Not Just Baseball Stars Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Let's start with those who found fame and fortune as starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Tom Brady elected to pursue football at the University of Michigan in 1995 instead of signing with the Montreal Expos, who had drafted him in the 18th round. His long career ultimately made him the last remaining athlete drafted by the Expos. Russell Wilson was drafted twice into Major League Baseball and played 93 games in the Colorado Rockies system before opting for the NFL draft in 2012. Kyler Murray was drafted 9th overall in 2018 by the Oakland A's a few months before he began a Heisman Trophy winning season at Oklahoma that propelled him to a first overall selection by the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.

The Kansas City Royals could have had a football dynasty from their 1979 draft haul. They took Dan Marino in the 4th round and later snagged John Elway in the 18th round. Elway was later a second round pick of the Yankees in 1981 and played one summer in their minor league system.

Deeper in the draft, Colin Kaepernick was a 43rd round selection of the Chicago Cubs in 2009. Jameis Winston was taken in the 12th round in 2012 by the Texas Rangers. The Detroit Tigers selected Patrick Mahomes in the 43rd round in 2014. None of these players signed baseball contracts.

Then come the players who famously played both simultaneously. In 1986 Bo Jackson was made the first overall selection in the NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a fourth round pick of the Kansas City Royals. Jackson spurred the Buccaneers and launched his NFL career the following season after the Los Angeles Raiders called his name in the seventh round. Deion Sanders signed with the New York Yankees in 1988 after being taken in the 22nd round. One year later he made his major league debut a month after being drafted 5th overall in the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

In 1973, Dave Winfield was drafted four times in three different sports! His highest selection was 4th by the San Diego Padres, but he also had interest from the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in the 5th round and the ABA's Utah Jazz in the sixth round of their respective drafts. Despite never playing college football, his rights were claimed in the 17th round of the NFL draft by Minnesota. Winfield elected pro baseball over any of his other options.

Tom Glavine is the only name in this game who was drafted in to the National Hockey League. In 1984 the Los Angeles Kings took Glavine in the 4th round and the Atlanta Braves in the second round. Glavine did not sign with the Kings.

Danny Ainge made his MLB debut in 1979 with the Toronto Blue Jays, two years before pursuing basketball after being drafted by the Boston Celtics. Ainge played 14 years in the NBA. For many years, Ainge held the record for the youngest Blue Jays player to ever hit a home run. Dell Curry was twice taken in the MLB draft (Texas 1982, Baltimore 1985) but never wavered from his pursuit of the NBA where he had a long career that started with a 15th overall selection in 1986 by Utah. Scott Burell was the first player to be drafted in the first round of two leagues! He elected not to sign with the Seattle Mariners in 1989 but did pitch in the Blue Jays system for two seasons while still playing collegiate basketball at the University of Connecticut. The Charlotte Hornets selected him 20th overall in the 1993 NBA draft, which Burrell pursued.

Among some of the incorrect options. Michael Jordan and Tim Tebow each had publicized forays into professional baseball but neither began with an MLB draft pick.