A lot of people are born to excel in the sport that they have chosen, but there are a few that have the exceptional talents to excel in not just one but two and sometimes even more. This is widely true, especially in the world of sports, where discipline is key to success. There are a lot of athletes that excel in a single sport, but there are also famous athletes with hidden talents.
These athletes prove that they are well-rounded and can take on another sport if they wish to do so. While many of these athletes only take on another sport just for fun, they also show what it means to be an adaptable individual. Here are some of the famous athlete's hidden talents in surprising sports.
David Beckham and Fencing
David Beckham is known all over the world as the British superstar in football. He has been the face of football for a very long time.
The football star has managed to grab several wins under his belt and continues to do so even with his age.
As his career is heading towards the twilight years due to his age, he has also taken up another sport that is much rather opposite to the rugged athleticism of football.
With his agile feet and strategic nature, it is no surprise that Beckham has taken fencing together with his Hollywood friends and even excelled at it.
Michael Jordan and Baseball
Michael Jordan is the epitome of what it is to become a basketball superstar. From his world-breaking records to endorsements that have made millions during his height, people know that no one can do it like Michael.
At the climax of his career, he decided to take a break from basketball after the death of his father.
This shocked the entire world, knowing that he still had something left in him.
Soon, he turned over the basketball court for the baseball field when he joined the Birmingham Barons and was able to participate in as many as 127 games.
Bo Jackson and His Untapped Potential
Bo Jackson remains one of the best players in the field of football. He was a threat to every opponent in the field as he was a brute who destroyed anyone he came across.
His professional career took a nose dive when he was injured and wanted to stay healthy.
After that, he chose another sport that would not be as combative and physically taxing as football, so he went with baseball.
He continued to play baseball until he retired, which made people truly wonder how his football career would have been if he hadn't received those injuries.
Steve Nash and Soccer
NBA icon Steve Nash has always been fond of another sport aside from basketball.
During his early years, he dreamt of playing soccer on a professional level, but that was put on hold as he slowly began his career in basketball. He later became part of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA, where he led the team to greatness.
Soon after, he became a legend within the basketball scene, but his love for soccer was overwhelming.
He then slowly transitioned to playing the sport he loved as a child and began excelling at it as well. Steve is now a co-owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps which plays in Major League Soccer.
Tim Duncan and Swimming
Another NBA legend who also had an affinity for another sport outside of basketball is Tim Duncan.
His entire childhood was dedicated to swimming, but basketball soon took over as his main sport.
In the years to come before he took on basketball, he would break records in swimming in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle.
The reason why he chose basketball afterward is because of a terrible hurricane that hit his town and destroyed the public swimming pool where he used to go, thus realigning himself to play basketball instead.
Tom Zbikowski and Boxing
NFL veteran Tom Zbikowski always had a fondness for American football. During his early years, he would play for the Buffalo Grove Bills during his middle school years.
He played quarterback during the time and broke several records. He went on to play football in college, which opened the doors for him to become a professional athlete later on.
While football will always be his main sport, he also had a fondness for boxing, especially during his college years.
He would train under renowned trainers and even garnered a record 4-0. His love for football remained as he is now a safeties coach at Brown University.
Jim Brown and Many Other Sports
Many people have known Jim Brown as a football athlete for many years. He has played in the NFL for several seasons and broke several records including breaching the end zone 126 times and rushing more than 12,000 yards.
Little did we know he also had interests in many other sports. He is also a world-class checkers player.
He also excelled in many other sports such as basketball where is the lead scorer, and he is also a lacrosse player.
Brown was also well-known for running the tracks. During his prime, Jim Brown was known as the four-sport threat, but we all know he plays many other sports in his downtime and still excels in all of them.
Jim Thorpe and Almost Every Sport
While c might be a four-sport threat, there is another Jim who might be the only athlete who excelled in almost every sport.
It is no surprise that Jim Thorpe is at the top of the list as the best multi-sport athlete of all time. Thorpe first won the Olympic gold in 1912 for the pentathlon and decathlon.
He then played professional football for 13 years, professional baseball for 7 years, and professional basketball for 2 years.
Without a doubt, he excelled in every sport that he was in, and no one could beat the number of sports that he has joined.
Conclusion
Who knew many of these world-renowned athletes would also be good at other sports aside from the ones that they play? Some of these athletes are from just playing and mastering a single sport. They also exude what it means to have excellence, sportsmanship, and most of all, versatility.
