BY JEREMY BLAKELY – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
There have been many outstanding athletes to dawn the number 23. Names that come to mind are Michael Jordan, Ryne Sandberg, Troy Vincent, David Beckham, Bob Gainey, and Ron Lancaster. All of these athletes accomplished many great feats in the sports they played.
NBA – Michael Jordan: In the NBA, he is and was considered the best ever to play the sport of basketball. As a member of the Chicago Bulls Jordan won six NBA championships and also was named NBA Finals MVP six times. He was also named an All-Star 14 times and NBA MVP five times. The number 23 in basketball will always be remembered as Michael Jordan’s because of everything he gained and he has changed the sport forever. Now Jordan is a majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.
NHL – Bob Gainey: The former NHL defensive specialist played his entire 16 year career with the Montreal Canadiens as a left winger. Gainey was drafted eighth overall in 1973 by Montreal. He led his team to four straight Stanley Cups between 1976-1979. In 1976 as a member of Team Canada he helped his country win the Canada Cup. The NHL elected him to the NHL Hall of Fame in 1992 after a career consisting of 1,160 games, scoring 239 goals, and 263 assists.
MLB – Ryne Sandberg: The man nicknamed Ryno played 16 years in the league and 15 of those were with the Chicago Cubs. In 1984, Sandberg was named National League MVP and he also won awards like Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and was named to the All-Star game. The Chicago Cubs fans will always remember him as a 10-time all-star, nine-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner. In 2005, Sandberg won 76.2 percent of the vote and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame and had his number retired by the Cubs.
NFL – Troy Vincent: This Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame NFL cornerback was drafted seventh overall in 1992 by the Miami Dolphins. As an Eagle he made the Pro Bowl in five consecutive years from 1999-2003 and also being named a three-time All-Pro from 2000-2002. Vincent was elected into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2012, not just for the awards but also for his play on the field recording 749 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 47 interceptions.
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Soccer – David Beckham: This English footballer is known for his tattoos, commercials, and appearances in films. In his soccer career, Beckham played for many big named clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He also captained team England a record number 59 times which is fourth all time in English football club history. He is the first player to score a goal in three World Cups. In 2003, Beckham was named England Player of the Year. Besides winning many awards for his playing career he also won big named championships including the FA Cup from 1995-1996 and 1998-1999, UEFA Champions League in 1998-1999 and the MLS Cup in 2011-2012.
CFL – Ron Lancaster: When you think of the CFL, you think of quarterback Ron Lancaster. As a player, Lancaster led the Ottawa Rough Riders in his first season to a Grey Cup win in 1960. His next championship came as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders winning in 1966. Lancaster finished his career falling third in passing completions, attempts, and yards by a quarterback. As a coach he led the Eskimos and the Tiger-Cats to Grey Cup titles and in 1982 Lancaster was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and also in 1985 to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
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