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7/16/2007 12:44:00 PM

Top five all-time sports/celebrity marriages

Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky couldn't hide his excitement on his wedding day to Janet Jones.
Photo by AP
By Lang Whitaker, SI.com

 The Beckham Experience was in full effect this weekend. And despite the best recent efforts of Eva Longoria and Tony Parker, Posh and Becks are sports' presiding royal couple. But they have an important legacy to uphold. Athletes and celebrities often hook up, though few take the plunge into marriage. Some couples make themselves into celebrities post-marriage (see Benson, Anna), but this list is about genuine stars, two supernovas burning brightly side-by-side. Hopefully with pre-nups.

Here are my top five all-time sports/celebrity marriages.

1. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe: The Yankee Clipper was one of the greatest hitters ever, and he anchored the Yankees for 15 seasons. Marilyn defined "Blonde Bombshell," and was just establishing herself as a movie star when she and Joe D married in 1954. They were married less than a year, but they remain the golden standard for athlete/celebrity power couples.

2. Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones: Perhaps the greatest hockey player of all-time got hitched to one of the most undistinguished actresses of all-time in 1988. (Unless, improbably, you love the film American Anthem, in which case Mrs. Gretzky is a wildly distinguished actress.) Their wedding was broadcast live throughout Canada, and together they drew flashbulbs in LA and, later, New York. Jones reduced her acting workload and went on to be implicated in an alleged gambling ring. Gretzky runs the Phoenix Coyotes. They are still married.

3. Ahmad Rashad and Phylicia Ayers-Allen: Rashad was a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who, by the 1980s, had moved on to a career in sportscasting. In 1985, Rashad asked Ayers-Allen, who was then starring on the most popular show on television, The Cosby Show, to marry him during an NFL pregame show. Though they divorced in 2001, they both remain in the public eye, Ayers-Allen acting on Broadway and television, Rashad appearing on NBA TV.

4. John McEnroe and Tatum O'Neal: The daughter of Ryan O'Neal and an Oscar winner at the age of 10, Tatum also proved to be an excellent pitcher in The Bad News Bears. The fiery McEnroe was the No. 1 tennis player in the world and was coming off a ridiculous 1984 season where he finished with a record of 82-3, winning 13 tournaments. They wed in 1986. McEnroe was never again as dominant and O'Neal has yet to be nominated for another Academy Award. They stayed married for 16 years, divorcing in 2002. McEnroe later married former Scandal lead singer Patti Smyth and hosted one of the most awkward talk shows of all-time.

5. Mike Tyson and Robin Givens: Tyson was once the heavyweight champion of the world, back when that phrase used to mean something. He was a dynamo in the ring, destroying opponent after opponent. Givens starred on the popular Head Of The Class. They married in 1988, and soon after appeared on 20/20, where Givens bluntly described their union as "worse than anything I could possibly imagine" -- while they were still married! They divorced soon after, and Tyson began what could generously be called a downward spiral. Givens also failed to recapture her previous levels of fame.

Did we forget anyone? Give us more famous celebrity couples…

Lang Whitaker is the executive editor of SLAM magazine and writes daily at SLAMonline.com
posted by SI.com | View comments |

Comments:

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Posted: July 16, 2007 1:08 PM   by Anonymous big ghi
Terry Bradshaw & JoJo Starbuck (she was more famous for her modeling).

Tiger & Elin?
Posted: July 16, 2007 2:15 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
um wow, how could you forget andre aggasi and brooke shields. That should be number 2.
Posted: July 16, 2007 4:05 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
David Justice and Halle Berry
Rodney Peete and Holly Robinson
Andre Agassi and Brooke Shields
Posted: July 16, 2007 4:09 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Halle Berry and David Justice?
Posted: July 16, 2007 4:12 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Chuck Finley and Tawny Kitaen
Posted: July 16, 2007 4:55 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Agassi and Graff? Nomar and Mia? Sampras and Wilson?
Posted: July 16, 2007 5:26 PM   by Blogger Rustini
Chuck Finley and Tawny. Who can forget her stomping on his foot with her heals?
Posted: July 16, 2007 5:28 PM   by Blogger Rustini
Chuck Finley and Tawny...Kris and Anna Benson
Posted: July 16, 2007 5:44 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Bob Waterfield & Jane Russell
Glenn Davis and Elizabeth Taylor
Posted: July 16, 2007 5:57 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
bob mansfield and jayne russell was the marriage of their generation!!
Posted: July 16, 2007 6:41 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
nomar gaciaparra & mia hamm

Andre agassi & Brooke Shields
Posted: July 16, 2007 7:15 PM   by Blogger W Reid Whitaker
It may have been one of the shortest marriages on record, but what about Dennis Rodman of the Chicago "Bulls" and Carmen Electra, actress (of sorts).

Then there was Jimmy Conners of tennis fame who married Patti McGuire, Playboy's Playmate of the Month and several other months.
Posted: July 16, 2007 10:18 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Getting out of the American box for a minute, how about David Beckham and Posh Spice?

Tim Hasselbeck and Elizabeth "whatever he name was prior to" Hasselbeck.

Anna Kournikova and Sergie Fedorov (they claim to have been married briefly)

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria.

Carol Alt and Ron Greschner

I think the Waterfield/Russell marriage had to be a huge item 50 years ago.
Posted: July 17, 2007 1:18 AM   by Blogger allen
'night train' lane and dinah washington.
Posted: July 17, 2007 1:31 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Steffi Graf and Andres Agassi should top the list. They seem to have made their marriage work.
Posted: July 17, 2007 1:58 PM   by Blogger Chip
Ashley Judd Dario Franchitti

Shame for Dario though. He wins the Indy 500 and all anyone asks him about is his wife.
Posted: July 17, 2007 7:05 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
What about the former model Iman, and at the time, Lakers forward Spencer Haywood??
Posted: July 18, 2007 12:21 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Rick Fox & Vanessa Williams
Rony Seikaly & Elsa Benitez
Jason & Joumana Kidd
Scott Podsednik & Lisa Dergan
Posted: July 19, 2007 1:09 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Posh & Becks
Posted: August 7, 2007 10:34 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
It should be Athletes and celebrities...

so Nomar/Mia, Sergei/Anna and Andre/Steffi would be rightfully out.
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