Lee is one of the hottest pitchers in the game right now, and he's also a diehard hunter. The former Cy Young winner grew up in Benton, Arkansas and still has hunting property there. In fact, he was driving to his hunting property when he got the call that he was being traded from the Phillies to the Mariners in 2009. But after bouncing from Seattle to Texas, he finally made his way back to Philadelphia.
The Goose has no time for lame singles hitter who celebrate too much on the field or for relief pitchers who can't pitch more than one day in a row. Newly inducted into the baseball hall of fame, Gossage could still strike out the side in the bottom of the ninth. The guy is an elk killer to boot.
Jones has been the face of the Atlanta Braves since 1993. He is a .306 career hitter and has clobbered 436 home runs. The former NL MVP is an avid deer hunter and is a member of the Buck Commanders. He grew up in Florida running dogs with his dad, but his favorite place to hunt these days is South Texas. His biggest buck is an 11 pointer that scored 184.
Ted Williams is one of the greatest baseball players of all time (some would argue the greatest) and was well known as a big-game fisherman. The Kid hosted a fishing show and has also been inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame. He spent his retirement fishing the Miramichi River in New Brunswick. Oh yea, he was also a Marine Corps fighter pilot during WWII.
Pitcher, slugger, drinker and avid outdoorsman, Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth) has become a legend. He hunted in upstate New York and fished along the East Coast. This photo was allegedly taken of the Bambino after a hunt in Nova Scotia. Some of Babe's stats: 714 homeruns, 2,217 RBIs, .342 career average, 2,873 hits, .690 career slugging percentage. Photo: Yarmouth Connection
Joe was born into an Italian fishing family in California. As a kid he'd help his dad work on the fishing boat, and his dad hoped Joe along with his other four sons would grow up to be fishermen. Joe had different plans. The Yankee Clipper went on to win nine World Series and three AL MVPs. He also racked up a 56-game hitting streak that many baseball analysts say might be the most enduring record in the sport.
Each year the Twins participate in a bass fishing tournament on Lake Minnetonka to raise money for a conservation organization called Wildlife Forever. Over the years they've raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and even caught a few bass in the process. Photo: Minnesota Small Ball
The Cy Young Award-winning pitcher for the San Diego Padres spends much of his off-season hunting. The Mobile, Alabama native was raised around deer hunting, and pursues his outdoor passion several times each season with fellow pitcher Roy Oswalt.
Oswalt spent most of his career pitching for the Houston Astros, but he was traded to the Phillies in 2010. He was born in Mississippi and his father was a logger and Vietnam vet. Maybe that's where Oswalt gets some of his toughness. Oswalt, a 3-time All Star pitcher, is a big time deer hunter, so he should feel right at home in Pennsylvania.
How can you not like a guy who once wore a camouflage glove in a game and routinely wears camo under his baseball jersey? Timlin might not be as distinguished as some of the other players on the list, but you gotta love him for his enthusiasm.
He played baseball… he played football. He played each with great ability. What Bo also did was make no bones about the fact that he loved to hunt and fish- and would tell everyone within earshot all about it. That is why Bo belongs on our list!
Helton grew up duck hunting the Tennessee River. When he moved to Colorado to play for the Rockies he fell in love with deer hunting and duck hunting in the Rocky Mountain state. Helton has consistently been one of the best sluggers in the game. At the end of the 2009 season he had the third highest career batting average among active players at .328.
LaRoche will probably never go to the Hall of Fame, but he made our list because of his dedication to hunting. The man lives and breathes the sport. He has a duck hunting tattoo on his right arm and his son's name is Drake. LaRoche is also a member of the Buck Commander crew.
When Drew entered the majors, baseball analysts compared his swing to Mickey Mantle's (Drew was drafted second overall by the Phillies in 1997). He hasn't quite lived up to that hype, but he's had a fine career and won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2007. Drew grew up in Florida and has hunted deer all across the country. He's also been on gator hunts in his home state.
Ryan is one of the baddest men to ever stand on the mound. Born in Refugio, Texas the intimidating righty is cowboy tough. He holds the record for career strikeouts (5,714) and no-hitters (7). The Ryan Express is also a rancher and avid deer hunter. Believe it or not, he has his own blog that's dedicated to beef, family and baseball called Nolan Ryan's Blog.
What is it with Texas ball players and hunting? Biggio was born in New York, but spent his entire 20-year baseball career playing for the Houston Astros. While in Texas he spent his falls deer hunting. As you can see from the photo, Biggio and his family found some pretty good hunting property (probably somewhere in the Midwest).
This Midwest boy (born in Peoria, Illinois) is an avid deer hunter and shot this dandy 188-inch buck while on a hunt with Terry Drury. It must be nice to have friends in high places. Thome is a five-time all star and is currently batting DH for the Minnesota Twins.
Wells and his buddies Kirk Gibson and Jake Peavey have a 1,300-acre deer hunting property in Michigan. And yes, they kill some big bucks there, however this lion came from an African hunt. Wells, nicknamed Boomer for his robust stature, is a three time all-star, two-time world champion and pitched a perfect game in 1998.
To celebrate opening day we put together a list baseball players who are avid hunters and fishermen. See if your favorite players made the cut.