Best 2 sport athletes, pro or college

[ghostofpepsicock]

Which ones come to mind?

I’d say Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders in my lifetime. It’s too bad Bo got hurt. He would have gone on to have an amazing career. Deion is still the only person to play in a World Series and a Super Bowl.

 

[GamecockinHouston]

Bo and Deion for sure. There are plenty that played multiple sports, but not many made it to the highest level of both. A few others that come to mind:

Charlie Ward- Heisman winner and played in the NBA.
Brian Jordan played in the NFL and MLB

 

[USCBatgirl21]

There is Bo.
And then everyone else in line behind Bo.

 

[Hawkgamecock]

Dave WInfield come to mind. Drafted by 4 teams in 3 different sports, MLB, NBA, ABA and NFL.

 

[psmith5532]

Jim Brown

 

[ghostofpepsicock]

Dave WInfield come to mind. Drafted by 4 teams in 3 different sports, MLB, NBA, ABA and NFL.

Wow I did not realize that!

 

[mickmick7]

Dick Groat , Dave Debusschere, Danny Ainge, Chuck Conners

 

[lexgamecock]

Before our time but Jim Thorpe. Great football player and Olympic gold medalist.

 

[sickoftryingtothinkofausername]

Dave Winfield is the greatest of all IMO. He made the HOF in the sport he chose to stick to, as did Deion. Bo was great and all, but he would’ve been better served to preserve himself for one sport.

also believe Tom Glavine was drafted by both the MLB and NHL.

 

[redrogers]

Joe Mauer ,that played catcher for The Twins, was the top ranked QB coming out of high school in his class.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Jim Brown

Jim Brown's other sport was Lacrosse. Facing him in midfield had to be terrifying.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Going old school.
Bob Hayes Football and Track

 

[Horseshoe 04]

Dell & Steph Curry,
Golf & that other sport none of us watch any more. Steph’s run at Davidson was nearly Thornwell ish

 

[SpurCock78]

Skeets Thomas

 

[cadcock]

Wilt Chamberlain track and field, HOF Basketball, HOF Volleyball.

 

[hahnenkampf]

Which ones come to mind?

I’d say Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders in my lifetime. It’s too bad Bo got hurt. He would have gone on to have an amazing career. Deion is still the only person to play in a World Series and a Super Bowl.

Ainge

 

[Contentment Blues]

Dave Winfield by far.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

Ainge

People forget just how good this guy was. First team all American in high school in football, basketball and baseball. Made it to MLB at a young age and managed to crack the lineup in a Celtics dynasty on the way to a 14 year NBA career.

 

[uscedge21]

I should think it would have to be Jim Thorpe. He played collegiate football, professional ball in all three major sports and earned Olympic gold medals for the decathlon and pentathlon. What a GREAT athlete! Outside of athletics his is a very sad story.

 

[uscedge21]

Before our time but Jim Thorpe. Great football player and Olympic gold medalist.

You beat me to it...

 

[chucktowncock]

Which ones come to mind?

I’d say Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders in my lifetime. It’s too bad Bo got hurt. He would have gone on to have an amazing career. Deion is still the only person to play in a World Series and a Super Bowl.

"sport athletes?"

 

[BobbyBReloaded1975]

Don’t forget Tony Gonzalez . He could have easily played in the NBA . Deion and Bo are obviously the standard . I have a buddy who played against Allen Iverson in high school and he said he was the most explosive High school football player he had ever seen . I think he was a QB but I think the entire offense was snap it to AI and he would take off .

 

[chucktowncock]

Don’t forget Tony Gonzalez . He could have easily played in the NBA . Deion and Bo are obviously the standard . I have a buddy who played against Allen Iverson in high school and he said he was the most explosive High school football player he had ever seen . I think he was a QB but I think the entire offense was snap it to AI and he would take off .

Jeff Bezos joined girlfriend Lauren Sanchez to support her ex-boyfriend, Tony Gonzalez, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

 

[BobbyBReloaded1975]

Jeff Bezos joined girlfriend Lauren Sanchez to support her ex-boyfriend, Tony Gonzalez, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Wow , she’s had a tough life .

 

[ghostofpepsicock]

"sport athletes?"

What is confusing? 2 sport athletes...athletes that played 2 sports in college or pro. Hope that clears it up

 

[whythis28]

Don’t forget Tony Gonzalez . He could have easily played in the NBA . Deion and Bo are obviously the standard . I have a buddy who played against Allen Iverson in high school and he said he was the most explosive High school football player he had ever seen . I think he was a QB but I think the entire offense was snap it to AI and he would take off .

