Few reasonable people would deny that Americans love sports and the people who play them. We pay exorbitant amounts of money to athletes who entertain us – just one indication of the appreciation we have for their talents.

When athletically inclined boys and girls are growing up, they often excel in two or more sports. But if they join professional ranks as adults, they usually concentrate on only one activity – leaving others behind.

Among well-known athletes who fit into this category are Jackie Robinson and Mildred “Babe” (Didrikson) Zaharias.

As a youngster growing up in Los Angeles, Robin...