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Top Ten all time professional athletes...but there is a catch!

DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

Each must have had a significant nickname. One that was sort of interchangeable with their real name. Or maybe it did become their real name. Be your own judge.

I'll start my list with Babe, Rocket (Richard) and Magic*.

*subject to modification.

Comments

  • GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 3,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    just a few football'ers...

    Dick Lane

    Bobby Layne

    Chuck Bednarik

    Elroy Hirsch

    Tom Henderson

    Ted Hendricks

    Joe Perry

    Lance Alworth

    Skip Thomas

    Jack Tatum

    🏈🏈🏈

  • burghmanburghman Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    Mean Joe Greene
    Le Magnifique Mario Lemieux

    Jim

  • LandrysFedoraLandrysFedora Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Tiger Woods

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,991 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Dizzy Dean
    Yogi Berra

    I doubt if most know their real first names. Not sure if this is what you meant.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,241 ✭✭✭✭✭

    i can make a case that Rocket Roger Clemens is the GOAT pitcher.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 11, 2024 3:50PM

    Neon Deion

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    Dizzy Dean
    Yogi Berra

    I doubt if most know their real first names. Not sure if this is what you meant.

    Exactly. Boog Powell and Oil Can Boyd. Maybe no athletically eligible, but the names work.

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:
    i can make a case that Rocket Roger Clemens is the GOAT pitcher.

    I would think the GOAT pitcher would at minimum be in the HOF.

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool Papa Bell

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The Big Train… Walter Johnson

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Joe Cool…. Montana

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    While I very much dislike him as a coach #1 has to be Prime Time Deion Sanders with the nickname having to be there. Played two professional sports for many years and even has a cool coaches nickname

    Some that I dont think have been mentioned yet Gretzky with the Great one, Dominik Hasek with The Dominator, Mario Lemieux with Super Mario was another great nickname.

    I wouldnt put them in the best athletes category, but the Randy Jonson as The Big Unit, and Frank Thomas as The Big Hurt are just awesome nicknames. William Perry as the Refrigerator is just one of the funniest

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,991 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, by far the best ones mentioned based on the OP criteria of "Top Ten all time professional athletes." I presume that's in their particular sport.

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Air...don't know what to do with Air.

    Legitimate nickname, but was anyone saying, Hey Air, can I get an autograph?

    Prolly not.

  • GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 3,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    a few more 🏈🏈🏈 'ers..

    Rich Jackson

    Fred Williamson

    David Jones

    Ed Jone

    Daryle Lamonica

    John Riggins

    Eugene Morris

    Lester Hayes

    Randy White

    Walter Payton

  • GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 3,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DocBenjamin said:
    Air...don't know what to do with Air.

    Legitimate nickname, but was anyone saying, Hey Air, can I get an autograph?

    Prolly not.

    Don Air Coryell or Steve Air McNair...🏈🏈🏈

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cyclone or Satchel as my pitcher entry?

    I'll go with Paige as Cyclone morphed into a less interesting Cy.

  • LandrysFedoraLandrysFedora Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Charlie Hustle

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It seems like Jack Nicklaus’ nickname fit him well. The golden bear was big and seemed to wear yellow shirts a lot, along with the blond hair.

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Basebal21 said:
    While I very much dislike him as a coach #1 has to be Prime Time Deion Sanders with the nickname having to be there. Played two professional sports for many years and even has a cool coaches nickname

    Some that I dont think have been mentioned yet Gretzky with the Great one, Dominik Hasek with The Dominator, Mario Lemieux with Super Mario was another great nickname.

    I wouldnt put them in the best athletes category, but the Randy Jonson as The Big Unit, and Frank Thomas as The Big Hurt are just awesome nicknames. William Perry as the Refrigerator is just one of the funniest

    Yeah, The Fridge was a great name. Maybe the best.

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 9,112 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wilt the stilt,the big dipper. Both for Wilt Chamberlain.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,874 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not an all time great but an all time great nickname….Sweetwater Clifton.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Boxing has the best nicknames in sports history by far, and it's not even close. This is just a small sample.

    Jimmy Wilde, three nicknames - The Ghost with the Hammer in his Hand, The Mighty Atom, The Indian Famine

