Athletes Who Could Be Identical Twins

Have you ever watched one athlete and thought to yourself that he reminded you exactly of another athlete? It could be their statistics. It could be records they set. It could be the way they played the game. These are 26 athletes—13 sets of "identical twins" throughout the history of sports.

Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell

Bagwell and Thomas are right-handed first basemen who spent over 15 seasons with the same team. Both won a unanimous MVP award in the strike-shortened 1994 season.

They each won Major League Player of the Year once. They led the league in times on base three times, and doubles and slugging percentage once.

They have virtually identical career home run totals. They played each other in the 2005 World Series. And they were both born on May 27, 1968.

Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb

Both were scrambling Eagles quarterbacks with laser arms. Both threw 34 touchdown passes in their one full season with a future Hall of Fame receiver (Cunningham with Moss, and McNabb with T.O.).

Cunningham played in four Pro Bowls and won an MVP award (1990). McNabb played in five Pro Bowls and finished second in the MVP voting (2000).

They both struggled in the playoffs—Cunningham lost his first three games, and McNabb failed to deliver the Eagles to a Super Bowl title.

Each has some of the biggest highlight reel plays in NFL history—Cunningham's 95-yard touchdown pass to Fred Barnett, and his touchdown pass after eluding linebacker Carl Banks on Monday Night Football, while McNabb converted fourth-and-26 in the playoffs, and scrambled around for 14.1 seconds before completing a 60-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

And in my opinion, both are a Super Bowl win away from the Hall of Fame.

Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle

Mays and Mantle were New York center fielders born in 1931. They debuted in 1951 and faced each other in that year's World Series. They won four home run titles and one batting title during their Hall of Fame career.

Each was a fantastic base stealer and made the All-Star team every year but two. They smacked over 500 home runs, won multiple MVP awards, and posted a career slugging percentage of .557.

In their best season, each won the batting title and the MVP award, a world championship, and the Major League Player of the Year Award. And each had a father who played sandlot ball and was known by an animal nickname: Mutt Mantle and Kitty Cat Mays.

Ty Cobb and Pete Rose

Cobb and Rose were two of the most arrogant, feisty, competitive men to ever play the game of baseball. Both would walk through hell in a gasoline suit to keep playing baseball.

Each hustled more than any man in his time, and both were extremely famous for their slides—Cobb with his spikes up, and Rose with his trademark headfirst dive. They are the only two men with 4,000 hits and each played 24 seasons in the major leagues.

Each won a single MVP award and played on a handful of pennant winners. Ty Cobb was the youngest player in baseball in his first season, while Pete Rose was the oldest player in his last season.

Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson

Ryan and Johnson are two of the fastest throwing pitchers in the history of baseball. They struggled with their control early in their career.

Ryan and Johnson each won four consecutive strikeout titles—twice. Ryan captured 11 strikeout titles and holds the all-time record with 5,714 strikeouts, while Johnson won eight strikeout crowns and holds the career record for strikeouts per game.

They are considered virtually unhittable—Ryan tossed a record seven no-hitters and led the league in opponents' batting average 12 times, while Johnson threw a perfect game and led the league in opponents' batting average six times.

Both performed brilliantly while playing in their lone world championship. And both pitched deep into their 40s.

Dennis Eckersley and Mariano Rivera

Eckersley and Rivera were right-handed pitchers who transformed into a reliever after struggling as a starter. Both led the American League in saves twice.

Eckersley won the MVP in 1992, while Rivera won the World Series MVP in 1999. They dominated in the clutch and each was considered the best closer of his era.

Both had one fatal pitch—Eckersley surrendered Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, while Rivera allowed Luis Gonzalez's walk-off single in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden

Gooden and Strawberry were each first-round draft picks of the New York Mets in the early 1980's. Each captured the Rookie of the Year award.

They teamed to lead the Mets to the world championship in 1986, although both played poorly in the World Series.

Strawberry led the National League in home runs over an eight-year span, topping the league once. Gooden led the National League in wins over an eight-year span, topping the league once.

Both suffered from serious cocaine addictions that cost them speed—Strawberry with his feet, and Gooden with his arm.

