Will we ever see another Deion or Bo?

RookieWax

I was just looking through some old baseball and football cards of Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson and was wondering if we will ever see another pro two-sport star again. I was also wondering how they were even contractually allowed to do that, with the injury factor. I know NFL contracts were never guaranteed, but baseball contracts always have been.

VitoCo1972

I was just thinking the same thing. I was listening to Prime on Rich Eisen's podcast and looked at his baseball stats. Not great but he did hit .522 with 5 SB in the '92 World Series. Pretty great. That same year he had 3 INTs (only played in 13 games - I'm sure due to MLB Playoffs) and 2 Kick Return TDs. Nuts.

RookieWax

Can't forget Brian Jordan either. Kind of strange how we had 3 multi-sport players within that same era with none in the 30 years prior or 20 years since.

MeteoriteGuy

Don't forget Drew Henson.

RookieWax

I don't recall Henson playing in the Major League with the Yankees.....did he?

MeteoriteGuy

Borrowed from wiki, "Henson made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2002, playing in only three games. He struck out in his only at-bat. In 2003 he played in five games for New York, going one for eight and scoring two runs. He ended his brief major league career with only one hit in nine at bats (a .111 average) before announcing his retirement."

TheBusiness

<< <i>Borrowed from wiki, "Henson made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2002, playing in only three games. He struck out in his only at-bat. In 2003 he played in five games for New York, going one for eight and scoring two runs. He ended his brief major league career with only one hit in nine at bats (a .111 average) before announcing his retirement." >>

A two sport failure...Nice!

LodiBrewFan

Jameison Winston, but I dislike him. He choose Jimbo over Nick and that is just not a good choice.

Dboneesq

How about Danny Ainge?

eagles33

What is sanders best baseball rookie? I remember the bo cards for both sports but don't think I had any prime time baseball cards just 89 score and a sweet but worthless 89 pro set

RookieWax

Deion's best RC is probably his 1989 Topps Tiffany card.

jeffcbay

What the?? Why isn't there any Deion Sanders Set Registries? Baseball or Football? That's odd...

TheBusiness

<< <i>What is sanders best baseball rookie? I remember the bo cards for both sports but don't think I had any prime time baseball cards just 89 score and a sweet but worthless 89 pro set >>

I like the '90 upper deck with Deion sporting a nasty jheri curl and a headband.

wallst32

May not happen again for awhile because one of the sports has to be baseball, with the other major sports seasons overlapping too much. You probably need to be superiorly atheltic to play two sports (just see the list of prior players as proof). But with all the money in the game today, all the top athletes are being swayed away from baseball from agents/advisors and such. The arguement goes no matter how good you are in baseball, it's a very long path to the majors, and to the money.

In hockey you can come right out of high school; you used to be able to do the same in the NBA; and most of the top NBA/NFL prospects leave college early nowadays. I know there have been some two sport players who could have been drafted in multiple sports (with baseball not being one of them) had they chose those paths. Can't think of any others at the moment, but Tony Gonzalez comes to mind.

Dboneesq

<< <i>I know there have been some two sport players who could have been drafted in multiple sports (with baseball not being one of them) had they chose those paths. >>



Donovan McNabb – Played basketball for Syracuse University.

Evan Moore – Current tight end for the Cleveland Browns; played two years of college basketball at Stanford.

Terrell Owens – Played basketball in college and the Sacramento Kings summer league.

Antwaan Randle El – Played basketball at Indiana University.

Jay Triano – Current Toronto Raptors head coach, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and the CFL's Calgary Stampeders in football.

DavidPuddy

I can't believe no one has mentioned D.J. Dozier.

jeffcbay

Josh Booty!

fiveniner

Davis Winfield Baseball/Basketball.
Kirk Gibson Baseball/Drafted by St Louis Cardinals 7th Round Wide Reciever.
John Elway Baseball Yankee system 3rd base,Denver QB


No one was better than Bo.Except Jim Thorpe.

dennis07

Danny Ainge

jeffcbay

Seven former MLB players have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Red Badgro, Paddy Driscoll, George Halas, Ernie Nevers, Ace Parker, Jim Thorpe, and Deion Sanders (after this weekend).

WalterSobchak

<< <i>I know there have been some two sport players who could have been drafted in multiple sports (with baseball not being one of them) had they chose those paths. >>





<< <i>Donovan McNabb – Played basketball for Syracuse University. >>



I'm a lifelong 'Cuse fan.... McNabb was indeed on the team, but he never played a prominent role- even though he played during an era where they had very few star players.
No chance McNabb would have made it to the NBA.

WinPitcher

The 30 years prior to Bo and Deion would make i tthe 1950's
In that era we had at least 3 that I know of besides Ainge in the late 70's early 80's

The Rifleman Chuck Connors played both MLB and NBA.

Gene Conley Played MLB and NBA

Dave Debusserer <sp> MLB and NBA

jgrigali

tom glavine and julius peppers are two more

dontippet

Dave Winfield was drafted by four teams in three different sports. He was drafted in the MLB, NBA, ABA, and the NFL even though he didn't play college football.

