Athletic musicians

In a previous column I wrote about running athletes.  Now, here’s athletic musicians

JOHNNY MATHIS - who’s best remembered with hits like “Misty”, “Chances Are”, and “Twelfth of Never” was invited to try out for the 1958 Olympics.  Mathis was a good high jumper and friend of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russel.  A call from Columbia records prevented Mathis from joining when he decided to become a recording artist.

JULIO IGLESIAS- Nicknamed the Spanish Sinatra was a former professional football player with Real Madrid. He was once married to Filipina Isabel Preysler.  His big hits include “To All The Girls I Love “ and “Hey”.

ELTON JOHN- a soccer enthusiast once toured China with the Waterford, Ireland  Soccer Team.  Elton whose real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight is nicknamed Hercules.  Of course who can forgot songs like “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Daniel”?

PLACIDO DOMINGO- Spanish opera singer played baseball and soccer.  As part of the 1990 World Cup celebration, Domingo together with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras performed in a Rome concert.

BRUCE SPRINGTEEN- was a wrestler and a runner thus the hit, “Born To Run”.  Bruce real name is Frederick Joseph and was nicknamed “The Boss”. His biggest hit was “Born In The USA”.  After a 1976 Memphis concert Bruce was caught climbing over wall to Graceland, Elvis’ mansion.

CHARLEY PRIDE – the first black singer to star on -the Grand Ole Opry was a promising baseball player when he got injured.

MADONNA- she thrilled the crowd with her hits “Like A Virgin” and “Papa Don’t Preach”. Her real name is Madonna Louise Veronica Giccone.  Other celebrities who were athletic were pop singer Terence Trent D’Arby who became a member of the US Army boxing team.

PAULA ABDUL- Choreographer and pop star was a former cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers.

M.C HAMMER- real name Stan Kirk Burrel used to be a batboy for his hometown Oakland California  Athletics.  The players called him Little Hammer because he resembled Hank Aaron, who was called the  Hammer.

CONWAY TWITTY- Country music star was all set to sign a contract to play with the Philadelphia Phillies when he was drafted  in the army.

COLE  PORTER – songwriter of many Broadway show tunes and hits of Frank Sinatra  like “Night and Day”, also wrote a Yale football rally song called “Bulldog, Bulldog”

GENE AUTRY- after years as a singing movie and radio cowboy, Gene Autry traded his saddle for a baseball team, the Los Angeles Angels.

SHERYL CROW- Country singer Sheryl Crow won a medal in the 75 meter Low hurdles and was a member of the PEP Club, National Honor Society and FFA Organization.  Crow dated Tour De France champ Lance Armstrong in 2003, but split in 2006.

JOHN MC ENROE- Played guitar in the Johnny Smyth Band.  He learned to play the guitar from Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton.

OSCAR DELA HOYA- the former world boxing champion was a Grammy-nominated singer for his Eponymous 2000 CD.

BILLY JOEL- was da teenage amateur boxer in New York City.  He won his first 22 bouts an even competed in the state’s Golden Gloves Tournament.  Joel gave up the sport after breaking his nose on his 24th bout.  His best hit was “Just The Way You Are”.

KENNY ROGERS- was a true tennis ace and played the game at a professional level for 10 years.  He has played with Wimbledon champions.

WILT CHAMBERLAIN- was a radio DJ at the University of Kansas in the mid-50s.  Wilt scored 100 points in a game in 1962.

CHRIS WEBBER- his rap album “2 Much Drama” was as a hit while also producing two tracks for NAS. Webber was one of the NBA’s Greatest Centers of All-Time.

CLIFF RICHARD-In the 1980s tennis became one of Cliffs, great, all consuming passion.  He was often spotted at Grand Slam event and became a close friend of Wimbledon semi-finalist, Sue Barker, at that point, ranked number 16th in the world. In 1991, he established the Cliff Richard tennis foundation.  Also in 1991, he watched a women’s competition in Nottingham with Princess Diana.  In 1996, he performed impromptu in the Royal Box of Wimbledon, singing acappella, renditions of Summer Holiday and Living Doll.

MICK JAGGER- of the Rolling Stones never played cricket or soccer as most British kids do.  He was the captain of his basketball team in high school.  He once bit his tongue after being elbowed in a game that probably inspired the logo of the Stones  a sticking tongue.