Some athletes are lucky to dominate one sport, but the legends on this list decided that just wasn’t enough. This article celebrates those rare talents who crushed it in more than one arena and made the rest of us wonder what’s in their protein shakes.
Bo Jackson
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Bo Jackson did what most only daydream about: he turned two pro careers into a string of jaw-dropping moments. He was an outfielder for the Kansas City Royals and suited up for the Los Angeles Raiders. In 1989, he made the MLB All-Star team and scored nearly six yards per carry in the NFL.
Deion Sanders
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Deion Sanders covered wideouts in the NFL and swiped bases in MLB. In 1992, he did the unthinkable: played in a pro football game and a playoff baseball game over the same weekend. He had World Series stats and Super Bowl rings to show for his hustle.
Jim Thorpe
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Jim Thorpe didn’t specialize, and he didn’t need to. In 1912, he won Olympic gold in both the pentathlon and decathlon—two of the most demanding events. Then he played pro baseball, football, and basketball. People still quote the Swedish king, who reportedly told Thorpe he was the world’s greatest athlete.
Michael Jordan
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He could’ve rested on six NBA championships and gone golfing full time. Instead, Michael Jordan tried pro baseball. In 1994, he joined the Birmingham Barons, a minor league, and hit .202 in his first and only season. Then, he returned to the NBA and stacked more awards.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
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Babe Didrikson Zaharias won two gold medals and a silver in track and field at the 1932 Olympics, then turned around and became a star on the golf course. She won 10 major titles in the LPGA and was one of its founding members. Babe also pitched in men’s exhibition games.
Clara Hughes
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Clara Hughes won six medals in both the Summer and Winter Games, dominating in speed skating and road cycling. Hughes mastered distance races with a combination of grit and smooth technique that seemed to defy logic. Her athletic range elevated her to national hero status, and rightly so.
Jackie Robinson
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It was Baseball that made Jackie Robinson a legend, but his athletic résumé at UCLA reads like a Marvel origin story. He lettered in four sports—football, basketball, track, and baseball. In football, he broke away with long runs. On the track, he won an NCAA title in the long jump.
Charlie Ward
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Winning the Heisman Trophy would’ve locked in a pro football career for most people. Not Charlie Ward. He shifted to basketball and became the New York Knicks’ point guard for almost a decade. His smart passes and calm demeanor helped the Knicks reach the Finals in 1999.
Brian Jordan
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As a safety for the Atlanta Falcons, Brian Jordan was a starter and a serious contributor. After three seasons, he committed to baseball full-time. That decision led to a 15-year career in the majors, including an All-Star nod in 1999 with the Braves.
Bob Hayes
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Speed was Bob Hayes’ superpower, and he used it everywhere. After sprinting to Olympic gold in the 100 meters at the 1964 Tokyo Games, he brought that same gear to pro football. He quickly became one of the most feared receivers in the NFL.
Danny Ainge
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While still in college, Danny Ainge played Major League Baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. He’s the only person to be named a first-team All-American in basketball and hit in the majors during the same stretch. He played 14 NBA seasons and won two championships with the Boston Celtics.
Gene Conley
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Gene Conley won titles in two major leagues. He was a pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves when they took the World Series in 1957, then switched to basketball and won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics. He remains the only athlete to earn a ring in both the MLB and NBA.
Herschel Walker
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Speed, strength, and stamina—Herschel Walker had them in spades. He built his name in college football at Georgia, then racked up yards in the NFL. But his athletic path didn’t stop there. Walker also competed on the U.S. Olympic bobsled team in 1992 and later fought professionally in mixed martial arts.
Eddie Eagan
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Eddie Eagan pulled off one of the rarest feats in Olympic history. He won gold at the 1920 Summer Games in boxing, then struck gold again in bobsled at the 1932 Winter Games. That makes him the only person to clinch gold medals at two distinct Summer and Winter Olympics in different disciplines.
Ellyse Perry
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Ellyse Perry made her debut for Australia’s national soccer and cricket teams at age 16. That alone would be a milestone achievement for most. She’s since played in multiple Cricket World Cups and FIFA Women’s World Cups. She focused more on cricket and was considered one of the best all-rounders.
