I wanna be able to fly like him, James said. The ten-time All-Pro player finally won a Super Bowl in 1997 with the Green Bay Packers. Heck, he was often more of a superstar cricketer than a baseball slugger. Number of Names: Five+ (just ask Skip Bayless, who adds "Le" to the front of any word he pleases), Cream of the Crop: The Akron Hammer, The L-Train, The Chosen One, LeDecision. Willie "Hit 'em Where . By schredder. "Shaq and Pretty" would have sounded strange, but "Pretty" was indeed what Hardaway's grandmother called him. And all of that is without even mentioning sport and the collection of the worlds most recognisable stars who have brought the number into modern day fame. While he may be widely known today for his HIV/AIDS diagnosis and activism, he is also one of the most decorated point guards in the history of the game. New customers only. The AK-47 is still one of the most widely used . 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. "The Sultan of Swat" presents a clever alliteration which indicates that he was the best hitter of his time. Given what became of his postplaying days, the "Hustle" part seems especially apropos. The number 23 in basketball will always be remembered as Michael Jordan's because of everything he gained and he has changed the sport forever.. Whats the number 23 mean? He currently holds a professional fighting record of 35-11, but is on a three fight winning streak since his 2013 start with Bellator, which of course followed his three fight losing streak with the UFC. Perhaps no city and player were better fits than New York and Namath. Field goals from long distance haven't always been the norm in the NFL, but if you love a dramatic late-game kick, thank "The Toe." "The Splendid Splinter" (Ted Williams) 2. Wider culture has been too, and there is even a group of people called 23rdians who uncover all the times it crops up in history. There are few jersey numbers that resonate quite like #23, and though the number is synonymous with Michael Jordan, he isn't the only one who wore it. Aaron . How can anyone ignore a nickname like Dr. Dunkenstein? He, of course, stuck with that number throughout his college and professional careers. An under-reported part of the lives of many athletes is the time before they became . Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Much like Walter Payton, White died far too soon, passing away at just age 43 from complications due to a heart condition. Despite that, Wepner is known for being one of the most durable fighters of his era. Jim Carrey even starred in a 2007 movie called The Number 23 in which a troubled man becomes obsessed with a book, fittingly entitled The Number 23: A Novel of Obsession. 22: Joey Bats (Jose Bautista) Bautista once did a very funny sketch that was a version of the baseball bat scene in "The Untouchables." Ken jij alle winnaars van de Strade Bianche? The number refers to the year 1947 when the riffle was introduced into service with the Soviet Army. Babe Ruth. The move fuelled speculation that Clarke would do that same thing with his number once he retired but that never happened and now DArcy Short wears it. It didnt take long for me to change back to 23. How does a guy born Walker Smith Jr. become "Sugar" Ray Robinson? 1.23 Z. His nickname suggests as much, as it is indicative of a man who transcended the sport. The man many people consider the greatest player of all time doesn't necessarily have a nickname that measures up to his feats on the court. The only other time was when his regular No.23 went missing prior to a game, forcing him to wear 12 as close to half of 23 as he could get. 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. Larry Bird is counted among the legendary athletes, hence why he got the infamous name of Larry Legend. As a number made up of two consecutive primes one of which is the only even, or feminine, prime number the Chinese placed a mystical status on the number 23. He set a bar that doesn't seem close to being touched. The 170-pound netminder is now a goaltending coach for the Stars, naturally sharing his wisdom and resiliency with the new crop. Other times, as with Willie Mays, the man makes the nickname. Cream of the Crop: Peaches, Squeaky, Dennis The Menace. Of his worst nicknames, though, we choose "The Big Aristotle.". Sept. 12, 2012 12 AM PT. He also may well be the best defensive player in NFL history, having racked up 198 sacks, 13 Pro Bowls and 10 first-team All-Pro nods during his illustrious career. Baseball stars have had success with the number as well with Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and Zach Greinke thriving with the number 23 in . But then again, he's the most famous athlete in the world, so he's probably OK with the trade-off. No one was cooler under pressure than Montana, and he has the hardware four Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs - to prove it. Hall of Fame player Alex English deserves some recognition for wearing No. Is "The Say Hey Kid" a great nickname? https://goo.gl/tX6CcK-~-~~-~~. 3.3 International. Submit your nickname or copy the best name style from the list. A truly great player, and a truly great nickname. Much like Magic Johnson, Tiger Woods' real name might as well be Tiger. So when I started playing basketball, I was like: Oh man, that two-three looks good. He did wear different numbers for the Bulls twice however, for a few games when he returned from his first retirement wearing No.45 (his baseball number and his brothers number). "Shaq" has a certain intimidating quality to it, which is fitting, since O'Neal was the kind of guy who managed to impose his will on other enormously large human beings night after night. Perhaps a nickname more appropriate to its era than any other on this list, but one very fitting for one of the greatest Yankees of all-time. Like many things, he made the 23 fashionable again, especially in football, with the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Isco, Mesut Ozil and Christian Eriksen all wearing it during their careers. And, from 1987 until 2001, he held the record for most Grand Prix victories in history. With 22 seasons in MLB, ten All-Star selections, nine years as the MLB's strikeout leader, a perfect game, a no-hitter, and one dead dove that flew in front of his pitch back in 2001, "The Big Unit" is undoubtedly