national left handed people day

List of famous left-handed people

Definition and guide

• A left-hander is a person who is more skillful with the left hand than with the right: a left-hander will probably (but not limit to) use the left hand for tasks such as personal care, cooking, and so on.
• Writing with right hand alone does not necessarily indicate one’s right-handedness. The world is right-handed-dominant and many natural born left-handers were wrongfully taught to write with their right hand. Consequently, a lot of born left-handers may write with right hand but use left hand for everything else.
• However, if a person writes with left hand then s/he is most likely left-handed.
• People who are forced to use their left hand because their right hand is not available for use (for example, due to injury or disease) should not be included on this list.
• Contrary to popular belief, left-footers are not necessarily left-handed, which causes much confusion when it comes to famous soccer players. For example players like Maradona are believed to be left-handed just because they use their left foot in soccer. There is actually a high percentage of soccer players that are left-handed while being right-footed such as Ruud van Nistelrooy.
• If a new subject needs to be added, please provide citation/reference. Do not add a subject merely because another websites list him/her as a left-handed people. Make sure you validate the subject with facts supported by sources like biography, photograph or painting.
• If source is not accessible, add a brief description after the name to indicate what task does the subjects use their left hand.

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Royalty and nobility

• Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
• Charles, Prince of Wales – Writes right-handed [1]
• Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom – Writes right-handed [2]
• George II of Great Britain
• George VI of the United Kingdom
• Victoria of the United Kingdom
• Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
• Prince William of Wales [3]

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Political and governmental leaders

[edit]

American

• Bill Bradley
• George H.W. Bush [4]
• Bill Clinton [5]
• Gerald Ford [6]
• Barney Frank
• Benjamin Franklin
• James Garfield
• John Kerry – Left-handed, but writes [7] and throws [8] right-handed.
• Gavin Newsom
• H. Ross Perot – With Clinton and Bush, all three major 1992 U.S. presidential election candidates were left-handed.
• Ronald Reagan – Converted to right-handedness in childhood.
• Nelson Rockefeller
• Hugh Scott
• Harry S Truman – Converted to right-handedness in childhood.
• William Love
• Ollis Oien

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Other nationalities

• Bertie Ahern
• Napoleon Bonaparte
• Julius Caesar
• David Cameron
• Fidel Castro – Writes right-handed [9]
• Hugo Chávez [10]
• Joseph Estrada
• Gandhi ^{[citation needed]}
• Adolf Hitler ^{[citation needed]}
• Ahmed Tejan Kabbah
• F.W. de Klerk
• Lee Hsien Loong
• Pol Pot
• Ramses II
• Ishihara Shintaro
• Tiberius – According to Suetonius in his De Vita Caesarum.
• Matti Vanhanen [11]
• Benjamin Netanyahu

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Criminals

Osama bin Laden holding a gun with his left hand

• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
• John Dillinger
• Albert Henry DeSalvo – (Boston Strangler)
• Dylan Klebold
• Osama Bin Laden
• Jack The Ripper
• Susan Butler
• Taylor Crawford
• Jack McGuire

[edit]

Artists

• Albrecht Dürer
• M. C. Escher
• Hans Holbein
• Paul Klee
• Ronnie Landfield
• Leonardo da Vinci – According to Carmen Bambach’s article Leonardo, Left-handed Draftsman and Writer
• Brice Marden
• Michelangelo
• Raphael
• Arnold Roth
• Ronald Searle
• Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
• Ralph Bakshi
• Matt Groening

[edit]

Authors

• Douglas Adams
• James Baldwin
• Samuel Beckett
• Peter Benchley
• Lewis Carroll
• Richard Condon
• Jean Genet
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Janet Kagan
• Peter Laird
• Nikolai Leskov – Wrote The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea, a famous story about a left-handed master.
• F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre
• Bruce Moen
• Helen Hooven Santmyer
• Leo Tolstoy
• Kurt Vonnegut
• H.G. Wells
• Eudora Welty
• Jessamyn West
• Gene Wolfe