Dboneesq

<< <i>The 30 years prior to Bo and Deion would make i tthe 1950's
In that era we had at least 3 that I know of besides Ainge in the late 70's early 80's
The Rifleman Chuck Connors played both MLB and NBA.
Gene Conley Played MLB and NBA
Dave Debusserer <sp> MLB and NBA >>



Keeping in line with your MLB/NBA players, don't forget Steve Hamilton, who pitched for the Yankees in the 60s and also played 2 or 3 years with the Lakers in the late 50s.

Southsider

But, how many of these other guys listed played two pro sports at the same time like Bo and Deion? I don't think Brian Jordan was still playing in the NFL when he was playing in MLB.

jdip9

back to the OP's question. I'm not sure we will see another 2 sport star. Playing one sport has become a year-long job, with OTAs, workouts, etc. Taking the focus off of one sport to play the other inevitably doesn't make you as strong in either as you could be if you focused on one.

I still think Bo could have been a 500 HR, 500 steal guy, HOFer if he focused on baseball. Before his injury, his HR ratio, BA and slugging % rose every year for 5 straight years. And that was while playing football.

lanemyer85

<< <i>May not happen again for awhile because one of the sports has to be baseball, with the other major sports seasons overlapping too much. You probably need to be superiorly atheltic to play two sports (just see the list of prior players as proof). But with all the money in the game today, all the top athletes are being swayed away from baseball from agents/advisors and such. The arguement goes no matter how good you are in baseball, it's a very long path to the majors, and to the money.

In hockey you can come right out of high school; you used to be able to do the same in the NBA; and most of the top NBA/NFL prospects leave college early nowadays. I know there have been some two sport players who could have been drafted in multiple sports (with baseball not being one of them) had they chose those paths. Can't think of any others at the moment, but Tony Gonzalez comes to mind. >>



quite the opposite at least in today's landscape. With the stronger emphasis on farm systems and player control, MLB clubs have been actively signing players to larger bonuses to keep players away from college (where pitchers are especially abused) in general, as well as keeping them away from football before even entering college. A couple recent high profile top picks

Donovan Tate - Padres - $6.25M bonus to keep him away from playing both sports at UNC
Zach Lee - Dodgers - $5.25M bonus to keep him away from playing QB at LSU
Bubba Starling - yet to sign with the Royals after being selected 5th overall in June, but will in all likelihood get signed away from playing QB at Nebraska in the next 10 days or so.

and of course you had the Cubs paying first round money ($10M) to 5th round pick Jeff Samardzija to keep him away from the NFL.

An agent is going to push the player to whichever sport that player is going to get drafted higher in...ie Ricky Williams. Obviously he was going to choose football as a top overall draft pick over pursing baseball where he was an 8th round pick. 8th round slot money would typically be in the $25k-$100k range. But with the new rookie slotting system in the NFL perhaps more non-top pick players may choose baseball over football given the current climate of MLB signing bonuses. Although of course baseball is the most difficult sport to progress in, but if the money is even, chances are he'll opt for MLB with the opportunity for a longer career earning. As for college baseball/football players, that one is pretty simple. College baseball is not a high revenue sport so very few colleges offer college baseball players more than a partial scholarship. In a D1 program, the opportunity/general rule is awarding money for 12 full baseball scholarships, but most schools choose to distribute that money into partial scholarships instead. There are no full baseball scholarships at Notre Dame or any of the Big 10 or MAC schools. There may be at traditional baseball schools like Pepperdine or Cal State Fullerton or Long Beach State, but this is the main reason players who initially do attend college and choose football or basketball. The full-ride.

I don't think anyone mentioned Charlie Ward - drafted by the Brewers (as a pitcher) in '93), the Yankees in '94, played amateur tennis on the Arthur Ashe Tour, Heisman Trophy winner at FSU, and of course drafted in the 1st Round by the Knicks after basically refusing to play in the NFL if he wasn't a 1st round pick.

Goot

<< <i> In a D1 program, the opportunity/general rule is awarding money for 12 full baseball scholarships, but most schools choose to distribute that money into partial scholarships instead. There are no full baseball scholarships at Notre Dame or any of the Big 10 or MAC schools. There may be at traditional baseball schools like Pepperdine or Cal State Fullerton or Long Beach State, but this is the main reason players who initially do attend college and choose football or basketball. The full-ride. >>





Ugh you just brought up my most hated rule in college athletics... 11.7 scholarships for 35 roster spots.

r00kies101

I hear this guy was pretty good in basketball...baseball, eh, not so much.

RookieWax

MJ played baseball because he wanted to. I don't think he was pursued to play it.

DavidPuddy

WinPitcher

To be clear both Conley and Debushere <sp> played both sports during the same year(s)

Not sure about C. Connors.


Doug never knew that about Hamilton.


You will see another Bo or Deion when a player is talented enough and has the leverage to do so.



Steve

Toro

Yes but it may be something like baseball and mixed martial arts or football and an Olympic sport.

PowderedH2O

Not that he would have been a star, but Tony Gwynn was an excellent college basketball player and was drafted by the Clippers in the late rounds as a point guard. Oh, and he played a little baseball too.

RoarIn84

2 sport athletes went out with the 4-man pitching rotation..... Can't help but think agents are a big reason for both....