Rock Jocks: 20 People Who Made the Cut in Both Music and Sports

Joe Frazier could pack a punch as a boxer, but he was hitless as a singer. Deion Sanders was great in the NFL and MLB, but he dropped the ball as a hip-hop act -- and let's never speak of the rapping of basketball's Shaquille O'Neal and UK footballer Andy Cole. In contrast, these 20 people have had notable forays in music and athletics, proving that as hard as it is to make it in one, it's even harder to succeed in both.

Rod Stewart: Singer and One-Time Football Hopeful
Stewart was considered a football prospect out of school -- and for a time, he was on trial with the Brentford Football Club, a storied team in London. But Stewart's heart wasn't into professional football -- partly because he had to clean the first team's boots. And because he'd fallen for music. But through the years, his lyrics, album covers and stage shows have featured nods to his favorite sport. During live shows, the raspy-voiced rocker has long carried on a tradition of kicking footballs into the crowd.

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Jack Johnson: Singer-Songwriter and Surfer
A 17-year-old Johnson was the youngest finalist at the prestigious Surfline Masters competition in Hawaii. Yet what was the biggest highlight of his pro surfing career also offered his biggest setback. In a nasty wipeout, Johnson suffered an injury that required more than 100 stitches in his head. He gave up competitive surfing to pursue filmmaking. To complement his mellow surf flicks, Johnson added his own tunes to the soundtracks. Eventually, one of his songs became a hit for G. Love, and Johnson's music career was launched.

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Carly Patterson: Gymnast and Pop Singer
In the 2004 Olympics, Patterson became the first American to win the women's all-around gymnastics gold medal since Mary Lou Retton in 1984. A couple of years later, she sang on the reality show 'Celebrity Duets' with pop idol Jesse McCartney -- which launched her singing career. In 2008, she released her debut album, 'Back to the Beginning.' "I'll be an Olympic champion forever," she has said. "I hope people remember that even if I get a platinum album one day."
Carly Patterson Performs 'Time to Wake Up'

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Julio Iglesias: Singer and Goalie
Iglesias was one of the top young football players in Spain, earning a spot as goalkeeper for powerhouse team Real Madrid. But in September 1963, he lost control of his car and was paralyzed from the waist down. During four years of intensive rehabilitation, a friend gave him a guitar to help him exercise his injured fingers. While doctors thought Iglesias would never walk again, he did. And in 1968, he entered a tune he wrote about his accident in a song competition. When he won, his music career was launched.

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Yannick Noah: Former Tennis Star and Singer
The son of a Cameroonian football star and the father of an NBA player, athletics are clearly in the Noah genes. In 1983, Yannick -- once ranked the No. 3 male tennis player in the world -- became the first Frenchman in 37 years to win the coveted French Open. But as Noah's tennis career wound down, he already had his sights set on a new profession. His reggae-inflected debut album sold 600,000 copies. His third sold over a million. Noah began to fill stadiums again -- this time, packed with music fans.
Noah Performs 'Donne-moi Une Vie'

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Oscar De La Hoya: Boxer and Singer
Unlike most boxers, De La Hoya managed to maintain his handsome looks. So it made sense that he might seek to become an entertainer outside the ring. In 2000, while still boxing, he released a self-titled album. The Latin pop record, recorded in honor of his mother -- a singer -- garnered a Grammy nomination. "I won't do any music until I get back on top of the world," he said after the release of his record, pledging to focus on fighting. While he did win more titles, he's yet to record again.
Watch Oscar De La Hoya's 'Run to Me' Video

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Romeo: Rapper and Baller
As the son of hip-hop mogul Master P, adolescent rapper Percy Romeo Miller had a big edge on the competition, which helped the then-Lil' Romeo score his first hip-hop hit at age 11. Romeo also followed the sports path of his father, who signed pre-season contracts with two different NBA teams. Romeo was offered a full scholarship to play hoops at the University of Southern California. After a lackluster freshman season, Miller was dropped from the team for a rules violation he has declined to discuss.

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Rosey Grier: Pro Football Player and Singer
In the '50s and '60s, Grier was considered one of the best defensive players in American pro football. Post-career, he recorded as a vocalist on labels such as A&M and MGM. His single 'People Make the World,' written by Bobby Womack about Grier's friend Robert F. Kennedy, was a minor hit in 1968. It was Grier who wrestled the gun from Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan in 1968.
Rosey Grier Performs 'It's All Right to Cry'

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Damon Hill: Formula One Champ and Guitarist
Hill took up guitar at age 11, but was destined to follow his father's path. Like dad Graham, Damon became a Formula One racing champion, taking all the glory in 1996. When he gave up racing three years later, he decided to devote to music. While he never hit it big as a rock star, he did supply lead guitar for a Def Leppard track and has performed with some of rock's greatest -- including George Harrison -- at charity concerts. Then in 2006, he switched gears yet again, giving up music to become president of the British Racing Drivers' Club.

