One Sport Was Not Enough for These 11 Incredible Athletes
- By CBS Sports Staff
Considered one of greatest performers in modern sports, Thorpe might be the world's greatest athlete, excelling in professional football, baseball and basketball--and the Olympics, where he won the decathlon and the pentathlon in 1912.
Credit: Topical Press AgencyJim Brown is arguably one of the greatest running backs of all time, but most people don't know that Brown was a three-sport athlete at Syracuse. Along with being the university's star back, Brown also played basketball and lacrosse.
Credit: Focus On Sport, Getty ImagesJackie Robinson blazed a trail for black athletes by becoming the first African-American to play big league baseball. But baseball wasn't Robinson's only sport. He was the first UCLA athlete to letter in four sports, and he won the 1940 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championship.
Credit: Robert RigerZaharias won two gold medals at the 1932 Olympics (javelin and hurdles) and then became the greatest female golfer ever, winning 10 major championships, including the Grand Slam of women's golf in 1950.
Credit: Underwood ArchivesNot only did Jackson play two professional sports at the same time, but he also excelled at both. He is the only athlete to be named as an All-Star in two different sports: baseball (1989 MLB All-Star Game MVP) and football (Oakland Raiders, Pro Bowl 1990--he was injured and didn't play).
Credit: Focus On Sport, Getty ImagesIn one weekend, Neon Deion played for the Atlanta Braves on a Saturday and then resumed his regular gig with the Atlanta Falcons the next day. No other athlete had ever done that before, and it's unlikely any other athlete will ever do it again.
Credit: JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP/Getty ImagesOnce considered the world's fastest human, Hayes turned his love for running--and Olympic gold medal success in track and field--into a Hall of Fame football career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Credit: Kidwiler Collection, Diamond ImagesAfter winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Florida State to a National Championship, Ward appeared to have a bright future in professional football. Then, he was chosen No. 26 overall by the NBA's New York Knicks and went on to play pro hoops for 11 seasons instead. Not a bad fall-back position.
Credit: Tom Hauck, Getty ImagesBest known for quarterbacking the Cleveland Browns to seven league championships, Graham is one of only two people--along with Gene Conley--to win championships in two of the four major American sports. He also won a basketball championship with the Rochester Royals in 1946.
Credit: Collegiate ImagesNagurski was the embodiment of smash-mouth football in the 1930s, helping the Chicago Bears win two NFL championships. Then he tried his hand at professional wrestling and won a National Wrestling Association world title.
Credit: B BennettWhile working his way through the minor league baseball ranks as a St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, Jordan also developed his football skills as an all-pro safety for the Atlanta Falcons. But a $1.7 million dollar signing bonus from St. Louis in 1992 made Jordan give up the pigskin for good.
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