# Handicapped pro athletes **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 23, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138 "2010-04-23T19:20:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ShermanAter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ShermanAter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShermanAter)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/41 "2010-04-26T04:57:26Z")
I know for a fact that Dummy Hoy preferred to be pigeon holed in a group called handi-capable. You could look it up. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/42 "2010-04-26T12:06:00Z")
> [@ShermanAter](#): > > I know for a fact that Dummy Hoy preferred to be pigeon holed in a group called handi-capable. > You could look it up. From his [Wiki page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dummy_Hoy), he also preferred to be called “Dummy,” instead of his given name, William. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/43 "2010-04-26T15:46:43Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > If Tourrette’s counts, there’s Everton & U.S. national team goalkeeper [Tim Howard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Howard). And then there’s Rangers keeper Andy Goram, a schizophrenic. When that was publicized, the traditional crowd’s song of admiration for footballers, to the tune of “Guantanamera”, was changed by Celtic supporters from “One Andy Goram, there’s only one Andy Goram …” to “Two Andy Gorams, there’s only two Andy Gorams …” ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/44 "2010-04-26T16:28:25Z")
Shooter Karoly Takacs: Grenade blew up in his right hand during an army training accident, switched to shooting with his left hand, won two Olympic gold medals. > **[Károly Takács](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1roly_Tak%C3%A1cs)** > > Károly Takács (21 January 1910 – 5 January 1976) was the first shooter to win two Olympic gold medals in the 25 metre rapid fire pistol event, both with his left hand after his right hand was seriously injured. He is the third known physically disabled athlete to have competed in the Olympic Games after George Eyser in 1904 and Olivér Halassy in 1928, followed by Liz Hartel in 1952, Neroli Fairhall in 1984 and Oscar Pistorius in 2012. > Takács was born in Budapest and joined the Hungarian Army.... [http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/pastgames/halloffame/t/n214046769.shtml](http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/pastgames/halloffame/t/n214046769.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/45 "2010-04-26T17:03:15Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > David Garrard, QB for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has Crohn’s disease. So does Theo Fleury, who was also sexually assaulted by his junior coach. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/46 "2010-04-26T19:59:28Z")
[http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/track/2010-04-25-amputee-runner\_N.htm?se=yahoorefer](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/track/2010-04-25-amputee-runner_N.htm?se=yahoorefer) Not a professional athlete, but on the US Track and Field team. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/47 "2010-04-26T20:17:25Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/track/2010-04-25-amputee-runner\_N.htm?se=yahoorefer](http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/track/2010-04-25-amputee-runner_N.htm?se=yahoorefer) > > Not a professional athlete, but on the US Track and Field team. Wow. Craziest quote in the story: > [@](#): > > Palmiero-Winters ran the Badwater course last summer to prepare for this year’s race but stopped just short of 100 miles because the heat from the road rose through her prosthetic and caused third-degree burns on her residual limb. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/48 "2010-04-27T20:55:20Z")
[Jim Abbott - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Abbott) Jim Abbott played in the majors for 10 years ,retiring in 199. He was born without a right hand. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/49 "2010-04-27T21:07:34Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > [Jim Abbott - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Abbott) Jim Abbott played in the majors for 10 years ,retiring in 199. He was born without a right hand. He was also mentioned in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/50 "2010-04-28T00:03:31Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > A great many blind people go into sports officiating[.](http://instantrimshot.com/) Interestingly enough, so do many compulsive gamblers. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/51 "2010-04-28T00:05:50Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > I came in to make that joke! :mad: > But it’s a good thing us zebras are deaf too, or we’d toss you for a comment like that 😉 I realize this joke must be as old as the hills, but as I’m not much of a sports fan generally, it took a few seconds to sink in and is probably the funniest thing I’ve read in several days. Took me a half-minute to suss out what “Zebras” are, too! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/52 "2010-04-28T11:25:47Z")
IIRC, boxing champs Harry Greb and Joe Frazier were each blind in one eye. (And, if it counts, isn’t Lou Ferrigno partially deaf?) ---
**Author:** ![UTejas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UTejas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UTejas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/53 "2010-04-28T22:07:59Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Antonio Alfonseca, another Cubs pitcher, had six fingers on his throwing hand, come to think of it. I don’t think that was a handicap for him, though. Reliever Bob Wickman is missing a portion of his index finger. Allegedly (at least according to him) this helps his sinkerball sink. Also it led to this [tremendous article](http://www.theonion.com/articles/antonio-alfonseca-once-again-leads-majorleague-rel,5036/) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138/54 "2010-04-29T12:48:04Z")
Baseball Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland “Old Pete” Alexander had epilepsy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-pro-athletes/537138.md?page=2)