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Clarence Clemons: Saxophonist and NFL Hopeful
Clemons, who went to Maryland State College on football and music scholarships, was preparing for a career in the National Football League when his dreams were derailed: The day before he was scheduled to appear for a tryout with the Cleveland Browns, he suffered a serious injury in a car accident. Once recovered, Clemons would play the sax in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

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Jack McDowell: MLB Alumnus and Singer
Even as a Major League pitcher with the Chicago White Sox, "Black Jack" was writing songs and receiving feedback from his baseball teammates. During his off-seasons, he recorded five albums with his alt-rock bands V.I.E.W. and Stickfigure. And after arthroscopic surgery damaged a nerve in his right elbow, McDowell devoted more time to his band, which has toured with the Smithereens. McDowell once got into a barroom brawl while partying with friend Eddie Vedder in New Orleans.
Watch V.I.E.W.'s 'Searching' Video

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Bernie Williams: Former Yankee and Jazz Guitarist
An all-time New York Yankees favorite, Williams is a five-time baseball all-star. Yet, even during his playing days, Williams often traveled with his guitar. The classically trained Williams released his first album, of Latin-tinged smooth jazz, while still playing baseball in 2003. His second album would garner him a Grammy nomination and feature a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen. But the lure of baseball is strong. At 42, he's mulling a comeback.
Watch Bernie Williams' 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' Video

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Marty Robbins: Singer-Songwriter and NASCAR driver
Robbins, a Country Music Hall of Famer, would often arrive late for his gig at the Grand Ole Opry , having just finished an auto race at the nearby Nashville Speedway. The two-time Grammy winner, whose country songs often became crossover pop hits, was rarely far from the charts as a musician. And as a racer, he was rarely far from the track. Having started with micro-midget cars in the late '50s, Robbins moved on to the NASCAR circuit, where he competed in 35 races, finishing in the Top Ten on six occasions.

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Arthur Lee Maye: Singer and MLB Batter
Maye's recording career as lead vocalist of several Los Angeles doo-wop groups began in 1954 -- the same year he signed to play big league baseball with the Milwaukee Braves. From then on, baseball and singing would compete for his attention. A part-time player through much of his career, Maye led the National League in doubles in 1964 with 44. That same year, he notched his best numbers as a singer: His solo record 'Halfway Out of Love' sold 500,000 copies.

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Scott Radinsky: Pitcher and Punk Rock Frontman
During his major-league baseball career, Radinsky was a solid pitcher for several teams. In the off-season, he was lead singer of Pulley, who have performed at festivals before thousands of fans. But his music career has always had to work around his baseball schedule. Though Radinsky retired from pitching in 2001, his bandmates still have to wait for winter to jam: Radinsky is now a coach for the Cleveland Indians.
Watch Pulley's 'Bad Reputation' Video

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Denny McLain: Record-Setting Pitcher and Organist
Just days after his team won the World Series in 1968, the Detroit Tigers pitcher did a gig in Las Vegas, playing the organ. While McLain's baseball career would later be marred by gambling problems and a drug trafficking conviction, 1968 was good to him: He won 31 games -- a feat no pitcher has achieved since -- and he recorded the first of two albums on Capitol Records. Named the league's Most Valuable Player that year, his baseball records have proved more enduring than his vinyl records.

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Charley Pride: Pitcher and Country Singer
In the '50s, Pride was a pitcher in the Negro Leagues while trying to make his way into the MLB. In an exhibition against big-league African-American players, he faced superstars like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Ernie Banks, taking a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning. (The Major League players scored two in the ninth to win, but Pride still struck out 12.) Pride played with minor league teams, but he never made the big leagues, which persuaded him to pursue a career in music. As a musician he became a rarity: A black country music superstar.

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Wayman Tisdale: Basketball Vet and Jazz Bassist
When he was a child, Tisdale's father bought him a Mickey Mouse guitar with nylon strings. However, once Tisdale began dunking basketballs at age 13, it was clear that music would have to wait. Tisdale was a high scorer during his 12 seasons as a pro in the NBA. After retiring in 1997, he focused on music. The smooth-jazz bassist's first album, 'Power Forward,' was with Motown, and he would later top Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. He died of cancer in 2009 at age 44.
Wayman Tisdale Performs 'Let's Do It Again'

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Conway Twitty: Phillies Hopeful and Singer
As a child, Twitty would sit outside black churches and listen to gospel music. But he saw music primarily as a hobby, thinking his future was in baseball. After high school, the outfielder was offered a contract by the Philadelphia Phillies. But before he could sign on, the Army called him up in 1954. By the time he was discharged, the emergence of Elvis had inspired him to be a rock star instead. After initially pursuing rock 'n' roll, Twitty gravitated toward country music, where he scored 50 No. 1 songs.

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Mike Reid: Pro Football Player and Hit Songwriter
In the '70s, Reid was an All-Pro defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals football team. Ten years later, he was a respected songwriter in Nashville, who wrote hit songs for Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, the Judds and Bonnie Raitt. A member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Reid focused on music after injuries ended his football career. Since then he has written more than a dozen No. 1 hits, both for himself and others.
Watch Mike Reid's 'Walk on Faith' Video