How did Deion Sanders play two sports? Exploring the professional career of the Colorado HC
How did Deion Sanders play two sports? This is really a question that only applies to an athlete like Coach Prime, someone who doesn't come along often. What's even more impressive is that for a multi-sport athlete, Sanders excelled in both even if one could argue he was a far better football player.
We're going to explore the time when Deion Sanders played two different sports at the professional level.
How did Deion Sanders play two sports?
If we're talking about whether he played two pro sports games on the same day, no, he didn't, although he nearly did. But he was a definitive two-sport athlete, having played for the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons.
Maybe the simplest explanation as to "how" is he tried his best to manage his time. This is especially true after he was drafted by the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Falcons in 1988 and 1989. And on Oct. 11, 1992, Prime Time tried doing what no one else like him has ever done: play for two professional sports teams in one day.
Many people believe he achieved this, but he didn't. Deion Sanders never stepped onto the diamond that night for the Braves, although he did dress for the playoff game in Pittsburgh. Earlier that day, he played for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins in Miami.
Was Sanders good at both sports?
By all accounts, he was. However, one could easily argue that he was a far better football player. He is one of the greatest to ever play in the NFL and is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, a two-time Super Bowl champion and College Football Hall of Famer, after all. Plus, not only was he a cover cornerback, he was also an amazing return man as well as played wide receiver.
As for his baseball career, he played not just for the Braves, but for the NY Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants.
But was he a good baseball player? By all accounts, he was.
Among his greatest performances was his stint during the 1992 World Series versus the Toronto Blue Jays (via Fox Sports). In that series, Prime Time finished with a combined .533 batting average, all while swiping five bags. For his baseball career, he also played in 641 total games, led the sport once in triples, and had a .982 fielding percentage.
Also, at Florida State, where he also ran on the track and field team's relay team, he helped the Seminoles to the 1987 College World Series.
There are few multi-sport athletes like Deion Sanders, and that's something everyone can likely agree on.