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Musicians and Composers

• 50 Cent – [12] Rapper
• Damon Albarn – Left handed, but plays guitar right handed.
• Duane Allman – Left handed, but played guitar right handed.
• Gregg Allman – Plays guitar right-handed.
• Bill Anderson (country music)
• Michael Anthony – Left-handed, but plays guitar and bass right-handed.
• Tom Araya (Slayer) Left-handed, but plays bass right-handed.
• Tim Armstrong
• Darren Coles (A Means To An End) – Drumkit Set-up Right Handed
• Reginald Arvizu – Left-handed, but plays bass right-handed.
• Asya (Smoosh)
• Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• Perry Bamonte
• Travis Barker – Plays drums right-handed
• Jeff Barry
• William Beckett-singer, The Academy Is…,writes left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed
• Ludwig van Beethoven – [13]
• Sean Bennett
• Chester Bennington
• Guy Berryman
• John Bigham (Fishbone)
• James Bourne – Plays guitar right handed
• David Bowie – [14] Left-handed, but plays guitar right handed.
• James Brown – Writes left-handed
• Bob Brozman – Left-handed, but plays guitar, steel guitar and ukulele right handed.
• David Byrne – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Jo Callis (The Rezillos, Human League) – plays guitar left-handed.
• Glen Campbell – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Vikki Carr
• Gerald Casale (Devo) – Learned bass on a right-handed instrument. As a result, his left-handed bass is strung upside down. [15]
• Charlie Chaplin – Played a left-handed violin. He had a normal violin modified, switching the chin rest and sounding post from the left side to the right, and he re-strung the violin with the pitches reversed.
• Chloe (Smoosh) – Left-handed, plays a right-handed drumkit open-handed
• Kurt Cobain – Played guitar and wrote with left hand. Learned to write right-handed, however. Frontman of American grunge band, Nirvana.
• Taylor Crawford
• Natalie Cole
• Phil Collins
• Bert Convy
• Shaun Cooper – Bassist of Straylight Run; plays bass guitar right-handed, writes left-handed. [16]
• Tré Cool – Green Day drummer (leads off with left hand.)
• Stewart Copeland – Sets drums up right handed, writes with his left hand.
• Billy Corgan – Learned and plays guitar as though right handed, but performs most tasks left-handed.
• Nadine Coyle
• Billy Ray Cyrus – Writes and plays guitar left-handed, but performs most tasks right-handed.
• Dick Dale
• Jon Dette – Plays drums left-handed
• Lefty Dizz – Blues guitarist; played right-handed guitar upside-down.
• John Dolmayan – Is left-handed, but plays drums right-handed
• Bob Dylan – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Elliot Easton, guitarist with The Cars.
• Klaus Eichstadt – Ugly Kid Joe
• Eminem – [17]
• Rik Emmett – Left Handed, plays guitar right-handed
• Don Everly – Plays guitar right-handed.
• Phil Everly – plays guitar right-handed.
• John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
• Béla Fleck
• Glenn Frey – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Aretha Franklin
• Robert Fripp – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Gackt – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Eric Gales
• Noel Gallagher – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Art Garfunkel
• Judy Garland
• Errol Garner
• Crystal Gayle
• Bob Geldof
• Andy Gibb
• Barry Gibb – Plays guitar right-handed.
• Ginger Fish – Plays drums both left and right set up, but usually appears with right handed set up because most Marilyn Manson songs ‘rock oriented,’ as Ginger says in an interview with Guitar Center, which is easier for him to play with a right hand set up (as opposed to left handed set up for ‘swingy beats’).
• Glenn Gould
• Greg Graffin
• Glen Graham (Blind Melon) – Drums are setup left-handed
• Paul Gray
• Jimmy Griffin
• Kevin Griffin
• Justin Guarini [18]
• Tom Hamilton – Plays bass guitar right-handed.
• Zachary Hanson
• Garett Hatch– Left Handed,plays right handed guitar upside down.
• Isaac Hayes – Left-handed, but played guitar right-handed.
• Eddie Hazel – Played right-handed
• Thomas Hedley
• Jimi Hendrix but played a right-handed Fender Stratocaster guitar turned upside down and re-strung to play left-handed. Wrote right-handed.
• Steve Hewitt – drummer for Placebo
• Faith Hill [19]
• Tom Holliston
• Dominic Howard – Muse drummer. His drum set is arranged for his left-handedness
• Natalie Imbruglia
• Tony Iommi
• Lee Jackson– The Nice
• Jay-Z
• Stephan Jenkins – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.[20]
