Have there been any world class athletes who, during their careers, also excel at other endeavors?
SanctionII
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Or does the time, work and effort of being a world class athlete preclude one from excelling at other things?
For example, has a world class athlete ever excelled at music, singing, writing, movie making, science, business, law, medicine, religion, politics and/or hobbies, etc. during his or her career? If so, please identify them and give a summary of what else they do.
I can recall a couple of all pro football players who also pursued and obtained law degrees while playing. Namely Alan Page of the Vikings and Steve Young of the 49ers.
I do not think Steve Young has practiced law. Alan Page started practicing law either during the latter stages of his career or after he retired from the game. After being a practicing lawyer for a while he became a judge and eventually became a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice. That is very impressive in my opinion.
For example, has a world class athlete ever excelled at music, singing, writing, movie making, science, business, law, medicine, religion, politics and/or hobbies, etc. during his or her career? If so, please identify them and give a summary of what else they do.
I can recall a couple of all pro football players who also pursued and obtained law degrees while playing. Namely Alan Page of the Vikings and Steve Young of the 49ers.
I do not think Steve Young has practiced law. Alan Page started practicing law either during the latter stages of his career or after he retired from the game. After being a practicing lawyer for a while he became a judge and eventually became a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice. That is very impressive in my opinion.
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http://sportsfansnews.com/author/andy-fischer/
Bryon White was a college football star at the University of Colorado, where he acquired the "Whizzer" nickname. He signed with the NFL's Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers), playing there during the 1938 season and while he took off the 1939 season to study at Oxford he but returned to play for the Detroit Lions for the 1940 and 1941 seasons. He lead the league in rushing yards in 1938 and 1940 and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954
After graduating from Yale Law School first in his class and clerking for Chief Justice Vinson and returned to practice law in Colorado until the 1960 Presidential campaign when his notoriety in football got him named to head the John F. Kennedy campaign in Colorado. When Kennedy won White got the number 2 position at the Justice Department under Robert Kennedy and was Kennedy's first selection to the Supreme Court in 1962.
Curt Schilling owns a software production company.
Reggie White was an ordained minister.
How about Jim Bouton? Did he write Ball Four while still playing?
J.C. Watts
Bill Bradley
Steve Largent
Jim Bunning
Shane
Shane
http://sportsfansnews.com/author/andy-fischer/
Great Chuck Connors knowledge. In addition to being Lucas McCain (or "Pa") in The Rifleman, he also acted in Hollywood movies including one of the Doris Day movies in the 60s, the title of which I do not remember [She played a woman who was marooned on a desert island for years, during which time her husband (James Garner?) got a court order declaring her dead and remarried, and then she was rescued and came back into the picture during her husband's honeymoon with wife #2. The tension in the movie initially was directed from Doris Day to her husband (how could you marry someone else?) until her husband found out that while marooned in the island Doris Day was not alone. She was marooned with Chuck Connors, a hunky stud muffin]. One of my wife's favorite movies.
Whizzer White was a great football player who also had a great legal career.
Bosox1976
Chuck Conners also played in the classic kids movei Ole' Yeller.
Shane
Weird.
Jack Kemp - All-Pro quarterback for the Bills and Chargers, then Congressman, HUD Secretary and ran for President
Ron Mix - HOF lineman for the Chargers, then began a law practice (still there). Also created a series of football HOFer autographed cards
Gerald Ford - Played football at the University of Michigan, then 38th President
John Wayne - Played football at USC, then went into acting
John Berardino - Played for the old St Louis Browns, then had long acting career (mainly on General Hospital)
Merlin Olsen - HOF lineman for the Rams, then went into acting
Alex Karras - lineman for the Lions, then went into acting
Billy Sunday - baseball player (appeared in the N172 Old Judge set), then became a world-renowned evangelist
Steve Arlin - Pitcher for the Padres, was a practicing dentist in the off-season and after he retired from baseball
Steve
OJ Simpson - killing
Wilt Chamberlain...uh, never mind.
Willie Gault was a world class sprinter and Wide Reciever.
Max Schmeling--World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion from Germany. Extremely popular in the 30s and 40s. After WWII, starving and poor, did some boxing to earn a living then started some business projects in Germany and became a very quiet millionaire. He lived to be 99 years old--his existence for the last two decades were so quiet, I had no idea he lived this long. He died just a couple of years ago--very recent. Although tainted as a Nazi fighter just because of the era Germany went through, over the years, more and more people simply saw him as one of the greatest fighters of Germany and the world. He lost a fight against Joe Louis in a fight that proved who was number 1 at the time. As a gentleman with class, when Joe Louis passed away, Schmeling ensured that he receive a fitting funeral (Louis died poor).
Katarina Witt--German Figure Skater, HOF, two time Olympic gold medalist and extremely attractive to boot. She has done acting, written a novel and now has her own TV-Show in Germany. Still very attractive and active in her 40s. Very good head on her shoulders and does much in way of humanitarian work.
Eric Heiden--US speed skater, won multiple Olympic Gold, now a successful surgeon.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
OJ Simpson - killing "
LOL!
Also most of those names listed excelled at other endeavors after their sports careers were over, not during like the question stated.
Having said that, I did star on my junior high school basketball team and then went on to a lucrative career as a professional DVD cellophane unwrapper.
And even if the original question stated excelling at something during a career, the examples given by sanction didn't occur during their careers either.
Fun question, but there are very few guys that can excel at 2 different things when one of them is professional sports. Shaq dominated the NBA and released rap albums and had roles in several movies (Kazaam, Blue Chips), but you could argue that he didnt excel at those. He did them. but he certainly won't be remembered for his music or his appearances in film. Wait, he is a sheriff reserve or something like that now too, so I guess he is making an impact there.
aaah that reminds me--Chuck Conners actor-----1st base for the Dodgers.
BTW max smelling was not a nazi......actually many from germany were not. He secretly hid jews in his apartment and requested extra rations "as training food" to feed them. That could have put his life in jeopardy. I think that puts him in a hero class by itself.
Jak kemp was also a high ranking politician.
burt reynolds played college Fb at florida state
Many athletes went off to fight ww2 besided ted williams. 2 major league BB didn't come back. several high profile players were in major battles...feller...and spahn was wounded in action.
many became actors: rosy grier, don meridith, fred williamson, lou gerhig did one movie....
joe namath, fred dryer, roman gabriel, besided the ones mentioned.
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
Medich also worked on Whitey Ford in the dugout after he collapsed, and also saved a guy in the stands with CPR and mouth to mouth in Texas.
Not a world class athlete, but definitely a world class human.
Steve