The Best Multiple Sport Athletes
By BRIAN STEELE
Sports
Charlie Ward
At Florida State University, Charlie Ward played both football and basketball. In football, he would win the Heisman Trophy but was never drafted into the NFL.
He switched his focus to basketball and was eventually scouted by the New York Knicks and became the 26th pick of the 1994 Draft. He was also drafted by the MLB and played tennis.
Dave DeBusschere
In 1963, Dave DeBusschere was in the MLB but was sent back to the minors the following year. He was frustrated when he was called up again, so he left.
He earned a spot in the NBA and had a long 12-year career. He would carve out a Hall of Fame career and was even named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1996.
Bob Hayes
Bob Hayes broke records and won gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It was treated as a gimmick when he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, but he took the field by storm.
Hayes’ speed would wreak havoc on the NFL, and over his 11 years, he would catch 71 touchdown passes and make three Pro Bowls. He passed away in 2002 but still holds records.
Gene Conley
Gene Conley played 11 seasons in the MLB and made four All-Star teams, but during his off-season, he was a power forward for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.
He is one of the few athletes to win championships in two major American sports. He won the World Series with the Milwaukee Braves and three championships with the Celtics.
Duke Kahanamoku
As a native Hawaiian, Duke Kahanamoku spent his life in the water. His swimming prowess would bring him gold and silver medals at the 1912 Olympics.
He is considered the father of modern surfing and would go on to win more Olympic medals. He was the first person to be inducted into both the Surfing and Swimming Hall of Fames.