• Joan Jett – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• George Johnson (musician) (Brothers Johnson)
• Adam Jones – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed
• Danny Jones – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed
• Juicy J
• Jacek Kaczmarski
• Ras Kass
• Adam Keane – Left-handed, but plays bass right-handed
• Cheyenne Kimball
• Albert King
• Mark Knopfler – Writes left-handed, plays guitar right-handed.
• Steven Kray – (Tin Foil Phoenix) – Left handed, but plays drums right handed
• Brian Larsen – Writes with left hand, but plays guitar with his right.
• Lynn Lavner
• Adam Levine [21]
• Kelly Llorenna ^{[citation needed]}
• Dave Lombardo – Is left-handed, but plays drums right handed
• Andrea McArdle
• Paul McCartney [22] – Plays drums right-handed, and does everything else left-handed
• Maureen McGovern ^{[citation needed]}
• Duff McKagan – Left-handed, but plays guitar and bass right-handed.
• Al McKay– (Earth, Wind, & Fire)
• Katharine McPhee [23]
• Melissa Manchester
• Chuck Mangione
• Senju Mariko
• Chris Martin – plays guitar right-handed
• Jeff Martin
• Ricky Martin [24]
• Harpo Marx – The only left-handed Marx Brother, taught himself to play the harp without realizing he was playing it incorrectly. He placed the harp on his left shoulder instead of his right.
• Freddie Mercury[25]
• Natalie Merchant
• Robbie Merrill – (bassist of Godsmack)
• Method Man
• George Michael – [26] Photographed playing guitar right-handed during Faith period
• David Miller (singer)-of Il Divo
• Monica ^{[citation needed]}
• Gary Moore – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Rod Morgenstein – Plays drums left-handed.
• Morrissey
• Steve Morse – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Robin Moulder
• Rosie Munter
• Anna Nalick [27]
• Peter Nero
• Ne-Yo
• Jerry Nolan – Played drums left-handed.
• Kelly Osbourne [28]
• One Be Lo– Formerly one-half of the underground hip hop group Binary Star (band)
• Ian Paice
• Krzysztof Penderecki
• Pink [29]
• Doug Pinnick–King’s X
• Robert Plant Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Iggy Pop – plays guitar left-handed.
• Cole Porter
• Sergey Prokofiev
• Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Raekwon – The member of Wu-Tang clan
• Heidi Range
• Maurice Ravel
• Lou Rawls
• Paul Raymond (Savoy Brown, UFO)
• Chris Rea – Writes left-handed, plays guitar right-handed.
• Rhymefest
• Gruff Rhys ^{[citation needed]}
• Jonny Riddim
• Tyson Ritter – Writes left-handed, plays bass right-handed. [30]
• Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
• Kris Roe – Plays right-handed guitar upside down.
• Henry Rollins
• James Root – Plays right handed guitar, but writes with left hand.
• Lukas Rossi – He is left-handed but can play the guitar with either hand.
• Johnny Rotten – (John Lydon)
• Otis Rush – Blues guitarist; playes right-handed instrument upside-down.
• Lee Ryan
• Greta Salpeter – pianist, vocalist of The Hush Sound [31]
• Craig Scanlon – Plays a right-handed guitar left-handed i.e. with the bass strings at the bottom. ^{[citation needed]}
• Scarface – The member of Geto boyz
• Seal
• Dan Seals
• Blake Schwarzenbach– lead singer of Jawbreaker, played guitar left handed
• Chris Shiflett – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Mike Shinoda
• Joseph Simmons – Reverend Run of Run-D.M.C.
• Paul Simon – Plays guitar left-handed, writes right-handed. ^{[citation needed]} {http://www.paul-simon.info/PHP/biography.php
• Fiona Sit – Writes with left-hand
• Mike Skinner – Rapper and musician from England who performs under the alias The Streets
• Rune Solheim
• Sharleen Spiteri – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
• Jeffrey Steele
• Ringo Starr – Plays drums and guitar right-handed.
• Michael Stipe – Left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed. [32]
• Joe Strummer – Taught to play right handed by friend Tymon Dogg. ^{[citation needed]}
• Rich Szabo
• Bent Sæther – of Motorpsycho, plays bass and guitar left-handed.
• Tiny Tim
• McCoy Tyner
• Emilíana Torrini
• Rudy Vallee
• Frankie Valli
• Zacky Vengeance
• Ian Wallace-King Crimson
• Lee-Hom Wang
• John Wetton – Left-handed, but plays bass right-handed.
• Lari White – Plays guitar left-handed
• Lenny White
• Slim Whitman – Plays guitar left-handed
• Hank Williams – Played guitar right-handed.
• Paul Williams ^{[citation needed]} (which Paul Williams?)
• Darren Wilson – drummer of The Hush Sound [33]
• Paul Wilson – Snow Patrol bassist
• Bobby Womack
• Michael Zakarin
• Madlib
• Lukas Rossi – Plays guitar left handed