Hampton area high schools produced a lot of great athletes, including Ronald Curry that originally committed to Virginia. Instead he chose UNC and played basketball and football with Julius Peppers.

 

[Gradstudent]

Tony Gwynn

We don't think of him as a great athlete because he got over weight later in his MLB career, but young Gwynn was, I'm not sure everyone knows his story. I never knew until a friend in San Diego shed more light on his greatness. He is beloved in San Diego.

He was actually a very good college PG before College Baseball player

He was a two-sport star in both basketball and baseball in High School. In his final two years, his Jackrabbits baseball teams were a combined 3–25–2 in the league, while the basketball teams went 53–6 and twice reached the 4A championship game.

He only received scholarship offers to play basketball!!

Gwynn was a two-sport star with San Diego State, playing three seasons of baseball and four of basketball.

He was a two-time All American outfielder in his final two seasons, when he led the team in hitting.

A skilled playmaker in basketball, he set multiple school records for assists.

He is the only player in the history of the WAC to earn all-conference honors in two sports.

He didn't play baseball his freshman year as he was over weight at 205 lbs. and only got back in the good graces of the college baseball coach when 2 Outfielders got hurt and got back on the team and played and the rest is history.

Gwynn credits his dribbling with strengthens his wrists

 

[MScott64]

Charlie Ward won the Heisman at FSU, was drafted as a pitcher by the Brewers and Yankees, and spent a decade in the NBA.

Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray were also drafted by MLB teams.

 

[uscg1984]

Dick Groat , Dave Debusschere, Danny Ainge, Chuck Conners

Nice, with the Chuck Connors reference. He is remembered as an actor, most famously for his role in The Rifleman, but he played baseball for the Dodgers and Cubs and basketball for the Celtics (and managed to serve in the Army during WW2 in between).

 

[CockofEarle]

Dick Groat , Dave Debusschere, Danny Ainge, Chuck Conners

Groat by far.

Dave & Danny couldn’t make it in baseball, so took the ez nba route

 

[alexj1]

I knew some former Naval Academy guys that played football with Roger Staubach that said he was a better at baseball.

 

[mickmick7]

The Gamecocks own Jeff Grantz..dadgum good baseball player as well

 

[statelinecock]

Julius Peppers. 6'6 285 pounds and was really effective in basketball and a HOFer in football. He was an absolute genetic freak.

 

[Mcbulldog1]

He only played basketball but I think Zion Williamson could have been a great football player as well

 

[CockofEarle]

The Gamecocks own Jeff Grantz..dadgum good baseball player as well

Who had more women chasing them, Grantz or Saldi?

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

Brandon Mcilwain.
JK, but he was a highly rated guy in FB and baseball in HS.

Best two sport guy in Gamecocks’ history? Bruce Ellington probably- an effective point guard, turned fantastic WR…

Best ever/ pro? Bo. He was a legendary athlete from a very early age- could play any sport, and was just built different than we mortals. Wish he had never gotten injured, there would be no debate…

 

[lostcock]

757 is strong in all sports, hopefully Shane knows it, because his Pops sure did. Dre Bly, Aaron Brooks, Curry, Percy Harvin, Bruce Smith, Plaxico Burress, the Vick’s, and I’ve heard the rumor a few times that Iverson was the best football player from his era. His tape looks damn good

 

[CockofEarle]

Brandon Mcilwain.
JK, but he was a highly rated guy in FB and baseball in HS.

Best two sport guy in Gamecocks’ history? Bruce Ellington probably- an effective point guard, turned fantastic WR…

Best ever/ pro? Bo. He was a legendary athlete from a very early age- could play any sport, and was just built different than we mortals. Wish he had never gotten injured, there would be no debate…

“Not so fast my friend”..... Bobby Bryant.....or as Casey said, “You could look it up”.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Going old school.
Bob Hayes Football and Track

I haven't thought about Bob Hayes in years.

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

So… Maybe this is silly because there is different technique in running track vs playing FB- but I don’t tend to put as much weight on a FB player running track successfully outside of FB as I do on a guy who can also play another sport like baseball or basketball and develop into a PRO at it! Like, track/ RUNNING is a component or football or soccer or baseball… sure, if you are fast enough to play WR, you can outrun most people in the 100 meter! Nobody is paying you millions to play WR if you can’t beat pro CBs and safeties in a foot race! Can you also hit a 95MPH fastball, play the field in baseball, play basketball well enough to do it at the NCAA/pro levels? That is more impressive to me personally. Not to disrespect track and field athletes, I am just saying for this discussion I am more impressed by guys like Sanders and Jackson who did both, WELL, at the same time!