SPORTS DAILY: Reds’ Hamilton accepts challenge — and dunks

Before he became a base-stealing genius with the Cincinnati Reds, center fielder Billy Hamilton was a three-sport star at Taylorsville (Miss.) High School. His exploits in baseball, football and basketball there are the stuff of legend.

He averaged 35 points per game in basketball as a senior and had a football scholarship to Mississippi State as a receiver if he wanted it.

So when someone challenged Hamilton to dunk a basketball at a National Trail vs. Newton girls game Tuesday, no way was he going to back down.

From the 3-point arc on the left wing, in street clothes, the 6-foot Hamilton — who had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in late September — took one dribble and floated in for a smooth right-handed jam, captured on video here.

Must have seemed like he was back in Taylorsville as fans in the tiny gym cheered and applauded. And, yes, he signed autographs, according to social media.

So what brought Hamilton to a girls basketball game on a Tuesday? Seems he was visiting a Dayton Dragons host family he met in 2011, his one season playing here, and they have a daughter who plays for National Trail.

“We found out that morning,” National Trail High School principal Bob Fischer said. “No special occasion. Just visiting as anyone would.”

Although not a Reds fan, Fischer instantly knew the name.

“I’m a Chicago Cubs fan,” he said. “I know who Billy is because he stole a lot of bases off (Cubs pitcher) Jon Lester this year.”

To the Reds’ relief (not that they knew about it), Hamilton emerged intact. No awkward landing. No wincing due to shoulder pain. No lead story on SportsCenter.

Even though he can’t get on base often enough to suit his employers (.274 on-base percentage last season) or just about anybody else, nobody ever questioned the speedster’s athletic prowess.

Next on Hamilton’s calendar is an appearance at RedsFest this weekend at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati.

Austin Davis doesn’t wear No. 24, but he should

Quick, name all 23 starting quarterbacks the Cleveland Browns have employed since stumbling back into the NFL in 1999.

Don't forget Doug Pederson.

Or my favorite Spergon Wynn, a shrewd sixth-round pickup in 2000 with Tom Brady still on the board and destined to last 13 more picks.

Then there were Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer and Jake Delhomme — that series of aging veterans whose best days were long behind them when they donned orange helmets.

And the McCown brothers, first Luke, then Josh. Easy to forget Luke was a fourth-round pick in 2004, but he's still with the Saints as a backup — and making commercials!

There was the local hopeful, Charlie Frye, who played well enough at Akron to convince GM Phil Savage he was worth a third-round pick. He wasn’t.

Now comes Austin Davis for his first Browns start Sunday against the Bengals with Josh McCown’s collarbone cracked and Johnny Manziel still in coach Mike Pettine’s doghouse for lying about bye-week partying.

He wears No. 7, but he should be No. 24.

Click or tap here to read about how the Bengals aren't exactly shaking in their shoes.

Josh Gordon picks now to remind fans he’s gone

Remember Josh Gordon? Looked like one of the better receivers in football a few years ago until substance-abuse issues got the better of him.

Now he's apologizing to Browns fans for his role — he's suspended this year — in ruining another season.

Hey, but at least Terrelle Pryor is back, right?

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