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Actors/ Actresses

• Jonathan Togo
• Owen Wilson
• Don Adams
• Eddie Albert
• Jodi Albert
• Jason Alexander [34]
• Tim Allen [35]
• Woody Allen
• June Allyson
• Harry Anderson
• Melissa Sue Anderson
• Sam Anderson
• Dan Aykroyd [36]
• Amitabh Bachchan
• Sacha Baron Cohen [37]
• Alfie Bass
• Jason Bateman
• Herschel Bernardi
• Robert Blake
• Zachary Bostrom
• Bruce Boxleitner
• Matthew Broderick [38]
• Albert Brooks
• Carol Burnett
• George Burns
• Ruth Buzzi
• Sid Caesar
• Bruce Campbell [39]
• Drew Carey [40]
• Keith Carradine
• Bernie Casey
• Natalie Cassidy
• Charlie Chaplin – (See entry under Musicians and composers)
• James Caviezel
• Josh Charles
• Ricardo Chavira
• Robert Clark
• Bruce Cockburn
• Stephen Colbert – Appears, On The Colbert Report, to write right-handed, but does most other tasks (such as eating) left-handed.
• Dorothy Collins
• Chuck Connors
• Hans Conried
• Bert Convy
• Dane Cook [41]
• Miranda Cosgrove
• Peter Coyote
• Michael Crawford
• Tom Cruise – Writes right-handed [42]
• Douglas Croft – Played left-handed athlete Lou Gehrig as a boy in the film The Pride of the Yankees.
• James Cromwell
• Quinn Cummings
• Clifton Davis
• Daniel Davis
• Bruce Davison
• Robert DeNiro – Famously wrote with his right hand in Taxi Driver.
• Dustin Diamond [43]
• Matt Dillon [44]
• Vincent D’Onofrio
• Michael Dorn
• Fran Drescher
• Richard Dreyfuss
• David Duchovny
• Griffin Dunne
• Erica Durance
• Lisa Edelstein
• Ethan Embry – Writes left-handed, plays guitar right-handed. [45]
• Georgia Engel
• Omar Epps
• Will Ferrell [46]
• Tina Fey
• W.C. Fields
• Larry Fine
• Laurence Fishburne
• Danielle Fishel
• Peter Fonda
• David Ford
• David Foster
• John Franklin (actor)
• Morgan Freeman [47]
• Victor French
• Victor Garber
• Greta Garbo ^{[citation needed]} – Wrote with right hand.[48]
• Graeme Garden – Plays banjo and guitar right-handed.
• Kelli Garner
• Teri Garr
• Brad Garrett
• Nona Gaye [49]
• Gemmenne de la Peña
• Marla Gibbs
• Paul Michael Glaser
• Scott Glenn
• George Gobel
• Missy Gold
• Whoopi Goldberg [50]
• Jake Goldsbie
• Alicia Goranson
• Betty Grable
• Cary Grant
• Peter Graves
• Bruce Greenwood
• David Griffin
• Mark Hamill [51]
• Adam Hann-Byrd
• Angie Harmon
• Rex Harrison
• Goldie Hawn [52]
• Anthony Stewart Head [53]
• Joey Heatherton
• Tippi Hedren
• Jim Henson
• Blake Heron
• Catherine Hicks
• Benny Hill
• Emile Hirsch [54]
• Josh Holloway
• Natalie Horler – Singer of dance group Cascada
• Kate Hudson [55]
• Rock Hudson
• Geoffrey Hughes
• Miko Hughes
• Jenny-Lynn Hutcheson
• Aleksander Ihnatowicz
• Marty Ingels
• Jason Isaacs [56]
• Hugh Jackman [57]
• Joshua Jackson [58]
• Scarlett Johansson [59]
• Angelina Jolie [60]
• Milla Jovovich – Shoots and plays guitar right-handed
• Gabe Kaplan
• Richard Karn
• Dianne Kay
• Danny Kaye
• Diane Keaton
• Sheila Kelley
• Lisa Robin Kelly
• George Kennedy
• Nicole Kidman [61]
• Emre Kinay
• Shane Kippel
• Owen Kline
• Walter Koenig
• Erika Krievins
• Julia Królikowska
• Lisa Kudrow [62]
• Ricki Lake
• Michael Landon
• Hope Lange
• Larry the Cable Guy
• Billy “Froggy” Laughlin
• Joey Lawrence
• Peter Lawford
• Cloris Leachman [63]
• Chyler Leigh
• Rachel Leigh Cook
• Robert Sean Leonard
• Michael Lerner
• Andrea Lewis
• Matthew Lewis
• Shaznay Lewis
• Hal Linden
• Alex D. Linz
• Ray Liotta
• Cleavon Little
• Nicholas Lyndhurst – Rodney from “Only fools and horses” series
• Karen McDougal
• Keegan MacIntosh
• Shirley MacLaine
• Andrew McCarthy
• Kristy McNichol
• Steve McQueen
• Howie Mandel
• Marcel Marceau
• Julianna Margulies – Wrote left-handed in Snakes on a Plane.
• James Marsters [64]
• Harpo Marx
• Marsha Mason
• Mary Stuart Masterson
• Rik Mayall
• Anne Meara
• S. Epatha Merkerson
• Stacie Mistysyn
• Sasha Mitchell
• Thomas Mitchell
• Michelle Monaghan [65]
• Meredith Monroe
• Julianne Moore
• Rick Moranis
• Barry Morse
• Robert Morse
• Roger E. Mosley
• Anthony Newley
• Kim Novak
• Jodi Lyn O’Keefe [66]
• Ryan O’Neal
• Ed O’Neill
• Olivia de Havilland
• Mary-Kate Olsen [67]
• Gary Owens
• India Oxenberg
• Ray Park
• Sarah Jessica Parker [68]
• Trey Parker [69]
• Estelle Parsons
• Kaja Paschalska
• Anthony Perkins
• Ron Perlman
• Luke Perry
• Jimmy “Jax” Pinchak
• Bronson Pinchot
• Joe Piscopo
• Howard Platt
• Michael J. Pollard
• Robert Preston
• Freddie Prinze, Jr. [70]
• Chris Potter
• Richard Pryor
• Dennis Quaid [71]
• Randy Quaid
• Charlotte Rae
• Vahid Rahbani
• James Read
• Robert Redford – Left-handed, but writes right-handed.
• Keanu Reeves [72]
• James Remar
• Judy Reyes
• Denise Richards
• Don Rickles
• Lisa Rinna
• William Roache
• Julia Roberts [73]
• Seth Rogan
• Rebecca Romijn
• Michael Rosenbaum [74]
• Mackenzie Rosman
• Leonard Rossiter
• Richard Roundtree
• Mickey Rourke – Writes right-handed [75]
• Mag Ruffman
• Tim Russ
• Kurt Russell
• Ludivine Sagnier
• Eva Marie Saint
• Antonia San Juan
• Jennifer Saunders
• Ben Savage
• Telly Savalas
• Julia Sawalha
• Bitty Schram
• Jean Seberg
• Jerry Seinfeld
• Lindsey Shaw
• Alia Shawkat
• Christian Slater [76]
• John Slattery
• Amy Smart
• Kurtwood Smith
• Dick Smothers
• Brett Somers
• Suzanne Somers
• Vico Sotto
• David Spade ^{[citation needed]}
• Brent Spiner
• Sylvester Stallone – Writes right-handed [77]
• Terence Stamp
• Tarra Steele
• Robert ‘Rusty’ Stevens
• Jessica Steen
• Rod Steiger
• Jon Stewart
• Ben Stiller [78]
• Nicole Stoffman
• Marc Summers
• Hilary Swank [79]
• Aleksandra Szwed
• Terry-Thomas
• Alan Thicke
• Henry Thomas
• Emma Thompson
• Brittany Tiplady
• Ashley Tisdale
• Rip Torn
• Chris Tucker
• Shannon Tweed
• Peter Ustinov
• Brenda Vaccaro
• Karen Valentine
• Rudy Vallee
• Barry Van Dyke
• Michael Vartan
• Caitlin Wachs
• Mark Wahlberg [80]
• Graham Walker – (Grumbleweeds)
• David Walliams
• Susan Ward
• Shawn Wayans
• Liza Weil
• Wil Wheaton [81]
• James Whitmore
• Ian Whyte – From performance as Scar Predator in Alien vs. Predator.
• Dianne Wiest
• Treat Williams
• Bruce Willis [82]
• Bridgette Wilson
• Debra Wilson
• Demond Wilson
• Owen Wilson [83]
• William Windom
• Oprah Winfrey [84]
• Mare Winningham
• Scott Wolf
• Joanne Woodward
• Keenan Wynn
• Billy Zane
• Stephanie Zimbalist

