The nickname of one of basketball's highest fliers, the man who popularized the dunk like none before him, comes from one of his friends. After trailing by as many as 23 . Of his worst nicknames, though, we choose "The Big Aristotle.". Legendary nicknames - The most original athlete nicknames. That's the story of an iconic nickname and one belonging to the man almost unanimously seen as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. 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. Every bit of 6-foot-4, Lemieux had a build usually associated with lumbering enforcers. Whitaker's nickname actually comes from the mishearing by a sportswriter of what his fans actually called him, which was "Sweet Pete.". Grimson went about 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, and was a feared enforcer for the majority of his career, one that saw him battling, among others, legendary brawler Bob Probert. He achieved all of these amazing totals but is just 18th in terms of games played in a career. I'm 23 1 I know 23 1. T ennis legend Martina Navratilova, who is openly lesbian, has been ousted from the board of Athlete Ally, a nonprofit that promotes LGBT inclusion in sports. At just age 46, Walter Payton died of a liver disease in 1999. 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. No lock-in contract. The actual "Broadway Joe" nickname was coined by his Jets teammate Sherman Plunkett. He said he thought it was a bad idea to delay a decision on the subject. 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. The name was given to him when he was 15, after he notched an impressive triple-double, but does the origin really matter? No. The 170-pound netminder is now a goaltending coach for the Stars, naturally sharing his wisdom and resiliency with the new crop. Is this a great nickname? The "King James" moniker applies in every way, from his primacy in the sport to the way that any team that secures his services becomes an instant contender, as well as the league's most-watched franchise. His era is described as the golden age in basketball history, and he became the star of Indiana state. Nicknames, cool fonts, symbols and stylish names for Legendary - , Legend, , egenry, Legend,, Legendary. The "Prime Time" moniker, while it could have stemmed from any number of high-profile feats in pro sports, originated from evening pickup basketball games Sanders used to play with a high school teammate, where, unsurprisingly, his athletic feats left mouths agape. 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. Cream of the Crop: Super Vlad, Vlad the Impaler, Big Daddy Vladdy, Big Bad Vlad. Technically, this isn't even a nickname because Hagler, annoyed that announcers did not refer to him by his preferred nickname, eventually changed his real name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler." He returned to Cleveland in 2014 and won the 2016 NBA title, before joining the LA Lakers in 2018 and achieving another championship with 23 on his jersey. The pick total of 336 over the course of his career is indicative of the origin of his nickname "The Gunslinger.". That's right, all of his names were epic. David told us that he would like the number seven, but that he would never ask for it with Raul in the side, Real Madrids former sporting director Jorge Valdano told AS. Then a woman in the crowd at one of his boxing matches tells him he is "sweet as sugar." As such, and owing to his oftentimes tumultuous off-field life, the wide receiver is much more commonly called "Bad Moon," for which he can thank ESPN anchor Chris Berman. Bring the cinema experience home with new movies and old favourites. His nickname's origins are obvious. Cream of the Crop: Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid, Golden Joe. Stabler was a villain for any football fan who disliked the Raiders, and there were plenty of those outside of Oakland. When Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal took the NBA by storm in the mid-1990s, everyone termed them "Shaq and Penny." In reference to his on-court pizazz and tendency to reinvent the crossover, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe earned quite the array of endearing monikers. BASKETBALL URBAN LEGEND: Allen Iverson was sued over his nickname of "The Answer.". It was this steadiness that earned him his nickname. 25 References. 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 . "Sir Charles" is much quicker, and funnier, given Barkley's rough and tumble play on the court, as well as his loud, brash commentary off it. Known as the Babe to fans, and Jidge to teammates, George Herman Ruth was simply the holiest presence ever to step foot inside a batter's box. Before there was Tom Brady, there was Joe Montana, and he was the most reliable big-game quarterback the NFL had ever seen. "The Round Mound of Rebound" could also have applied here, and while that nickname is a lot more fun to say, it's a mouthful. Williams' playground style sometimes got him benched, particularly early in his career, and especially in the playoffs, but it also made him wildly popular. Report this user for behavior that violates our Community Guidelines. 1. Also dubbed "Mr. Outside" and "Mr. Smart wasn't that great of a player, but he took full advantage of an XFL policy allowing players to put more or less whatever they wanted on their jerseys. White was an ordained minister and man of devout faith, which makes the origins of his nickname rather obvious. For many fans, James has done the unthinkable and supplanted Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. Joe Maddon's versatile switch-hitter also goes by the names Zo, Zobe, Ben-zee, Z-man and Zobo. A 7'1" tree with more nicknames than points per game (4.0 career average), Joel Przybilla is a force to be reckoned with; if mostly in the Name Hall of Fame. DiMaggio was a versatile, graceful player, a guy who could "do it all." There is very little that is "royal" or "dignified" about Barkley, and fans have long adored him for it. James entered the league in 2003 and wore No.23 with the Cleveland Cavaliers until 2010, when he left for the Miami Heat and wore number six. Find Me In Brains Riddle. "It's Sunday afternoon and Tiger's on fire today" is much more catchy. Family first. | 100 Greatest Players by SABR. MJ turns 60 this February 17. In his book, Jordan wrote, When I came back, I didnt want to play in the last number that my father had seen me wear. Emailed daily. 