By Jamie Driver Eddie Fiola Interview Lifelounge Daily Goodness", "e*thirteen Rider Steve Peat Breaks UCI World Cup Record Silverfish UK", "Shoes, Ace, Shuffle and the best football nicknames from Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates | Goal.com", "SportMob Top facts about Ruud Gullit, the Black Tulip", "The origins of Maradona's many nicknames: El Pelusa, El Cebollita", "Former Fulham and West Ham midfielder Papa Bouba Diop dies aged 42", "Matthew Booth a white knight for the black masses", "World Cup 2010: Matthew Booth the perfect advertisement for integrated South Africa", "Breesus' is the reason for potentially perfect season", "Calvin Johnson shows why Lions made him No. Die-hard Seattle Mariners fans remember the smooth delivery and fantastic catch phrases of broadcaster Dave Niehaus and the way he would refer to Johnson as "The Big Unit" instead of his actual name for the entire duration of the tall lefty's playing days in Seattle. Over 75 years after Ruth's professional baseball career ended, he is still regarded as the best baseball player to ever live. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). "The Snake" was a nickname given to him after the likeness of professional wrestler, Jake "The Snake" Roberts. 2 - Secretariat. With arguably the most famous nickname in the history of media, Dwayne Johnson is built like a rock and wrestled like a rock. The ESPN World Fame 100 is our annual attempt to create a ranking, through statistical analysis, of the 100 most famous athletes on the planet.. We started with Forbes' annual list of the highest . Not every player to wear the #7 has found success with the club, but it has been donned by icons that have had a lasting impact on the beautiful game. If pressed to name a national sport, Malaysians would say "badminton.". A six-time NBA All-Star broke into the league in 1989 with the Seattle SuperSonics and got his nickname, according to Wikipedia.org: "after Sonics announcerKevin Calabrosaw a poster with the name and found it fitting to add to his radio broadcasts.". Hall of Fame player Alex English deserves some recognition for wearing No. Drexler has had his nickname since his days at the University of Houston, named for his speed and athleticism on the court and his pleasant and easygoing nature in his private life. Which got us thinking about the greatest athletes . In the power categories, it's . Moses Malone . 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. His tall and skinny build makes him look like a satchel tree. What was your favorite jersey number that numerous legends wore? Dykstra was a three-time All-Star, World Series champion and Silver Slugger Award winner while playing for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. . Jon Lieber (Chicago Cubs) 7. No joke here, just a great player and an exceptional man. Brown is widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time, thanks to his brutal yet elegant rushing style. It's one of the more unique and popular nicknames of the modern era.". Bettis is certainly a large man, weighing 252lbs while standing only 5'11" tall. Applicants are ranked on creativity, unique jargon and consideration of prominence. Follow your favourite Olympic heroes on their journey to the games. Chamberlain is still holds the NBA record for points scored in a single game, and the paper he is holding is the number of points he dropped on the New York Knicks in 1962 as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors. Birth Country: United States. Williams said he had wanted the No. Shaquille O'Neal, a Hall of Famer and all-time great, wore Nos. Indiana Pacers ( 70) Aaron McKie. The left-handed hitting slugger is the current face of the Boston Red Sox franchise and spent many years in a potent lineup with Manny Ramirez. While his nickname is creative, it is also a prime example of racial prejudice and bigotry. Coincidentally, Roberts adapted his nickname from former Oakland Raiders QB Ken Stabler, who was nicknamed "The Snake" for his ability to slither through opponents when scrambling. He has a career batting average of .356 and 1,772 hits. While attending the University of Michigan, Traylor earned his nickname for his tremendous size, dominance in the paint, and the way "Tractor" just seemed to flow with his last name. From popular baby names to more rare ones, choosing a name from this list is a great choice for sporty girls. April Holmes has one gold medal and two bronze . Nicklaus earned the nickname at an early age because of his shock of blond hair and stout build. Right after the Bulls and Michael Jordan won the 1991 NBA title, Gatorade la . Also known as simply "A.I.," Iverson became known as "The Answer" in his first tour of duty with the Philadelphia 76ers. This nickname is clever, scores big points for rhyming with the name and personifies Holyfield to the fullest. Jackie Robinson passed away on October 24, 1972, at age 53. "Pee wee" was a term used to describe a small marble in Reese's childhood, and it would become his nickname for the remainder of his life. He plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and has been the team's captain since 2013.His record list includes the fastest century by an Indian . 