Each reached the postseason three times after leaving the National League and retired on a New York Yankees championship team at the turn of the century after 17 years in the majors.

Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams

Hornsby and Williams are considered two of the top pure hitters in the history of baseball—Hornsby the top right-handed hitter in the National League, and Williams the best left-handed hitter in the American League.

Each led the league in RBIs twice, slugging percentage nine times, and OPS ten times. They led the league in 100 single-season offensive categories—51 by Williams, and 49 by Hornsby.

Each is famous for hitting .400—Hornsby holds the single-season NL record at .424, while Williams is the last man to hit .400. They are the only two men to win Triple Crowns.

Both had short stints as a manager. And each refused to read books or go to the movies for fear that it would damage their eyesight.

Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods

They are arguably the two most popular athletes in the history of the world. Both are living legends. Jordan is considered the greatest basketball player of all time, while Tiger's accomplishments in golf are unsurpassed by any before or since.

Both were record-setting in college and were the most popular in their sport by the end of their rookie season. They are the two most successfully endorsed athletes in history and each held lucrative deals with Gatorade and Nike.

Neither is thought to have a weakness in their sport. Their popularity will likely never be surpassed by any athlete in the future.

Eric Allen and Ed Reed

Eric Allen and Ed Reed are two of the biggest playmaking defensive backs in NFL history. Allen recorded 54 career interceptions, while Ed Reed has totaled 37 in just seven seasons.

Allen returned an interception for 94 yards against the New York Jets in 1993, which was voted the greatest interception return in NFL history, while Reed returned the two longest interceptions in NFL history (107 and 106 yards).

Allen returned four interceptions for a touchdown in 1993, tying an NFL record, while Reed earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2004, after setting a record with 358 interception return yards.

Both played for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL—Allen for the Eagles in the early 1990s, and Reed for the Ravens in the early 2000s.

Johnny Unitas and Brett Favre

They are the two toughest quarterbacks in NFL history. Both suffered through unbelievable pain to keep playing the game of football.

Each captured three Most Valuable Player awards. Unitas holds the record for most consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass, while Favre ranks second.

Unitas retired with the career record for touchdown passes and wins by a starting quarterback, but Favre currently holds both records. At one time, they both held virtually every major passing mark, including most interceptions.

Each is legendary for their performances in overtime during the postseason—Unitas led the Colts on a touchdown drive to win the 1958 NFL championship in the first overtime game ever played, while Favre remains the only quarterback to throw an interception in overtime in a playoff game twice.

Unitas's popularity peaked when he helped introduce the rest of America to the NFL in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, while Favre is one of the most popular and well-liked athletes to ever play the game.

Each spent their final season (?) for a new team—Unitas with the San Diego Chargers, and Brett Favre with the New York Jets.

Jerry Rice and Walter Payton

Rice and Payton are arguably the greatest at their position in NFL history. Both came out of a relatively small college in Mississippi—Rice from Mississippi Valley State, and Payton from Jackson State.

Rice holds virtually every single receiving record in NFL history, while Payton held almost every rushing record. Rice earned 13 Pro Bowl invitations and was twice named Offensive Player of the Year, while Payton earned nine Pro Bowl selections and an NFL Most Valuable Player award.

Both were incredibly durable—Rice played in more games than any other offensive player in NFL history, while Payton only missed one game in his 13-year career. Neither was the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but each worked harder and longer to become the best.

And they were both extremely famous for their workout method in the offseason, particularly running up hills to gain endurance.

Bill Russell and Joe DiMaggio

Russell and DiMaggio were two of the biggest winners in the history of professional sports. Russell won 11 championships and lost in the Finals just once. DiMaggio won nine championships and lost in the World Series just once.

They were each the best player on the best team in their sport, and each of their teams has won the most championships in the history of their sport. Both captured a slew of MVP awards—Russell won a record-tying five, and DiMaggio used to share the record with three.

They are considered one of the best defensive players in the history of their sport. Each played 13 seasons. Each was named the greatest living player in their sport's history years after their retirement.

Each added to their already famous legacy after their retirement—Russell became the first black coach in NBA history, while DiMaggio married actress Marilyn Monroe, one of the most famous women in the world.