ESPN.com - GEN - Legends on the move

 Wednesday, December 6
Legends on the move
 
 ESPN.com

For 21 seasons, defenseman Ray Bourque defined the Boston Bruins. For the past 17 years, quarterback Dan Marino has been the one player most associated with the Miami Dolphins.

In the twilight of their careers, Bourque changed franchises, while Marino opted not to do the same.

Bourque finally left Boston when he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, hoping for one more run at a Stanley Cup. Despite a nice offer from Minnesota, Marino decided not to go out in another uniform and opted to retire.

Here's a look at other legends who changed uniforms at the end of their careers:

NFL
Player The skinny
Johnny Unitas
Quarterback
Baltimore Colts
After 17 seasons with the Colts, the Hall of Fame QB was traded to the Chargers for cash in 1973. Unitas played in just five games with San Diego, throwing three TD passes with seven interceptions and a QB rating of 40.0.
Joe Namath
Quarterback
New York Jets
Broadway Joe is remembered for his Super Bowl III guarantee and flashy personality that lit up New York for 12 seasons. We'd rather forget the four games he spent with the Rams in 1977, when he limped around on his bad knees and threw just three TD passes.
O.J. Simpson
Running back
Buffalo Bills
After recording the first 2,000-yard season in NFL history and winning four rushing titles during his nine seasons in Buffalo, Simpson was traded to the 49ers in exchange for five draft picks, including a first-rounder in 1979 and two second-rounders. The Juice never did much as a Niner, however, rushing for 593 and 460 yards in his two seasons.
Joe Montana
Quarterback
San Francisco 49ers
After winning four Super Bowls with San Francisco, Montana finally relinquished the throne to Steve Young when he was injured in 1991. Not finished yet, Montana was traded with safety David Whitmore to Kansas City in 1993 for a first-round draft pick. The Niners eventually dealt that pick for the right to draft Dana Stubblefield. Montana played two seasons with the Chiefs, taking K.C. to the AFC title game in '94.
Franco Harris
Running back
Pittsburgh Steelers
Yes, Franco actually played somewhere else other than Pittsburgh, where he won four Super Bowls and ran for nearly 12,000 yards for the Steelers. Of course, Harris' eight-game stint with the Seahawks in 1984 was highly forgettable.
Tony Dorsett
Running back
Dallas Cowboys
After 11 seasons and two Super Bowl appearances with the Cowboys, Dorsett was traded to the Broncos for a fifth-round pick in 1988. He ran for 703 yards and five TDs in his only season in Denver.
Ronnie Lott
Safety
San Francisco 49ers
Evidently, the 49ers aren't exactly a sentimental bunch. Like Montana and Craig, Lott finished up his storied career elsewhere, playing two seasons apiece with the Raiders (1991-92) and Jets (1993-94).
Bruce Smith
Defensive end
Buffalo Bills
Just last month, Smith was cut loose in Buffalo, along with Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed. Smith immediately signed with the Redskins. Thomas and Reed are still looking for jobs.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Player The skinny
Babe Ruth
Outfielder
New York Yankees
Everyone knows Ruth played with the Red Sox before he became the Sultan of Swat in New York. But did you know the Babe played 28 games for the Boston Braves in 1935, hitting .181 with six home runs?
Ty Cobb
Outfielder
Detroit Tigers
The Georgia Peach was doing a lot more than just "hanging on" when he joined the Philadelphia A's in 1927 after 22 seasons with Detroit. Cobb hit .357 and .323 in two seasons in Philly -- although both are below his career average of .366.
Duke Snider
Outfielder
Brooklyn/L.A. Dodgers
After 16 seasons with the Dodgers in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, the Duke played 129 games for the New York Mets in 1963 and 91 games for the San Francisco Giants in 1964.
Warren Spahn
Pitcher
Boston/Milwaukee Braves
For 20 years -- eight in Boston and 12 in Milwaukee -- Spahn was a fixture in the Braves' starting rotation. At age 44, however, Spahn played for two teams in his final season, making 19 starts for the Mets and 11 for the Giants.
Hank Aaron
Outfielder
Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves
After spending 21 seasons with the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta and breaking Ruth's career home-run record, Hammerin' Hank returned to Milwaukee as a Brewer in 1975-76. Of his 755 homers, 22 came as a Brewer.
Willie Mays
Outfielder
New York/San Francisco Giants
During his 21st season with the Giants, Mays was dealt to the Mets in 1972. He was selected to the All-Star team in his two seasons with the Mets -- despite hitting only .250 in '72 and .211 in '73 -- and played three games in the 1973 World Series as the Mets lost to the A's.
Steve Carlton
Pitcher
Philadelphia Phillies
Although he spent his first seven seasons in St. Louis, Carlton had his best years in Philadelphia, where he had five seasons with at least 20 victories. But after 14-plus seasons with the Phils, Carlton closed his career by pitching for four different teams (Giants, White Sox, Indians and Twins) in 1986-88.