Honorable Mention: Right-handed actor Gary Cooper played left-handed athlete Lou Gehrig in the film The Pride of the Yankees. For scenes requiring him to bat left-handed, Cooper wore a Yankee uniform with Gehrig’s number 4 mirror-reversed on his back. Cooper batted the ball right-handed, then ran to third base (not first). The film was then optically reversed, turning Cooper into a southpaw. This same technique was used in Billy Crystal’s film “61” to make Anthony Michael Hall appear left handed in his portrayal of left handed Yankee’s pitcher Whitey Ford.

In 1953, while starring in a live television drama, right-handed actor Jack Lemmon decided to play his character left-handed, purely as an actor’s exercise. Two years later, when Lemmon met James Cagney for the first time, Cagney’s first words to Lemmon were “Are you still pretending you’re left-handed?”

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Film directors

• Roscoe Arbuckle – (Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle)
• James Cameron
• Charlie Chaplin
• Spike Lee
• Danny Pang
• Ridley Scott
• Joss Whedon

[edit]

Sportspeople

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American Football

• Frankie Albert
• Terry Baker
• Drew Brees – Throws right-handed
• Ronnie Brown
• Mark Brunell
• Tedy Bruschi – Writes left-handed
• Phil Dawson – Kicks right-footed. Throws left-handed.
• Bobby Douglass
• Boomer Esiason – (Norman “Boomer” Esiason)
• Jim Del Gaizo
• Ahman Green
• David Humm
• Sebastian Janikowski – kicks left-footed
• John Kasay
• Craig Krenzel
• Matt Leinart
• Jared Lorenzen
• Donovan McNabb – Writes left-handed, but throws with his right.
• Paul McDonald
• Todd Marinovich
• Scott Mitchell
• Muhsin Muhammad
• Dennis Northcutt
• Julius Peppers
• Dave Ragone
• Deion Sanders
• Gale Sayers
• Allie Sherman – New York Giants coach
• Chris Simms
• Kenny Stabler
• Michael Vick – Writes right-handed, but only throws with left hand.
• Jonathan Vilma– New York Jets LineBacker.
• Steve Young
• Jim Zorn
• Billy Sims (OU)

[edit]

Baseball

Left-handedness is found in all sports but is particularly highly prized in baseball, among both hitters and pitchers. For hitters, the natural motion of swinging at a pitch gives a left-handed batter momentum running down the line to first. Left-handed batters typically also have a better view of the pitch thrown by a right-handed pitcher. Also, left-handers may have more room to hit if the first baseman is watching a runner on first, and some ball parks have short right-field fences, making it easier for left-handers to hit home runs. A left-handed batter runs a shorter distance to first base than a rightie, because he takes his stance in the batting box on the right side of home plate. Due to these advantages, some right-handed players will learn to hit left handed (these players are not considered left-handed.) Likewise, left-handed pitchers are valuable, in part because many left-handed sluggers have severe trouble hitting against left-handed pitchers. See left-handed specialist.

Position players

• Brady Anderson
• Harold Baines
• Lance Berkman – Switch-hitter, throws left-handed.
• Barry Bonds – Writes right-handed.
• Wade Boggs – Naturally threw left-handed, learned to throw right-handed (as all third basemen do) and batted left-handed.
• Darren Bragg – Batted left-handed, threw right-handed.
• Sid Bream – Writes right-handed, but batted and threw left-handed.
• Martin Brewer
• Lou Brock
• Ty Van Burkleo
• Brett Butler
• Hee-Seop Choi
• Will Clark
• Ty Cobb – Batted left-handed, threw right-handed.
• Johnny Damon [85]
• J.D. Drew – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Lenny Dykstra
• Darin Erstad
• Steve Finley
• Karim Garcia
• Lou Gehrig
• Jody Gerut – Writes right-handed, but bats and throws left-handed.
• Jason Giambi – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed. Also writes right-handed.
• Jeremy Giambi
• Brian Giles
• Goose Goslin – (Leon “Goose” Goslin)
• Mark Grace
• Curtis Granderson
• Ken Griffey, Jr.
• Tony Gwynn
• Rickey Henderson – Throws left-handed, bats right-handed.
• Ryan Howard
• Kent Hrbek Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Joe Jackson – (“Shoeless” Joe Jackson) Batted left-handed, threw right-handed.
• Reggie Jackson
• Kelly Johnson – Bats and writes left-handed but throws right-handed.
• Brian Jordan – Writes left-handed, but bats and throws right-handed.
• David Justice
• Wally Joyner
• Ryan Klesko
• John Kruk
• Ryan Langerhans – Writes right-handed, but bats and throws left-handed.
• Adam LaRoche
• Tommy Lasorda – (Manager)
• Ricky Ledee
• Kenny Lofton
• James Loney
• Fred Lynn
• Fred McGriff
• Kevin Maas
• Heinie Manush
• Roger Maris – Batted left-handed, threw right-handed
• Nick Markakis
• Dave Martinez
• Don Mattingly
• Trot Nixon– Writes right-handed, but bats and throws left-handed.
• Sadaharu Oh
• Troy O’Leary
• Paul O’Neill
• John Olerud
• Pete Orr – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• David Ortiz
• Mel Ott – Batted left-handed, threw right-handed.
• Lyle Overbay
• Orlando Palmeiro
• Rafael Palmeiro
• Dan Pasqua
• Juan Pierre
• Scott Podsednik Bats and throws left-handed, writes right-handed.
• Curtis Pride – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed. (Furthermore, the only current active deaf player in Major League Baseball)
• Dave Roberts
• Brooks Robinson – Writes left-handed, but batted and threw right-handed in baseball.
• Babe Ruth – Wrote right-handed, but did most other tasks left-handed.
• Deion Sanders – (“Prime Time” Deion Sanders)
• Frank Shinkonis
• Grady Sizemore– Writes right-handed, but bats and throws left-handed.
• Casey Stengel
• Darryl Strawberry
• B.J. Surhoff – Bats and writes left-handed but throws right-handed.
• Ichiro Suzuki – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Jim Thome – Throws right-handed.
• Andy Thompson – Bats right-handed, throws left-handed
• Rob Toelke
• Larry Walker – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Daryle Ward
• Lou Whitaker – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Brad Wilkerson
• Ted Williams – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed.
• Carl Yastrzemski – Bats left-handed, throws right-handed</li>