6 during his days with the Boston Celtics. As far as nicknames go, this one isn't much fun, but at least it's better than "Baby Shaq.". 3 - Babe Ruth. After nearly 14 seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics, the team traded him to the Bucks for the remainder of the 2003 season. The nickname seems to describe his abilities perfectly, and Jordan and the moniker are now inseparable. "When he joined the Cubs, his extravagant wind-up and release and his frequent wild pitches inspiredWrigley Fieldorganists to playThe Troggs'Wild Thingas he came out of the bullpen. The #7 has been passed down from Kevin Keegan to Kenny Daglish to Luis Suarez, and many others have held the honor of wearing the most iconic number for one of Englands most decorated football clubs. Elway possessed an uncanny ability to lead his teams to victory when they trailed late in games. He scores goals at an unbelievable pace and in a variety of ways, which makes him an absolute nightmare for opposing defenders. Venus and Serena Williams. In this sport, Lee Chong Wei sits on the throne. The multi-sport star was perhaps one of the biggest self-promoters the sports world has ever seen but also a very talented individual. Johnson played for the Charlotte Hornets at the height of their popularity in the mid-'90s, and earned the nickname "Grandmama" after shooting a commercial for Converse. Simple, yet accurate, this nickname is solid and turned a superb athlete with a common name into a legend. Birth Year: 1913. DiMaggio was given the nickname "The Yankee Clipper" by Yankees announcer Arch McDonald in 1939, when he likened DiMaggio's speed and range in the field to the then-new Pan American airliner. ESPN have announced the top 20 most famous athletes of 2019. Kemp retired in 2003 and now the only thing falling from the sky in Kemp's world are illegitimate children, as he has 11 of them from nine different women last time we checked. Tiger Woods is a professional golfer and tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds multiple golf records. Thomas was a dominant hitter and an icon during his playing days with the Chicago White Sox. Michael Jordan (23) We bet you see this coming. The tall glass of water got his famous alias from multiple sources: According to Paige, his nickname originated from childhood work toting bags at the train station. 6 also crosses over to baseball. Manager Alfred Lawson chose to put numbers on his teams jerseys in order for fans to easily identify each of th. Sometimes, the new moniker comes from an inside joke with . Here's a little lesson for all you readers out there, confused as to how he loses one finger and only has three remaining. Birth City: Oakville. #23 is now retired by both the Chicago Bulls and North Carolina Tar Heels. He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, with 76.27 percent of the vote, just over the necessary 75 percent to qualify. "Joltin' " refers to his speed and ability to get a jump on the ball off the bat in the outfield and his smart baserunning abilities. We all know Dizzy and Daffy, Crazy Legs, Shoeless Joe, King James, The Great One and Air Jordan. 1 1. He is alsoknown for his 10-year reign asmiddleweightworld champion and setting a record for defending it 20 consecutive times. Along with Aaron's power, his longevity also is worth noting. He built a contraption out of poles that allowed him to carry more bags than his co-workers. Jordans incredible career has inspired hundreds of athletes to wear #23, including LeBron James. 23: Chamberlin, Guy Chamberlin. The nickname "Spider" is a reference to Salley's fear of arachnids, which, according to him, was conquered during his time on the 2009 reality television showI'm a CelebrityGet Me out of Here! (A special thanks to The Sandlot for assisting with this slide), 8Pro Bowlselection (1981,1983,1984,1985,1987,1989,1990,1993), 3 First TeamAll-Proselection (1987,1989,1990), 3 Second Team All-Pro selection (1981,1983,1984), 4Super Bowlchampion (XVI,XIX,XXIII,XXIV). He won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the 2012 London Olympics. 26 Further reading. In less than a decade, both MLB catchers will be Hall of Fame members. Chuck Klien (Philadelphia Phillies) 4. Virat Kohli, nicknamed Chikoo, is a famous Indian international cricketer who is the present captain of the India national team.With a top record on his plate, he is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world. William Wilson received the nickname "Mookie" as a child, when his mother noticed he was having trouble asking her for more "milk.". Bill Russell, another legend of the sport, also wore No. Elgin Baylor. He followed that up by winning the same titles in the European Athletics Championships in 2014. 28) on his jersey, the same number that Vaughn wore in the film. Manager Alfred Lawson chose to put numbers on his teams jerseys in order for fans to easily identify each of the players. No NBA player has ever wore No. Rick Helling (Texas Rangers) 9. He stood 6'-and-a-half inches tall and weighed 225 lbs, a very large size in his time. Erving electrified crowds with his dunking and leaping abilities, and the nickname seemed divine and easily matched his personality and persona. Each sprin It seemed so right to give him the nickname, giventhe man many consider to be the best boxer of all-time is also named "Sugar Ray" (Robinson). His legacy will live on in college basketball and the hearts of his students forever. Andre Dawson's nickname, "The Hawk," was given to him by an uncle when Andre was very young. Hall of Fame linebacker got the nickname Mad Stork for his gangly frame (6-7, 220-pounds). Hall of Famers by Jersey Number. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his nine NFL seasons, led the league in rushing eight times, and earned four MVP awards. When the Reading Red Roses took the field in 1907, they changed sports history forever. The thumb is not called a "finger," and therefore doesn't count. LeBron James's net worth 2018 is around $485 million. Barkley had a stellar professional basketball career and continues to be a force on the celebrity sports scene. The world's 50 highest-paid athletes collected an astounding $2.97 billion before taxes and agents' fees over the last 12 months, smashing last year's record total by 8%more than $200 . Kuko is considered one of the best wingmen to ever play the game, and therefore might be the only man on the planet capable of gettingFranck Ribry a real date. Parish got his nickname from afictitious Chief Bromden, a silent, giantNative Americancharacter in the filmOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Boyd played parts of nine seasons in the majors, and compiled a career 78-77 record, with 799 strikeouts. If a player did anything to attract attention to themselves, and not the team, he would be benched. . 25 References. Best Known For: American track and . He was a larger than life figure that was known for crushing home runs and winning seven World Series titles. Playing for the University ofColoradoBuffaloes in 1994, Kordell Stewart completed a Hail Mary passto beat theUniversity of Michigan27-26, a play known as "The Miracle at Michigan.". Angel Di Maria currently wears the #7 shirt after his blockbuster transfer deal this summer. Sometimes just called Michael "Air" Jordan, the greatest basketball player to ever live has been called many other things as well. The legendary Boston Red Sox outfielder had many nicknames, such as:"The Kid","Teddy Ballgame," and"The Thumper.". In the realm of all-time nicknames, it is definitely sweet, but it hits the countdown towards the back, because there isn't much back story here, and he's not actually a hitman. The defensive back has become known for two things: His "bump-and-run" coverage on receivers that earned him the nickname "Molester" for the brutal way he treated receivers coming off the line of scrimmage and for using Stick 'Em on his hands before the league banned the substance and named the rule after Hayes. Wayne Gretzky is widely considered the best hockey player ever to play the game, in the same conversations with Gordie Howe and Brett Hull. Gretzky won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1980s, before he was dealt in a blockbuster deal to the Los Angeles Kings. Let's start with the two most simple nicknames: Mike and MJ. During theWorld Seriesagainst theDodgers, Munson was interviewed and suggested that Jackson, because of his past postseason performances, might be the better interview subject. The Team clue is for the team that that athlete is most notable for while wearing the #23, not their current teams. Seriously, the man eclipsed Rosie O'Donnell. The #7 shirt at Manchester United has been worn by several of the greatest players of all time. He played professional football in the NFL with theAtlanta Falcons(19891993),San Francisco 49ers(1994),Dallas Cowboys(19951999),Washington Redskins(2000) andBaltimore Ravens(20042005). Source: Getty Images The "Golden Bear" moniker given to the famous golfer was the result of Melbourne Age writer Don Lawrencereferring to the "large, strong, and blond" player as the Golden Bear, and the nickname seemed fitting. The ever-flamboyant star has also had his run-ins with the law but will go down as a tremendous athlete with a killer nickname. "Prime Time" was more than just a nickname for Sanders, it became his alter-ego, and it became difficult to separate the man from the legend. Rodman was a king on the court when it came down to getting into his opponent's physche. Ryan recorded 5,714 strikeouts, 324 wins and a TKO of Robin Ventura in his 27-year career. Salley was also a co-host for "Best Damn Sports Show Period," alongside Tom Arnold and Chris Rose. ", The NBA Hall of Fame member and current TNT studio analyst is also known as"Sir Charles.". He collided with teammate Tim Raines, and other teammates shouted, "You're a big unit.". What famous athletes wore number 22? The legendary coach lived to be 99-years-old, passing away last June. Clayton Kershaw. Wilkins earned his alias with gravity-defying dunks and prolific scoring. But when the band was told they couldn't use his name as their band moniker, they adopted his other nickname and became known as "Pearl Jam," a name that also has rumors to its origins. Allyson Felix, Track and Field: 9 medals (6 G, 3 S) Felix is the only female track and field athlete to ever win six Olympic gold medals and her nine medals are tied for the most ever won by a .