destined for the Hall of Fame. His last three fights have been won via unanimous decision. Known for his unbelievable resolve and will, the "Real Deal" was everything his handle implied, and then some. While The Law Firm is currently a free agent, he had some solid years in the NFL. Cream of the Crop: QBese, Hefty Lefty, The Pillsbury Throwboy, The Abominable Throwman, Round Mound of Touchdown, Battleship Lorenzen, He Ate Me. After a 12-0 start to his mixed martial arts career, including wins over an aged Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio "Little Nog" Nogueira, he suffered two lost bouts to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz. Michael Phelps, arguably the best swimmer in history, is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, not just due to his record-breaking feats, but also due to the longevity of his career.. Born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps took to swimming at the age of seven. Either way, the nickname was intimidating, and so was Parker. We spoke to him about the numbers four and 23. He is a "champion" in every sense of the word. Athlete nicknames often are either a modified version of their given name (such as Becks, . (greatest of all time), Jerry Rice remains the finest receiver ever to grace a professional football field. Open the link to go straight there NYT Crossword Answers 03/01/23. Report. Out of respect to those influential individuals, fans and pundits have continuously churned up batches of creative nicknames throughout history to highlight admired or despised qualities. While the word marvelous is flowery and makes one think of a real artist in the ring, Hagler had one of the greatest chins in boxing history and was a relentless pressure fighter without a weakness. Sometimes, no matter how fitting a nickname is, there isn't a truly great story behind it. His era is described as the golden age in basketball history, and he became the star of Indiana state. Eldrick Woods' nickname "Tiger" was coined in honor of a friend of his father, according to an interview with Golf Digest. In a league known for flashy dunks, snappy dressing and colorful personalities, Duncan's favorite shot was the bank shot, he dressed like a teenager heading to school and was as soft-spoken as they come. Number of Names: Five+ (how many insanity puns can be drawn up? DiMaggio was a versatile, graceful player, a guy who could "do it all." The God of Cricket, Bradman of Modern era, whether he tired. Navratilova published an op-ed in the U.K. Sunday Times on February 17 in which she said it was "unfair" to allow trans women . teacher regularly showed her Grade 2 students movies, a number of which were rated PG-13, including Iron Man 3 and Dr. Wilt Chamberlain (13) Let us start our list of the most popular numbers in sports with the number 13. Globally, however, after Jordan and because of Jordan there are two other standout owners of the No.23. There is very little that is "royal" or "dignified" about Barkley, and fans have long adored him for it. 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. 5 See also. Iconic NBA players with number 23 jerseys include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, all Hall of Fame-level players whose career highlights are among the greatest moments in basketball history. But the crafty outfielder will always be remembered for his speed and heritage, both ingredients in creating the perfect names. 3.2 Professional. Cream of the Crop: Zeke from Cabin Creek, The Logo, Mr. The name, then, makes perfect sense, but one almost wishes that it had been invented out of whole cloth, with no backstory at all. Young's own explanation borders on nonsense, so let's instead focus on the fact that he's given fans countless entertaining moments, intentionally or otherwise, and that the nickname is, in fairness, extremely catchy. Wayne Gretzky is thought of as the greatest hockey player ever. These two retired baseball players share number 18 on our list because their names are similar, despite their completely different positions on the diamond. He was named to the All-Ohio first team and . Origins of nicknames can stem from the praise of teammates, broadcasters or the God-complexes of athletes themselves. Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest players in history. Fans like to make a big stink about baseball players getting $325 million over thirteen years (Giancarlo Stanton, which averages out to $25 million per year) but Floyd Mayweather has made hundreds of millions in the last couple of years. His nickname, "The Bayonne Bleeder," stems from his New Jersey heritage but also his propensity for cuts. Robinson, by far the greatest basketball player in Navy history, was a singularly dominant force in college and one of the greatest centers in NBA history. He went on to wear it at LA Galaxy where he is credited as one of the main driving forces in the growth of MLS and football in America over the last decade. Pie Traynor, listed at number seventy, was the first third baseman ever elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and he finished in the top ten for the National League Most Valuable Player Award six times. Additionally, his ability to survive and remain in good health twentyyears after an HIV diagnosis is nothing short of magic. A pretty fitting nickname for a guy known for shattering backboards, methinks. Draymond Green's impact and influence on the Golden State Warriors' three NBA championships between 2015 and 2018 will surely make him a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after he retires. Griffey Jr.'s nickname, like so many others, has both simple and perfect origins. 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. In other words, Ben Zobrist. Legendary nicknames - The most original athlete nicknames. Payton was long regarded as one of the league's most tenacious on-ball defenders as well as one of its biggest trash talkers. He hit the ball very hard, very often, and it earned him this nickname with his teammates. 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 . 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. Interesting Nicknames For Larry Bird. Nicknames, cool fonts, symbols and stylish names for Legendary - , Legend, , egenry, Legend,, Legendary. consumer reports best solar companies in california,