earned. 23 Stats Can you name the 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. Thing of it is, Jones played football and got the nickname on his first day of practice at Tennessee State because his pants didn't fit properly. Before Jeremy Lin came along, there was a gravity-defying youngster by the name of Vince Carter who performed superhuman, thought-to-be-impossible moves with a basketball in his hands. 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. Jon Jones has the distinction of becoming the youngest champion in UFC . His nickname was given to him by a Sacramento Kings media relations staffer, who said his play reminded her of pickup games in Chicago. Striding the court like a 7'1" giraffe, center Wilt Chamberlain was a new breed of legendary when he hit the professional hardwood in 1959. by Charlotte Allen 3 . The AK-47 is still one of the most widely used . 51. Start your Foxtel Now 10-day free trial. "MJ" or "His Airness" could have been the pick here, but "Air Jordan" most appropriately captures what Jordan was most famous for: feats of incredible athleticism, especially when going in for a dunk. A 7'1" tree with more nicknames than points per game (4.0 career average), Joel Przybilla is a force to be reckoned with; if mostly in the Name Hall of Fame. Inside" because the court was his canvas and he was a thriving artist, Jerry West first earned his Zeke-related nickname due to small-town West Virginia roots. Cream of the Crop: The Flyin' Hawaiian, The Maui Wowie, The Pineapple Express. In DiMaggio's day, that sort of skill set meant he was compared to a great and majestic ship. A 14-time All-Star who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, Jackson earned the nickname Mr. October due to his exceptional performances in the five . Cream of the Crop: Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid, Golden Joe. During his prime, former MVP Vladimir Guerrero could hit pitches purposely tossed into opposing dugouts. 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. After a move to Cincinnati, he rushed for 1,094 yards and 756 yards, with six and seven touchdownsrespectively, in 2012 and 2013. Give Orange. Those last two qualities were the source of his nickname, one of the coolest (pardon the shameless pun) of all time. New customers only. In layman's terms, Bader is a safe bet to beat anyone but the promotion's best. 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. 23, LeBron James is 'The King' of the NBA and won two titles with No. "Rocket" Roger is currently third all-time with regard to Major League Baseball strikeouts, after Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. 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. But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. Athlete nicknames often are either a modified version of their given name (such as Becks, . This one isn't intimidating by any means, unless you are a criminal, of which the NFL has its share. Let's just stick with "The Admiral.". 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. Thomas Edison, coined during Monroe's tenure at John Bartram High School, referenced his propensity for inventing new moves. Another Nigerian-American, Peter has been competing professionally since 2001, and was briefly the World Boxing Council's Heavyweight champion. Today's puzzle is listed on our homepage along with all the possible crossword clue solutions. but it wasn't until he joined Real Madrid in 2003 that he wrote his name into the legend of another - 23. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. Is "The Say Hey Kid" a great nickname? colonel frank o'sullivan interview; beverly hills high school football 23 for the Warriors during his tenure in the Run TMC era with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, and with the LA Lakers in his final NBA season (2001-02) when he was a member of the title-winning squad. Emailed daily. A cutting-edge creation. Robertson is regarded as a man before his time, skill-wise, and is also credited with inventing both the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot. When Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal took the NBA by storm in the mid-1990s, everyone termed them "Shaq and Penny." Find Me In Brains Riddle. And, from 1987 until 2001, he held the record for most Grand Prix victories in history. He could float, sting, shuffle. July 22, 2022 by Rob Navarro. 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. 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. Hima Das. 1.23 Z. While successfully warming the Giants bench, Lorenzen won a championship and added to his lengthy list of humbling nicknames. However, after seeing it used favorably in a headline, he came around on it. After taking the name, the man born Arnold Cream in Pennsauken, New Jersey, simply added "Jersey" to his name to distinguish himself. Jordan's nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness" both refer not only to his play on the basketball court, but "Air Jordan" was also his shoe brand's name. 25 References. Wayne Gretzky leads all NHL skaters in points by nearly 1000 points. 23 in NBA history, and he really made the number the important figure it is on basketball fans' minds. But his reasoning wasnt based on any superstition, historical events or ancient Chinese teachings it was because of his brother. Warne famously passed his No.23 shirt on to Michael Clarke to signal the end of his days wearing the green and gold threads in 2004 following his 12-month ban for diuretic use. Lebron James recently made social media headlines by passing down the Lakers 23 jersey to newcomer Anthony Davis. The number of nicknames four-time NBA champ Shaquille O'Neal had over his career is countless at this point. Sometimes, the new moniker comes from an inside joke with . The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion turned Bellator competitor has a nickname that personifies his fighting style and is one of the most intimidating in the business. These two retired baseball players share number 18 on our list because their names are similar, despite their completely different positions on the diamond. "The Sultan of Swat" presents a clever alliteration which indicates that he was the best hitter of his time. 23 is Boy 2 23 is Girl . Earnhardt was everything that the handle implied, and he was also one of the most popular drivers in the sport for many years. Any real attempt to explain the nickname of one of the NBA's most unrepentant chuckers of the basketball would probably be fruitless. Although this particular species can do a masterful robot dance. After a nearly non-existent 2009 season, he looked impressive for the New England Patriots in 2010 and 2011, running for 1008 and 667 yards with 13 and 11 touchdowns respectively. His speed, combined with a 6'1 250-260 lb frame, made him an absolute nightmare for would-be tacklers. 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. You'll want to cross-reference the length of the answers below with the required length in the crossword puzzle you are working on for the correct answer. Rison wanted his nickname to be Spider-Man, and during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, it was.