Pitchers

• Jeremy Affeldt
• Armando Almanza
• Brian Anderson
• Jimmy Anderson
• Paul Assenmacher
• Steve Avery
• Erik Bedard
• Jung Keun Bong
• Pedro Borbón, Jr.
• Micah Bowie
• Blaine Boyer – Writes left-handed but throws right-handed.
• Tom Browning
• Mark Buehrle
• Carmen Cali
• John Candelaria
• Chris Capuano
• Steve Carlton
• Gustavo Chacín
• Norm Charlton
• Bruce Chen
• Brandon Claussen
• Rheal Cormier
• Vic Darensbourg
• Mark Davis
• Lenny DiNardo
• Zach Duke
• Joey Eischen
• Alan Embree
• Shawn Estes
• Scott Eyre
• Jeff Fassero
• Aaron Fultz
• Pedro Feliciano
• Chuck Finley
• Sid Fernandez
• Whitey Ford
• Casey Fossum
• John Foster
• Jeff Francis
• John Franco
• Wayne Franklin
• Éric Gagné – Writes left-handed but throws right-handed.
• Mike Gallo
• Paul Gibson
• Tom Glavine
• Jimmy Gobble
• Lefty Gomez
• Lefty Grove
• Eddie Guardado
• Ron Guidry
• Mark Guthrie
• John Halama
• Chris Hammond
• Mike Hampton
• Greg A. Harris – could throw lefthanded and righthanded
• Mark Hendrickson
• Mike Holtz
• Steve Howe
• J.P. Howell
• Al Hrabosky
• Carl Hubbell – Mostly batted right-handed
• Bruce Hurst
• Kazuhisa Ishii
• Chuck James
• Tommy John
• Randy Johnson
• Jim Kaat
• Scott Kazmir
• Ryan Ketchner – the only deaf pitcher in professional baseball
• Jimmy Key
• Ray King
• Bob Kipper
• Steve Kline
• John Koronka
• Sandy Koufax – Batted right-handed
• Mark Langston – Batted right-handed
• Bill Lee
• Cliff Lee
• Al Leiter
• Ted Lilly
• Francisco Liriano
• Noah Lowry – Bats right-handed
• Sparky Lyle
• Macay McBride
• Sam McDowell
• Joe Magrane
• Ron Mahay
• Paul Maholm
• Mike Maroth
• Damaso Marte
• Kent Mercker
• Trever Miller
• Eric Milton
• Jim Morris
• Damian Moss
• Jamie Moyer – Throws left-handed but writes right-handed.
• Mark Mulder
• Terry Mulholland – Batted right handed.
• Tony Mullane – born right-handed but taught himself to throw lefthanded.
• Mike Myers
• Randy Myers
• Denny Neagle
• Hal Newhouser
• C.J. Nitkowski
• Will Ohman
• Bob Ojeda
• Darren Oliver
• Scott Olsen
• Mel Parnell
• Odális Pérez
• Oliver Pérez
• Matt Perisho
• Andy Pettitte
• Billy Pierce
• Eddie Plank
• Horacio Ramírez
• Mark Redman
• Mike Remlinger
• Dennys Reyes – throws left but bats right
• Arthur Rhodes
• Dave Righetti
• Eppa Rixey
• Nate Robertson
• John Rocker
• Wandy Rodríguez
• Kenny Rogers
• J.C. Romero
• Kirk Rueter
• Glendon Rusch
• Babe Ruth
• B.J. Ryan
• C.C. Sabathia
• Johan Santana
• Joe Saunders
• Tony Saunders
• Scott Schoeneweis
• Chris Short
• Andy Sisco
• John Smiley
• Warren Spahn
• Paul Spoljaric
• Mike Stanton
• Greg Swindell
• Frank Tanana
• Justin Thompson
• Fernando Valenzuela
• Jason Vargas
• Hippo Vaughn
• Mike Venafro
• Ron Villone
• Frank Viola
• Billy Wagner – born right-handed but taught himself to throw lefthanded.
• Jamie Walker
• Jarrod Washburn
• David Wells
• Mitch Williams
• Dontrelle Willis
• Randy Wolf
• Barry Zito – Throws left-handed but writes right-handed.

[edit]

Basketball

• Kenny Anderson
• Greg Anthony
• Nate Archibald
• Stacey Augmon
• Dick Barnett
• Alana Beard [86]
• Walter Berry
• Travis Best
• Larry Bird – Shot mostly right-handed, but does most other tasks left-handed.
• Chris Bosh
• Adrian Branch
• J.R. Bremer
• Joe Bryant
• Allan Caidic
• Calbert Cheaney
• Keon Clark
• Derrick Coleman
• Dave Cowens
• Billy Cunningham
• Adrian Dantley
• Bison Dele
• Charles Driesell – (Charles “Lefty” Driesell)
• Mark Eaton
• Derek Fisher
• Chris Gatling
• Artis Gilmore
• Manu Ginobili
• Ryan Gomes
• Gail Goodrich
• Adrian Griffin
• Matt Guokas
• Othella Harrington
• Phil Jackson
• LeBron James – Shoots right-handed, writes left-handed.
• Avery Johnson
• Ron Kellogg
• Stacey King
• Toni Kukoc
• Raef LaFrentz
• Bob Lanier
• David Lee
• Brad Lohaus
• Sarunas Marciulionis
• Anthony Mason
• Tracy McGrady – Shoots right-handed, writes left-handed.
• Ann Meyers
• Harold Miner
• Cuttino Mobley
• Dick Motta
• Chris Mullin
• Troy Murphy
• Lee Nailon
• Ed O’Bannon
• Lamar Odom
• Žarko Paspalj
• Gary Payton – Shoots right-handed, writes left-handed.
• Anthony Peeler
• Sam Perkins
• Digger Phelps
• Tayshaun Prince
• Zach Randolph
• Michael Redd
• Willis Reed
• David Robinson
• Guy Rodgers
• Rodney Rogers
• Jalen Rose
• Bill Russell
• Josh Smith
• Damon Stoudamire
• Salim Stoudamire
• Wayman Tisdale
• Nick Van Exel
• Neal Walk
• Bill Walton
• Wang Zhizhi
• Lenny Wilkens
• Aaron Williams
• Manuel Zuleta

[edit]

Billiards and snooker

• Bonnie Arnold
• Reynaldo Grandee
• Barry Hawkins – Plays rest shots right-handed.
• Mark King
• Kun-Fang Lee
• Ian McCulloch
• Perrie Mans
• Steve Mizerak
• Ronnie O’Sullivan – Is right-handed, but uses both hands during play.
• Jimmy White
• Mark Williams

[edit]

Bowling

• Bill Allen
• Patrick Allen
• Earl Anthony
• Mike Aulby
• Parker Bohn III
• Steve Cook
• Patty Costello
• Dave Davis
• Cara Honeychurch
• Tish Johnson
• Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno
• Johnny Petraglia
• Andy Varipapa

[edit]

Boxing

• Carmen Basilio
• Chris Byrd
• Joe Calzaghe
• Luis Collazo
• James J. Corbett
• DeMarcus Corley
• Oscar de la Hoya – naturally southpaw, converted to orthodox stance
• Marvin Hagler
• Naseem Hamed
• Reggie Johnson
• Zab Judah
• Rafael Limon
• Henry Maske
• Freddie Miller
• Michael Moorer
• Manny Pacquiao
• Jacker Patterson
• Mike Tyson – Started out fighting left-handed, but was taught to fight right-handed by trainers.
• Edwin Valero
• Roberto Vásquez
• Pernell Whitaker
• Pongsaklek Wonjongkam
• Winky Wright

[edit]

Cricket

In cricket, left-handed batsmen make bowlers bowl a completely different line (angle), which disrupts their accuracy. As batsmen in cricket work in pairs, teams traditionally like to have a mix of right and left handers to maximise this effect. This is particularly so for opening batsmen. The same arguments, in reverse, apply to left-handed bowlers. Top quality left-handed bowlers seem to be rarer than their batting equivalents.