    Max Baer - The Livermore Larruper

    Fritzie Zivic - The Croat Comet

    Jack Berg - The Whitechapel Whirlwind

    Jack Sharkey - The Boston Gob

    Ted Lewis - The Aldgate Sphinx

    George Johnson - Scrap Iron

    Vasily Lomachenko - Hi-Tech

    Stanley Hayward - Kitten

    Roy Jones Jr. - Captain Hook

    Bob Satterfield - Bombardier

    Andrew Lewis - Six Heads

    Sam Langford - The Boston Terror

    Willie Edwards - Sandman

    Henry Armstrong - Homicide Hank

    Max Rosenbloom - Slapsie

    Roberto Duran - Hands of Stone

    Matthew Saad Muhammad - Miracle Matthew

    Mike McCallum - The Bodysnatcher

    Floyd Patterson- The Gentleman of Boxing

    Primo Carnera - The Ambling Alp

    Joe Choynski - Chrysanthemum

    Davey Moore - The Springfield Rifle

    James Braddock - The Cinderella Man

    Tod Morgan - The Bellhop

    Alexis arguello - The Explosive Thin Man

    James Toney - Lights Out

    Lou Ambers - The Herkimer Hurricane

    Rocky Marciano - The Brockton Blockbuster

    Kostya Tszyu - Thunder From Down Under

    Dwight Braxton - The Camden Buzzsaw

    Carmen Basilio - The Onion Farmer

    Tommy Morrison - The Duke

    Erik Morales - El Terrible

    Carlos Zarate - Canas

    Rocky Kansas - Damn the Torpedoes

    Gene Tunney - The Fighting Marine

    Ken Norton - The Jaw Breaker

    Lou Jenkins - The Sweetwater Swatter

    William Jones - Gorilla

    Micky Ward - Irish Thunder

    Marco Antonio Barrera - The Baby Faced Assassin

    Eder Jofer - The Golden Bantam

    William Stribling - King of the Canebrakes

    Georges Carpentier - The Orchid Man

    Tyson Fury - The Gypsy King

    Benny Leonard - The Ghetto Wizard

    Nicolino Locche - The Untouchable

    Joe Brown - The Creole Clouter

    Max Schmeling - Black Uhlan of The Rhine

    Joe Louis - The Brown Bomber

    Harry Greb - The Pittsburgh Windmill

    Jake LaMotta - The Raging Bull

    Evander Holyfield - The Real Deal

    Donovan Ruddock - Razor

    Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Pretty Boy Floyd

    Michael Spinks - The Jinx

    Ray Mancini - Boom Boom

    Tony Canzoneri - The Mechanic

    Azumah Nelson - The Professor

    Ruben Olivares - Rock-A-Bye (Because he knocked out most of his opponents and put them to sleep)

    Danny Lopez - Little Red

    Gabriel Elorde - Flash

    Jose Napoles - Mantequilla

    Barry McGuigan - The Clones Cyclone

    Iran Barkley - The Blade

    Ray Robinson - Sugar

    Ingemar Johansson - Thor's Hammer

    Mickey Walker - The Toy Bulldog

    Vinny Pazienza - The Pazmanian Devil

    Ricardo Lopez - The Refined

    Mike Tyson - Kid Dynamite

    James Douglas - Buster

    Al Hostak - The Savage Slav

    Larry Holmes - The Easton Assassin

    Earnie Shavers - The Acorn

    Willie Pep - Will O' Wisp, The Hartford Wonder

    Emile Griffith - Iron Man

    Gerardo Gonzalez - Kid Gavilan

    Bob Fitzsimmons - Ruby Robert

    Wilfred Benitez - The Radar

    Thomas Hearns - The Hitman, The Motor City Cobra

    Marvin Hagler - Marvelous

    Nicholas Walters - The Axeman

    Michael Nunn - Second To Nunn

    Manny Pacquiao - Pacman

    Tony Zale - Man of Steel

    Bernard Hopkins - The Executioner

    Wladimir Klitschko - Dr. Steel Hammer

    Vitali Klitschko - Dr. Iron Fist

    Naseem Hamed - Prince

    Joe Frazier - Smokin'

