Top multi-sport athlete of all-time

JIm Thorpe was a legend and probably the real #1 best dual sport athlete!

In modern times -- Deion Sanders played in both the World Series and Super Bowl, but Bo gave him a stiffarm to remember. Brian Jordan played for the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Vikings. Danny Ainge played for the Blue Jays and Celtics. However...there is one dual athlete better than all of them...







1985 Heisman Winner.
1989 MLB All-Star MVP

Was a commercial magnet for Nike.



BO KNOWS!

 

Bo knows how to take people’s money. He got paid like a full time athlete while only playing each sport part time.

 

Bo didn't have much of an impact in the NFL, and had four or five good years of baseball.

 

his bad hip caused that. not every RB could be like Barry Sanders. Jackson may not have lit up the stats and scoreboards, but he had a huge cultural impact on the NFL and MLB and more than Ainge had sitting in the shadows of Bird, Parrish and McHale.

 

The Celtics were just his first seven years, he played another 8 years, for three other teams.
Bo jackson might've played football at a high level in college but he was just about as effective in the nfl as Ainge was with the Jays.
Dieon was a great corner, one of the best. He had three good years with the Braves.
Longevity goes to Ainge, also an all-american in high school in 3 sports.

 

i still think Jackson's hip hurt his career and thus made his NFL and MLB's career mediocre. Ainge was a rare breed for sure. He's turning into one heck of a GM too.

 

It's hard to be a running back in the NFL and then turrn around and expect to have a successful career in baseball.

Baseball players get sat for the smallest injuries more than any other sport. If you come into training camp with a hip injury from playing football, the baseball world cringes real quick.

Right away it has an effect on your batting stance, once your mechanics is messed up, you're pretty well doomed.

 

Because he played 211 games in baseball?

Brian Jordan topped that by having a long baseball career and playing a little over 2 full seasons in the NFL.

Deion Sanders had over 2000 plate appearances.

 

Gene Conley played in a different era but would still rank ahead of Ainge in my book.

 

Longevity meaning 15 years as a pro athlete playing at a high level.

 

Ainge did more than any athlete beginning from high school to the day he retired in the NBA.

 

How many of Ainge's NBA seasons were played at a "high level"? He didn't start for a little over half his career in total. Good role player and contributor for sure. Wouldn't say he ever really played at a high level.

He played in 1 all star game in a season that statistically speaking wasn't even one of his best.


I wouldn't have Ainge in my top 5 of best two sport athletes. If he cracked the top 10 it would be at the back end.

 

Please elaborate....

 

Keep in mind Magic Johnson won championships in high school, college, and the NBA.

And Jim Thorpe is probably the greatest athlete ever.

And that Jim Brown may have been the best high school athlete the world ever saw.....and went on to be more than great in both college and the NFL.

 

Brown also excelled at basketball, lacrosse, and track. He was an All American in Lacrosse and is in the Lacrosse HOF.

But I'm sure Ainge can top that?

 

How many athletes were all-american in 3 sports when they were in high school?
Then with Brigham he won awards in baseball and basketball.
His pro career as a multi-sport doesn't match up with deion or Bo, but 15 years as a pro basketball player and the coach and gm.
I'd take his resume over Bo Jackson, Sanders went to the booth.

 

If we want to include amateur accomplishments and the Olympics.....Babe Zaharias needs to be included in this conversation.

41 LPGA tour wins. 48 wins total.

Gold medal in hurdles....gold medal in javelin....silver medal in high jump.

And she could play baseball too.

 

Ok, well I was only referring to the major spectator sports.
There was even a wr on the raiders that was an olympic sprinter.

 

I don't believe Ainge is the only one.

Coach and GM are moot....those are not athletic accomplishments.

Jackson was a better athlete, by far. Injuries ruined him.

Sanders was a Hall of Famer in one sport....and good enough to hang out a long time in the other.

Ainge played less than 2 seasons in the MLB....and while he had a good career in the NBA...he was no where near a HOF player. Not even close.

Sanders beats Ainge.....and it's not close.