• Wasim Akram
• Geoff Allott – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Curtly Ambrose – Bowled right-handed, batted left-handed
• Saeed Anwar
• Michael Bevan
• Allan Border
• Nathan Bracken – Bowls left-handed, bats right-handed.
• David Brain – Bowls left-handed, bats and throws right-handed.
• Alistair Campbell
• Michael Clarke – Bowls left-handed, bats right-handed.
• Alan Davidson
• Andre Dawson – Writes left-handed, but bats and throws right-handed.
• John Edrich
• Matthew Elliott
• Stephen Fleming
• Saurav Ganguly – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed.
• Chris Gayle – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed
• Adam Gilchrist – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed.
• David Gower
• Sir Richard Hadlee – Batted left-handed, bowled right-handed.
• Matthew Hayden – Bats left-handed, bowls and signs autographs right-handed.
• George Hirst – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Brad Hogg
• Michael Hussey – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed.
• Inzamam-Ul-Haq – Bats right-handed, throws left-handed
• Phil Jaques
• Sanath Jayasuriya
• Brendon Julian – Bowls left-handed, bats right-handed.
• Simon Katich
• Lance Klusener – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed
• Justin Langer
• Brian Lara – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed
• Maurice Leyland
• Tony Lock – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Phil Mead
• Dinesh Mongia
• Shayne O’Connor
• Monty Panesar
• Bruce Reid
• Wilfred Rhodes – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Kumar Sangakkara
• Graeme Smith – Bats left-handed, bowls right-handed
• Sir Gary Sobers
• Amir Sohail
• Andrew Strauss
• Mark Taylor – Bats left handed, bowls right-handed.
• Marcus Trescothick
• Derek Underwood – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Hedley Verity – Bowled left-handed, batted right-handed
• Daniel Vettori
• Johnny Wardle
• Mike Whitney – Bowls left-handed, bats right-handed
• Frank Woolley
• Sir Frank Worrell – Batted right-handed, bowled left-handed, .
• Yuvraj Singh

[edit]

Fencing

• Cécile Argiolas
• Laura Flessel-Colovic
• Fabrice Gazin
• Matthieu Gourdain
• Fabrice Jeannet
• Giuseppe Mangiarotti
• Hugues Obry
• Anne-Lise Touya
• Adeline Wuilleme
• Steven Von Helm

[edit]

Figure-skating

• Silvia Fontana
• Rudy Galindo (spins to the right)
• Sarah Hughes (spins to the right)
• Carolina Kostner
• Robin Wagner

[edit]

Football (soccer)

• Adriano
• Freddy Adu
• John Barnes
• Fabien Barthez
• Jim Baxter
• Patrick Berger
• Oleh Blokhin
• Liam Brady
• Hans van Breukelen
• Roberto Carlos
• Petr Cech
• Bruno Cheyrou
• Alessandro Del Piero
• Denilson
• Dida
• Djalminha
• Jerzy Dudek
• Cesc Fàbregas
• Rio Ferdinand
• Gheorghe Hagi
• Willem van Hanegem
• Pierre van Hooijdonk
• Norman Hunter
• Mario Kempes
• Dean Kiely
• Paul Le Guen
• Bixente Lizarazu
• Daniel Ljuboja
• Claudio Lopez
• Steve McLaren
• Paolo Maldini
• Florent Malouda
• Diego Armando Maradona
• Hernán Medford
• Stephen Nichols
• Ruud van Nistelrooij
• Emmanuel Petit
• David Pleat
• Preki
• Ferenc Puskás
• Alvaro Recoba
• John Arne Riise
• Arjen Robben
• Jérôme Rothen
• Rivelino
• Ian Rush
• Marcelo Salas
• Hugo Sánchez
• Serginho
• Omar Sivori
• Alan Smith
• Hristo Stoichkov
• Davor Šuker
• Alan Thompson
• Vassilis Tsiartas
• Nuno Valente
• Terry Venables
• Christian Vieri
• Richard Witschge
• Mario Zagallo
• Boudewijn Zenden

[edit]

Golf

• Jerry Barber – Converted to right-handedness in childhood.
• Bonnie Bryant
• Sir Bob Charles
• Russ Cochran ^[1]
• Ben Hogan – Played right-handed, but was actually left-handed. When Hogan began his career, he was told that he should golf right-handed, with his left hand leading the swing; supposedly, this would enable him to benefit from the greater strength in his leading hand. If this were true, then all right-handed golfers should play left-handed! In his later years, Hogan remarked that his greatest regret about his career was that he had allowed himself to be talked into playing right-handed.
• Bobby Jones– Played right handed, but was actually left handed.
• Phil Mickelson – Plays left-handed, but is actually right-handed.^[1]
• Johnny Miller – Left-handed, but played right-handed.
• Nick Price – Left-handed, but plays right-handed
• Mike Weir – Plays left-handed, but is actually right-handed.^[1]

[edit]

Ice Hockey

• Patrice Bergeron
• Brad Boyes
• Bobby Orr
• José Théodore (writes right-handed)

[edit]

