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- LeBron James: King James. Does this nickname really need much explanation? For many fans, James has done the unthinkable and supplanted Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time.
- Marvin Hagler: Marvelous. 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."
- Charles Barkley: Sir Charles. "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.
- Ted Williams: Teddy Ballgame. Could have gone with "The Splendid Splinter" here, but something about "Teddy Ballgame" calls to mind a player whose talents transcended the sport, and that's exactly what Williams did.
- Earvin "Magic" Johnson. 100 of 100. Originality: There is only one "Magic," and that's the way it should be. Iconic: I'd guess a large portion of the population have no idea that his first name is Earvin.
- George Herman "Babe" Ruth. 99 of 100. Alternate Nicknames: The Great Bambino, The Sultan of Swat, The Colossus of Clout. Originality: The nickname "Babe" isn't the most original of the nicknames, but he makes up for that with the multitude of alternate nicknames he accrued during his career.
- "Broadway" Joe Namath. 98 of 100. Originality: Can you imagine anyone else having this nickname? I didn't think so. Iconic: As iconic as his legendary prediction from Super Bowl III.
- Ty Cobb: "The Georgia Peach" 97 of 100. Originality: Georgia is known for its peaches. Cobb was born in Georgia and was one hell of a ballplayer. It was a good fit.
- Chocolate Thunder. The late Darryl Dawkins lands our No. 1 spot for several reasons. Obviously, the alias Chocolate Thunder is fairly awesome on its own merits.
- Magic. Earvin Johnson has been known as Magic for so long it’s difficult to imagine the five-time NBA champion without his famous nickname. The label was applied by a sportswriter when Johnson was a 15-year-old standout at Everett High in Lansing, Michigan.
- Iceman. One of the most gifted scorers in basketball history, George Gervin received his nickname from Roland Taylor, a teammate with the ABA’s Virginia Squires.
- Dr. Dunkenstein. If you didn’t already know, you probably can deduce from the nickname that Darrell Griffith was one of the great dunkers of his era. The former University of Louisville and Utah Jazz star received the nickname from his brother in a nod to the Parliament-Funkadelic song “Dr.
- No. 25: The Penguin (Ron Cey) Well, he didwalk like a Penguin. Cey, by the way, is one of the most underrated players in baseball history. He smashed 316 homers, walked 1,000 times and put up more career WAR (53.5) than several Hall of Famers.
- No. 24: Scrabble (Marc Rzepczynski) An homage to two players named Doug (Gwosdz and Mientkiewicz), who were both called "Eye Chart." Rzepczynski is worth 31 points in Scrabble, plus whatever you can get for double- and triple-letter score.
- No. 23: The Human Rain Delay (Mike Hargrove) Hargrove got the nickname for the many time-consuming adjustments he would make between pitches. No. 22: Joey Bats (Jose Bautista)
- No. 21: Oil Can Boyd (Dennis Boyd) He might have been Oil Can because he drank a lot of brew at one time -- beer being called "oil" in Merdian, Miss. Whatever the reason, he was as reliable for miles and miles, like a beloved vehicle.
Aug 10, 2021 · Learn about the bizarre and hilarious nicknames given to athletes from the MLB, NHL, NFL, and NBA. From Babe to Big Sexy, these are the funniest and most memorable monikers in sports history.
How do you rank the best nicknames of all time? There are so many famous AKAs in the world of sports, and many deserve their place at the top of the heap. There are those names that just seem...
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There is no way that you can possibly make a list of all of the best nicknames in sports without forgetting a couple.
