Southwest Florida’s beautiful beaches and sports facilities attract famous sports celebrities and professional sports teams. The Twins baseball teams for example were celebrating their 30th anniversary of Spring Training baseball in Lee County in 2021. One of the reasons is that the mild and warm weather creates the perfect training environment.
But there are more professional athletes out there one could see. Here are some of them.
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Mary Carillo
The television personality, sports journalist and former professional tennis player splits her time between Naples and New York CIty’s Greenwich Village.
Nick Nurse – Famous Sports Celebrities In Southwest Florida
According to winknews NBA coach Nick Nurse and his wife call SWFl home. ““Florida Gulf Coast has a special place in my heart,” Roberta said. “I’m going to be a transplanted Southwest Floridian someday,” Nick said. “We love the area, great, great area.” Coach Nurse said that definitely added to what brought him and the Raptors to the region, but not entirely.” Nick Nurse and his Toronto Raptors team spent a longer time training in SWFL.
Nurse and his wife, Roberta (Santos), a former FGCU star volleyball player, have a home in Fort Myers they bought when he was still an assistant coach.
Larry Bird
NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird was a longtime Naples resident. He is still one of the owners of Hideout Golf Club in Naples. He is usually invited to post tournament events with PGA star Phil Mickelson.
Fuzzy Zoeller
Two-time major championship winner Fuzzy Zoeller has been calling Naples, Fla., his second home for many years.
Charlie Babb – Famous Sports Celebrities In Southwest Florida
Charlie Babb played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins. He has a home in South Florida.
John Kruk
The former Major League Baseball player John Kruk, best-known for his time with the Philadelphia Phillies, owns five extant Kruk’s cheesesteak restaurants along the Gulf Coast.
Mike Ditka
The retired NFL coach spends half the year in Naples, where he owns a house, and the other half in Chicago, where he owns a condo near the Magnificent Mile.
Dave Wannstedt – Famous Sports Celebrities In Southwest Florida
The former Miami Dolphins`coach and Chicago Bears`coach owns a home in Port Royal in Naples. It is a quick drive to Miami where he visited the Super Bowl in 2020.
Greg Luzinski
Greg Luzinski is a former professional baseball player. Luzinski spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies (1970–80), and retired as a member of the Chicago White Sox (1981–84). He owns two homes in Bonita Springs.
Famous Sports Celebrities on Captiva Island
Captiva was also a favorite getaway for President Theodore Roosevelt. The late Robert Rauschenberg, one of America’s most famous 20th century artists and the forefather of Pop Art had his full time home on Captiva prior to his passing in 2008. Today the Millionaire’s row Captiva is home for many wealthy business people. When talking about Captiva Island Mansions one immediately thinks of the big houses of the Roberts Family who own many different properties all over the island.
The island used to host its own international tennis tournament. In 2015 WTA tennis star Caroline Wozniacki came to the barrier reef island to take the most beautiful bikini pictures ever.
Former tennis number 1 Angelique Kerber has also spent a few days training on the island and enjoyed training for the Miami Open. Thus watching out for famous sports celebrities in Southwest Florida is a worthwhile goal.
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