23 to have played in the league. And to those embraced individuals, bravo for the sportsmanship. The Pittsburgh Steelers' veteran strong safety is known not only for his phenomenal head of hair, but also his hard hitting style of play, coupled with his overall intelligence. Never more than the fourth- or fifth-best player on any of his teams, Horry nonetheless developed a reputation for hitting huge shots at the biggest possible moments, earning him one of the best and most obvious nicknames in sports not to mention seven NBA titles. Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images. His passes were daring, often ridiculous and usually successful. With beer and hot dogs his only fuel, The Bambino became a legend with his ability to dominate as a hitter and a pitcher. Although this particular species can do a masterful robot dance. Take a look at some of the athletes who share #23 with Michael . Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest players in history. But then again, he's the most famous athlete in the world, so he's probably OK with the trade-off. ROWLEY. Queen James won't do either. Take a look at some of the athletes who share #23 . He held several NFL records for years including most career rushing touchdowns, most career rush attempts, most rushing yards and most all-purpose yards from the line of scrimmage. But the crafty outfielder will always be remembered for his speed and heritage, both ingredients in creating the perfect names. Much like Walter Payton, White died far too soon, passing away at just age 43 from complications due to a heart condition. Bad luck. Still, beyond Michael Jordan's own greatness while wearing No. Shaquille O'Neal - "The Big Aristotle". Erving called the friend "professor" and was called "doctor" in return. With a professional record of 47-0, Mayweather has a couple of great nicknames that do his success justice. Wayne Gretzky is thought of as the greatest hockey player ever. Cream of the Crop: Earl the Pearl, Black Magic, Black Jesus, Thomas Edison. teacher regularly showed her Grade 2 students movies, a number of which were rated PG-13, including Iron Man 3 and Dr. Throughout his career, Liddell was known for keeping a cool head at all times, whether he was preparing for a fight or in the ring competing. Additionally, his ability to survive and remain in good health twentyyears after an HIV diagnosis is nothing short of magic. These two retired baseball players share number 18 on our list because their names are similar, despite their completely different positions on the diamond. So when I started playing basketball, I was like: Oh man, that two-three looks good. But it is Eldrick, and therefore Tiger is technically a nickname and one that honors one of his father, Earl's, military friends who also was called Tiger. As a result, Chuck earned every hefty nickname one could possibly script. But it was actually one he had carried with him since high school when his coach bestowed it on him after a long, winding touchdown run. An athlete's quest for greatness goes far beyond the playing field. Now imagine in a sport filled with tough guys bearing tough nicknames, that the guy who just humiliated you is called "Sweet Pea" by his fans. Pretty frustrating, right? 19. Globally, however, after Jordan and because of Jordan there are two other standout owners of the No.23. "This partnership will allow us to engage the APBPA membership of current and former professional baseball players to lead the instruction at Legendary Athletes' 5 Tools youth baseball camps. Similarly, nicknames can be intimidating, humorous or just clever. I wanna be able to stick out my tongue like him in the air and yell in somebodys face like MJ.. While Peyton Manning did surpass Brett Favre's all-time passing touchdown title a few weeks ago, Favre still holds a few records. Overall, Davis has one NBA championship, eight All-Star appearances, four selections to the All-NBA teams and four to the All-Defensive teams. Larry Bird is counted among the legendary athletes, hence why he got the infamous name of Larry Legend. With a respected work ethic and a lion's heart, Rice gracefully set countless receiving records and cemented himself as perhaps the greatest football player of all time. but there are none as clearly defined as Wayne Gretzky is to the NHL. She was a crowd favourite wherever she raced. Jordan wore the number throughout his entire NBA career, except for his return from retirement in 1995 (he wore 45 because 23 was retired) and February 14th, 1990, when his jersey was stolen and he wore a generic Chicago Bulls' jersey with the number 12 on. 26 Further reading. There are plenty of honorable mentions for a list like this. There are some great nicknames in the NFL: The Gunslinger (Brett Favre) Marion the Barbarian (Marion Barber) . Cream of the Crop: The Sultan of Swat, TheColossus of Clout, The Wazir of Wham, The Mammoth of Maul. A four-time Formula One Champion, Prost has the second most F1 titles of all time. 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. It was the former quality that led to his nickname, and it was very well-deserved, as Payton is the only point guard in NBA history, and one of only four guards, period, to win Defensive Player of the Year. "The Fridge" stood 6-foot-3, weighed every bit of 350 and was a truly imposing figure for opposing offenses.