    Muhammad Ali - The Louisville Lip

    James Smith - Bonecrusher

    Juan Lazcano - The Hispanic Causin' Panic

    Oliver McCall - The Atomic Bull

    DaVaryl Williamson - Touch of Sleep

    Emanuel Augustus - The Drunken Master

    Ray Mercer - Merciless

    Paulino Uzcudun - The Basque Woodchopper

    Owen Beck - What The Heck

    Mark Johnson - Too Sharp

    John Conteh - The Handsome Scouser

    Demarcus Corley - Chop Chop

    John Ruiz - The Quiet Man

    Wilfredo Gomez- Bazooka

    Roman Karmazin - Made in Hell

    Renoldo Snipes - Mister

    Jermain Taylor - Bad Intentions

    Sammy Angott - The Claw

    Hassan Williams - Candy Man

    Jimmy McLarnin - The Belfast Spider

    Virgil Hill - Quicksilver

    Edwin Rosario - Chapo

    Bobby Chacon - Schoolboy

    Midget Wolgast - The Latin Half-Pint

    Bob Foster - The Deputy Sheriff

    Oscar Nelson - The Durable Dane

    Jerry Quarry - Hard Luck

    Ad Wolgast - The Michigan Wildcat

    Mike Gibbons - The St. Paul Phantom

    Gerald Nobles - The Jedi

    Chuck Wepner - The Bayonne Bleeder

    Wilbert Johnson - Vampire

    Mike O'Dowd - The Harp

    Curtis Sheppard - The Hatchetman

    Teofimo Lopez - The Takeover

    Leon Spinks - Neon Leon

    Archie Moore - The Mongoose

    Jimmy Heair - The Mississippi Hippie

    Eusebio Pedroza - The Scorpion

    Johnny Bumphus - Bump City

    Andy Ganigan - The Hawaiian Punch

    Khaosai Galaxy - The Thai Tyson

    Kevin Kelley - The Flushing Flash

    Tony Galento - Two Ton

    Marty Jakubowski - The Dart, Popgun

    Lester Ellis - Master Blaster

    Aaron Pryor - The Hawk

    Jack Tuttle - King Tut

    Vernon Forrest - The Viper

    James Jeffries - The Boilermaker

    Tim Tomashek - Dough Boy

    Bobby Czyz - The Matinee Idol

    Jack Delaney - Bright Eyes

    Ron Stander - The Bluffs Butcher

    Jesse Ferguson - The Boogeyman

    Billy Freeman - Nitro

    Chartchai choinoi - The Asian Marciano

    Victor Galindez - The Animal

    Jorge Arce - Mischievous

    Harold Johnson - Mr. Perfection

    William Lee - Caveman

    Willie Monroe - The Worm

    Zhilei Zhang - The Big Bang Theory

  • LandrysFedoraLandrysFedora Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    World B Free

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 12, 2024 2:17PM

    Sheik
    Lord Layton
    Bobo Brazil
    Bull Curry
    Haystacks Calhoun...

  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The:

    Iron Sheik; and

    Sargent Slaughter.

    I truly enjoyed seeing these two all time professional athletes .................. wrassel and grapple .................... for the hearts and minds of the yutes of Merica 45 years ago on Saturday pro wrestling TV broadcasts. B)

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 12, 2024 2:44PM

    Bulldog Bob Brown is the one I remember. Could never understand the appeal of the sport, getting another guys sweat all over you. And let’s face it, a lot of world class sweaters’ were involved in that sport. Perspiration artists is probably the preferred term.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A few more of my favorite boxing nicknames.

    Chris Eubank - Simply the Best

    Samuel Peter - The Nigerian Nightmare

    O'Neil Bell - Give em' Hell

    Vicente Saldivar - The Subtle Storm

    Nigel Benn - Dark Destroyer

    Joe Calzaghe - The Pride of Wales

    Sean O'Grady - The Bubble Gum Bomber

    Salvador Sanchez - The Invincible Eagle

    David Haye - Haymaker

    Carl Frampton - The Jackal

    Gennady Golovkin - God of War

    Joel Casamayor - The Brush

    Luis Ortiz - The Real King Kong

    Shannon Briggs - The Cannon

    Steve Cunningham - U.S.S.

    Sammy Mandell - The Rockford Sheik

    Derek Bryant - One Man Riot

    Oleksandr Usyk - The Cat

    Joe Walcott - The Barbados Demon

    Billy Petrolle - The Fargo Express

    Jimmy Johnston - Bandito

    Tami Mauriello - The Bronx Barkeeper

    Steve Collins - Celtic Warrior

    Carl Williams - The Truth

    Jimmy Barry - Chicago's Little Tiger

    Diego Corraled - Chico

    Chris John - The Dragon

    Theodore Flowers - The Georgia Deacon

    Ricardo Mayorga - El Matador

    Adam Richards - The Swamp Donkey

    Sergio Mora - The Latin Snake

    Chris Byrd - Rapid Fire

    Ralph Jones - Mr. Television

    Tony Tubbs - TNT

    Johnny Bratton - Honey Boy

    David Tua - The Terminator

    Francois Botha - The White Buffalo

    James Kinchen - The Heat

    Mike Hunter - The Bounty

    Andre Ward - S.O.G. (Son of God)

    Kingsley Ikeke - Sharp Knuckle

    Andrew Golota - The Foul Pole

    Jose Legra - The Pocket Cassius Clay

    Daniel Zaragoza - The Mouse Trap

    Johnny Famechon - Poetry in Motion

    Lloyd Honeyghan - The Ragamuffin Man

    David Montrose - Newsboy Brown

    Florentine Fernandez - The Ox

    Eugene Criqui - Iron Jaw

    Harry Wills - The Black Panther

    Rinty Monaghan - Rin Tin Tin

    Jim Driscoll - Peerless

    Charles Ledoux - Apache

    Johnny Dundee - The Scottish Wop

    Miguel Canto - The Maestro

    Humberto Gonzalez - Chiquita

    Pascual Perez - The Leon Mendocino Terrier

    Timothy Bradley - Desert Storm

    Gerrie Coetzee - The Bionic Hand

    Johnny Coulon - The Cherry Picker From Logan Square

    Lionel Rose - The Drouin Dazzler

  • DocBenjaminDocBenjamin Posts: 1,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "Joe Walcott - The Barbados Demon"

    Jersey!

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