4. Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Greatest Sports Nicknames

When your nickname becomes more recognizable than your birth name, you know you’ve got something magical. Apart from Magic’s parents perhaps, when’s the last time you’ve heard anyone refer to him as Earvin? (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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30. Richard “Goo... “Goose” made our list for the Best Mustaches in Sports; it only seemed right that we pay some homage here. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
29. James “Bonec... If you’re a boxer and your promoter comes to you and says, “Your next fight is with “Bonecrusher” Smith, would you take the fight? “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon sure did, and just like 31 other contenders, he saw the canvas. (AP Photo/Wilbur Funches)
28. “The Thorped... The man has 17-inch feet and is one of the fastest swimmers to ever hit a pool. His nickname is pretty cool too. (AP Photo/Pressens Bild/Jonas Ekstromer)
27. “The Flushin... Lyrical, yes, but we’re not really sure how this former featherweight champion of the world came up with such a nickname. The quick disposal of opponents in the ring is our best educated guess. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta)
26. James “Light... If you step into the ring with James Toney, chances are you’re going to get knocked out. In 80 total fights, 70 of which he’s won, 43 opponents found this out the hard way. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
25. “The Worm,” ... Has there ever been more controversial, colorful player in the NBA than Rodman? He’s one of the best rebounders the sport has ever seen, but what’s with the nickname? Our intern (John the Intern) thinks it's because Rodman grew a reported 13 inches in a single year! The real story is far less impressive. Apparently “The Worm” was given to Rodman as a kid by his mother for his wiggling while playing pinball. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)
24. “Hibachi,” G... "You know, a hibachi grill gets real hot. That's what my shot's like, so I've been calling it that: 'Welcome to the hibachi'." That’s what Arenas (a.k.a “Agent Zero,” “Eastern Assassin”) once shouted at his opponents when his shots were falling. But after Kobe Bryant ripped his poor shot selection, Arenas told The Washington Post he would supplant “the grill” with “quality shots.” Truth be told, a cook on the court is a cook on the court; “Hibachi” is where it’s at. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
23. “The Intimid... We could go on about Dale Earnhardt’s impact on the sport of stock car racing, but the man was a fearless force to be reckoned with on the track. He was aptly nicknamed “The Intimidator” after spinning out Bill Elliot in “The Winston,” a meaningless, non-points race. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
22. “Marvelous” ... After his war with Thomas Hearns and a controversial split-decision loss to Sugar Ray Leonard, Hagler retired from boxing and officially changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. You may recognize him from his spots for Pizza Hut and Gillete, but don’t be fooled; Hagler is one of the greatest middleweights to ever lace up the gloves. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
21. “Donnie Base... Though it sounds more like a member of the Rat Pack’s entourage, “Donnie Baseball” is a pretty cool nickname for this Yankees great. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)
20. “The Human H... Nine NBA All-Star appearances, two Slam Dunk titles, 26,668 career points, and 7,169 rebounds—we think that’s enough to warrant a nickname as conscientious as “The Human Highlight Film.” (AP Photo)
19. “Half Man, H... Seriously, the man can leap right out of a gym, and if the next two nicknames weren't so amazingly hilarious, “HMHA” would be ranked even higher. (AP Photo/Frank Gunn)
18. "Round Mound... Calling “Sir Charles” the “Round Mound of Rebound” is no understatement. At only 6’6, Charles is the shortest player to ever lead the league in rebounds. What he lacked in height, he more than made up for in weight, tipping the scales at a whopping 252 pounds during his playing days. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
17. “The Hick fr... “Larry Legend” is a spectacular nickname for one of the best pure shooters to ever play the game. But “The Hick from French Lick” is a thing of beauty. (AP Photo/Paul Benoit)
16. Elroy "Crazy... After witnessing a little-known back for the Wisconsin Badgers in a game against the Great Lakes Naval Station in 1942, Chicago Daily News sportswriter Francis Powers wrote: "His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented duck." (AP Photo)
15. “The Say Hey... The great Leo Durocher on Mays: "He could do the five things you have to do to be a superstar: hit, hit with power, run, throw, and field. And he had that other ingredient that turns a superstar into a super superstar.” (AP Photo)
14. William “The... Gargantuan, square-framed, and the biggest gap-filler to ever hold the line for the Chicago Bears, “The Fridge” is one of the most aptly named players in football history. What’s more, he owns the largest Super Bowl ring ever—a mammoth 25-incher. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
13. “The Gallopi... Following arguably the greatest single-player performance in organized football—a performance that saw “Red” Grange rush for four touchdowns in a single quarter and 402 total yards—Chicago sportswriter Warren Brown created one of the more ghoulish nicknames in sports history, “The Galloping Ghost.” Even today, Grange is widely considered the greatest player in college football history. (Getty Images)
12. “Mr. October... In 27 World Series games, Jackson amassed 10 home runs (3 of which in a single game), 24 RBI, and held an impressive .357 batting average. It only seems fitting that a player so clutch in the postseason be donned “Mr. October.” (AP Photo/Mclendon)
11. “He Hate Me,... Truth is, we don't even really know who Rod Smart is. "He Hate Me" is that good. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
10. “The Great O... Is Wayne Gretzy worthy of such an omnipotent title? Of course he his; you can bet the bank on it. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
9. “Sultan of Sw... He’s the greatest home run hitter to ever play the game. Need we say more? (AP Photo)
8. “Sweetness,” ... Easily one of the greatest running backs to ever play the game, the nickname “Sweetness” says it all. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
7. "The Splendid... You don’t get a nickname like “The Splendid Splinter” for sub-par performances. “The Kid” was skinny as a stick in his later years, but boy could he swing a bat. (AP Photo/pjc)
6. “Pistol Pete,... Aptly nicknamed for his sensational ball-handling skills and from-the-hip shooting style, Maravich is considered one of the 50 best basketball players ever. In his prime, he once told Pennsylvania reporter Andy Nuzzo, "I don't want to play 10 years in the NBA and then die of a heart attack at 40." Ironically, that grim fact became a reality. (AP Photo)
5. “Dr. J,” Juli... Nicknamed for his precision style of play, which followed him from his high school basketball days, “Dr. J” is widely considered the most spectacular dunker in basketball history. His most famous dunk was known as “The Tomahawk.” (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
4. Earvin “Magic... When your nickname becomes more recognizable than your birth name, you know you’ve got something magical. Apart from Magic’s parents perhaps, when’s the last time you’ve heard anyone refer to him as Earvin? (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
3. "Shoeless Joe... In a game against a team from Brandon Mill, Jackson suffered blisters on the soles of his feet from new cleats. The blisters were so painful that he had to remove the cleats before an at bat. Once on base, fans berated Jackson, calling him a “Shoeless son of gun.” From there the name stuck. (AP Photo)
2. “Charlie Hust... If you play professional baseball and want a nickname like “Charlie Hustle,” you must do these things: lead the league in hits, win three World Series, an MVP, two Gold Gloves, make the All-Star team 17 times at five different positions, run to first base when you’re walked, and slide headfirst into a base at the crack of a bat. Pete Rose did them all. (AP Photo)
1. "Air Jordan/H... From his early days at Empie Park in Wilmington, NC, the great MJ seemed destined to soar. Jordan's trademark dunk from the free-throw line, tongue hanging out, has often been imitated but never duplicated. (AP Photo/Harold Crawford)