Most Gruesome Sports Injuries

To end off the summer, here are some of sport's most gruesome injuries (some of these made my fingers weak...), courtesy of Sports Illustrated's 10 Spot

(New Addition, #2, #3, #5, and #7 are the really freaky ones....You can check out the videos for #2 and #5 on YouTube)

NEW ADDITION: Cubs catcher Michael Barrett will be out at least two to three weeks after he was hit in the groin with a foul tip Saturday and underwent surgery. (Warning: The faint of heart might want to turn away before the next sentence.) An ultrasound taken at the emergency room Saturday showed bleeding inside Barrett's scrotum. Barrett actually batted in the half-inning after sustaining the injury, which is remarkable because I can barely type through the pain caused by merely reading about bleeding inside the ... ahhhhh! Oh, the humanity!

1. Carlos Beltran-Mike Cameron collision, 2005: The Padres' David Ross hit a sinking liner to medium right-center on Aug. 11 to set off this violent smash-up. Center fielder Beltran and Cameron, a former center fielder playing right, both dove after the ball and crashed face-to-face at full speed. Cameron fared the worst of the two, necessitating surgery to repair multiple facial fractures. He has yet to return but is expected back in 2006. Beltran suffered a hairline facial fracture and missed a week of action.

2. Joe Theismann's broken leg, 1985: The fact that Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor fell on Theismann's leg on the primetime stage of Monday Night Football has made this the most indelible of injuries. Theismann dropped back on a flea-flicker that did not fool the Giants defense and was swarmed by three defenders. Fans could sense that something was very wrong when L.T. immediately and furiously called for medical help. A reverse angle clearly showed why; Theismann's right leg had snapped clean in two. The compound fracture ended Theismann's playing career but launched one in broadcasting.

3. Clint Malarchuk's sliced jugular, 1989: The Sabres goalie had his neck slashed in a freak incident when Blues forward Steve Tuttle slid into him skates-first. Malarchuk's blood gushed in an arc and created a pool on the ice, causing nine fans to faint and two to suffer heart attacks. Sabres trainer Jim Pizzutelli, however, was able to stanch the bleeding by applying pressure to the six-inch wound and doctors sewed the vein back together. Amazingly, Malarchuk was back on the ice a few weeks later.

4. Dave Dravecky's broken arm, 1989: Giants pitcher Dravecky won his first start in an inspiring return from cancer in his left (pitching) arm. In his second start, though, Dravecky's arm shattered while throwing a pitch against the Expos. Later that season, Dravecky broke the arm again after getting caught in a celebratory dogpile when the Giants clinched the pennant. Cancer later returned to the arm, leading doctors to amputate in 1991. Today, the very religious Dravecky says he considers the cancer a blessing since it's enabled him to meet and counsel others facing such obstacles.

5. Tim Krumrie's broken leg, 1989: The Bengals' All-Pro nose guard was trying to tackle 49ers running back Roger Craig in Super Bowl XXIII when his left ankle caught in the turf and twisted nearly 180 degrees. The result was two broken bones and gasps in living rooms throughout America. Krumrie had a 15-inch rod inserted in the leg and returned the next season, but was never the same player.

6. Jason Kendall's shattered ankle, 1999: Kendall, then the Pirates' catcher, was trying to beat out a bunt when his right foot landed awkwardly on the first-base bag. All four ligaments in the ankle snapped, leaving his foot dangling hideously from his leg. The sight was so gruesome that a Pirates trainer draped Kendall's leg with a towel as the player went into shock. Kendall made a terrific return the next season, however, batting .320 with 22 steals and making his second All-Star team.

7. Mark Howe crashing into the net, 1980: Playing for the Whalers against the Islanders, the defenseman lost his balance and slid feet-first into the Hartford net. The force of his skates hitting the back netting tipped up the goalposts and the sharply pointed metal centerpiece that was then used to hold together the goal frame. That point ripped through his hockey pants and impaled several inches into his right buttock, scraping the rectum and narrowly missing his testicles, sphincter, and spine. Remarkably, Howe returned to the ice six weeks later and played on for more than a decade. His injury also helped convince the NHL to use nets that would dislodge more easily and safely if struck with such force.

8. Bryce Florie getting hit in the eye, 2000: Pitching in relief for the Red Sox in Fenway Park, Florie was struck square in the right eye by a line drive hit by the Yankees' Ryan Thompson. The ball fractured several bones in Florie's face and left him with lingering vision problems. Florie did return to pitch seven games for the Red Sox in 2001 but has generally struggled, sitting out the entire 2003 season with blurred vision and headaches. He appeared close to a promotion early last season after pitching well for the Marlins' Class AAA team before suffering a season-ending elbow injury. Florie continues to struggle with that injury.

9. Willis McGahee's blown-out knee, 2003: Late in the fourth quarter of the national championship game at the Fiesta Bowl, then University of Miami back McGahee's left knee wrenched at an angle not intended by nature during a tackle. McGahee tore both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the knee while his Hurricanes were upset in overtime by Ohio State. Despite the injury, McGahee still entered the NFL Draft where, in a surprise move, he was selected by the Bills late in the first round. He has since taken over Buffalo's starting tailback position.

10. Rudy Tomjanovich's shattered face, 1977: In what has become known as The Punch, the Rockets forward was hustling toward an on-court fracas between teammate Kevin Kunnert and Lakers forward Kermit Washington to break it up. Sensing someone approaching from behind, Washington wheeled and nailed Tomjanovich flush in the face with a straight right hand. Tomjanovich nearly died from the blow and later needed five surgeries to repair the damage. Washington, meanwhile, was suspended for a then record 60 days. The two players have since reconciled and Washington served as an assistant coach in the NBDL this past season.