NBA
Player The skinny
Bob Cousy
Guard
Boston Celtics
Although he won six titles and became synonymous with Celtic Pride, Cousy actually was traded by Boston in 1969 -- six years after he played his last game as a Celtic. He went to Cincinnati in exchange for forward Bill Dinwiddle, and Cousy would play in seven games as a player-coach for the Royals in 1969-70.
Oscar Robertson
Guard
Cincinnati Royals
The Big O spent his prime in Cincinnati, where he played 10 seasons with the Royals and averaged a triple-double during the 1961-62 season. However, he didn't win a title until he was dealt to Milwaukee in 1970 for guard Flynn Robinson and forward Charlie Paulk. With help from Lew Alcindor, Robertson finally got his ring in 1971.
George Gervin
Guard/Forward
San Antonio Spurs
The Ice Man lit it up for the Spurs in both the ABA and NBA, but finished his career as a Bull in 1985-86. After being dealt to Chicago in exchange for forward David Greenwood, Gervin played in all 82 games and averaged 16.2 points per game. If you're wondering, Michael Jordan played only 18 games that season because of a foot injury.
Sidney Moncrief
Guard
Milwaukee Bucks
A five-time All-Star and twice the Defensive Player of the Year, Moncrief retired in 1989 after 10 seasons with Milwaukee. After taking a year off, he signed with the Hawks as a free agent and played 72 games in the 1990-91 season, averaging 4.7 points per game.
Robert Parish
Center
Boston Celtics
Unlike Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Parish didn't go out as a Celtic. The Chief, who played three seasons in Golden State before becoming a Boston legend, wrapped up his career with two seasons in Charlotte and one in Chicago, where he won his fourth ring with the '97 Bulls.
Clyde Drexler
Guard
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers' career leader in most statistical categories, Drexler didn't win his ring until he was traded to Houston in 1995 (he and Tracy Murray went south in exchange for Otis Thorpe, the rights to Marcelo Nicola and a first-round pick in '95.) The Glide played three seasons with the Rockets.

NHL
Player The skinny
Bobby Orr
Defenseman
Boston Bruins
The image of Orr flying through the air after scoring the series-clinching goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup finals is one that many folks in Boston will never forget. Of course, they'd rather forget the image of the three-time MVP signing as a free agent with Chicago and finishing his career with the Blackhawks in 1976-77 and 1978-79. Orr's career was cut short by his six knee operations.
Guy Lafleur
Right wing/center
Montreal Canadiens
The youngest player to score 400 career goals, Lafleur played 14 seasons with the Habs before retiring in 1985. After three years off the ice, he returned to play 67 games for the New York Rangers in 1988-89 and then played his final two seasons with the Quebec Nordiques before retiring for good in 1991.
Gordie Howe
Right wing
Detroit Red Wings
When he retired from the NHL in 1971 after 25 seasons, Howe said he had "retired not quit." Turns out he really hadn't even retired. Mr. Hockey returned in 1973-74 with the Houston Aeros of the WHA, and he played six seasons in the fledgling league. He played one more NHL season with the 1979-80 Hartford Whalers before finally hanging 'em up.
Sid Abel
Center
Detroit Red Wings
The Hall of Famer is known for scoring 189 career goals and playing on the same line as Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. After playing 12 seasons with Detroit, Abel played 39 games for Chicago in 1952-53 and three more in 1953-54 before retiring and going onto a career behind the Wings bench.
Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion
Right wing
Montreal Canadiens
The Hart Trophy winner in 1960-61 and a two-time scoring champion, Geoffrion played 14 seasons with the Canadiens before retiring in 1967-68. After taking two years off, "Boom Boom" returned to play two seasons with the Rangers, scoring a respectable 17 goals in 1966-67.
Ted Lindsay
Left wing
Detroit Red Wings
Like his linemates Howe and Abel, Lindsay also failed to play his entire career in Detroit. After 13 seasons with the Red Wings, Lindsay joined the Blackhawks in 1957-58 and played three seasons in Chicago. After retiring in 1960 and taking four years off, "Terrible Ted" returned to play one year with the Wings in 1964-65. He scored 14 goals and had 14 assists in that final season.


 



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