Motor sport

• Marco Andretti – (IndyCar Series)
• Gerhard Berger – (Formula One)
• Jenson Button – (Formula One)
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. – (NASCAR)
• Johnny Herbert – (Formula One)
• Terry Labonte – (NASCAR)
• Valentino Rossi – (Motorcycle)
• Ayrton Senna – (Formula One)
• Tony Stewart – (NASCAR)
• Karl Wendlinger – (Formula One)

[edit]

Rugby Union

• Jonah Lomu
• Richie McCaw
• Percy Montgomery – Kicks left-footed.
• Jonny Wilkinson – Writes left-handed and kicks left-footed.
• Tom Varndell [87]

[edit]

Tennis

• Jan Apell
• Sabine Appelmans – Sabine is actually right-handed but learned playing tennis left-handed because she wanted to stay with her friend in the left-handed group [88]
• Hicham Arazi
• Wayne Arthurs
• Iveta Benešová
• Norman Brookes
• Kenneth Carlsen
• Jimmy Connors
• Kimiko Date – Left-handed, but plays right-handed.
• Dwight F. Davis
• Guy Forget
• Andres Gomez
• Angela Haynes
• Goran Ivanisevic
• Jelena Kostanic
• Stefan Koubek
• Julian Knowle
• Rod Laver
• Henri Leconte
• Michael Llodra
• Emilie Loit
• Feliciano López
• Amelie Mauresmo (pen in left hand, racquet in right hand)
• John McEnroe [89]
• Fernando Meligeni
• Ricardo Mello
• Jurgen Melzer
• Carlos Moya – Writes left handed, but plays right-handed.
• Gilles Muller
• Thomas Muster
• Rafael Nadal – Plays left handed, but writes right-handed
• Daniel Nestor
• Dick Norman
• Martina Navratilova
• Jarkko Nieminen
• Manuel Orantes
• Niki Pilic
• Mariano Puerta
• Renee Richards
• Marcelo Ríos
• Tony Roche
• Greg Rusedski
• Nick Saviano
• Patty Schnyder
• Monica Seles
• Franco Squillari
• Roscoe Tanner
• Jeff Tarango
• Rob Toelke
• Fernando Verdasco
• Guillermo Vilas
• Mark Woodforde

[edit]

Wrestling and professional wrestling

• Matt Anoai – (Rosey)
• Austin Aries
• Matt Borne – (Doink the Clown)
• Paul Burchill
• Carly Colon – (Carlito)
• John Cena – Left-handed, but in baseball pitched right-handed.
• Nelson Frazier, Jr. – (Viscera)
• Jim Fullington – (Sandman)
• Terry Funk
• Chris Harris
• Devon Hughes – (D-Von Dudley)
• Matthew Hyson – (Spike Dudley)
• Mark Jindrak
• Moondog King
• Emma Rathbone
• Nikita Koloff
• Darren Matthews – (William Regal)
• Rena Mero – (Sable)
• Shawn Michaels
• Mike Mizanin [90]
• Kevin Nash
• Paul Orndorff
• Al Poling – (911)
• Axl Rotten
• Matt Sydal
• Matt Wiese – (Luther Reigns)
• Torrie Wilson

[edit]

Other sports

• Monica Abbott – Softball
• Holly Davis – Field Hockey
• Stephan Eberharter – Skiing
• Mirko Filipovic – Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts
• Francis X. Gorman – Diving
• Dorothy Hamill – Skating
• Erik Poul Hoejer – Badminton
• Kirk Tarren *The Giant*
• Andy Hug – Kickboxing
• Bruce Jenner – Decathlon
• Gary Kasparov – Chess Grandmaster
• Greg Louganis – Diving
• Cat Osterman – Softball
• Peter Rasmussen – Badminton
• Bob Sapp – Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts
• Mark Spitz – Swimming
• Staciana Stitts – Swimming
• Murray Walker – Television commentator for motor racing
• Carter Williams – Kickboxing
• Sir Clive Woodward – Rugby and football (soccer) coach

[edit]

Philosophers

• Friedrich Nietzsche
• Martha Nussbaum

[edit]

Miscellaneous

• Buzz Aldrin
• F. Lee Bailey
• Duncan Bannatyne [91]
• Bonnie Bernstein
• Neils Bohr
• Norman Chad
• Jennie Corner (Big Brother 7 star)
• Jeff Corwin [92]
• Vanessa Del Rio
• Ehud -The Bible, book of Judges 3:12-4:1. Killed King Eglon of Moab.
• Richard P. Feynman
• Henry Ford
• Bill Gates [93]
• Uri Geller
• Nikki Grahame (Big Brother 7 star)
• Alan Greenspan – Golfs left-handed. [94]
• Matt Groening [95] – His Simpsons characters Bart Simpson, Montgomery Burns, Ned Flanders and many others are all left handed. Flanders even runs a left-handed store, the Leftorium, and faces competition from two other left-handed stores, Leftopolis and the mega-chain Left-Mart.
• Petri Hawkins-Byrd
• Brittany Hensel
• Ken Jennings [96]
• Kate Lawler (Big brother winner)
• Stan Lee
• Jay Leno [97]
• Lawrence Lessig
• Lev Leviev
• Marshall McLuhan
• Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth
• Hitoshi Matsumoto
• Shigeru Miyamoto – Ambidextrous, but prefers his left hand for designing his game characters.
• Sara Moulton
• Jack Osbourne
• Justine Pasek
• Ivan Pavlov
• Kim Peek [98]
• Fiona Phillips – GMTV presenter
• Paul Prudhomme
• Pat Robertson
• David Rockefeller
• John Romero
• Kevin Rose
• Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr.
• Sir Peter Scott
• Ben Shepard – GMTV presenter
• Richard Simmons
• Nikola Tesla – Ambidextrous, born lefthanded
• Lea Walker (Big Brother 7 star)
• Jacques Abramoff
• Rufus the Naked Mole Rat, featured in the Disney Channel cartoon Kim Possible
• Brent Daigle – Educator

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