When most of us think about sports, and professional athletes, “fat” is not usually a word that comes to mind. However, the truth is that some athletes are obese. They simply aren’t burning off calories at the rate they are consuming them. Sports managers and trainers may try to get some athletes in shape, but they may not be interested in losing weight. And why should they be? If a professional athlete is doing well in his or her sport, why change anything. There is no reason to lose weight if you can dominate. Here are 10 athletes who did well in their sports, in spite of being heavy:

Babe Ruth: George Herman Ruth, Jr. is probably the most famous of baseball players. He was also a large man — a large man whose nickname was “Babe“. Baseball fans still love Babe Ruth, and he is still considered one of the best players ever. He was known for high living, eating, drinking and carousing with enthusiasm. His lifestyle ensured that he would not be slim. Even so, he was still a fantastic hitter. Even in 1921, as he grew larger and larger, he had arguably his best season. David Wells: Like Babe Ruth, David Wells made his name as a pitcher. They call him “Boomer” because he is big and bad on the mound. Considered one of the premier left handed pitchers in Major League Baseball, Wells made his mark by being one of the 20 pitchers to have pitched a perfect game. He played for the Yankees and for the Red Sox, and has made several post-season appearances. You have to admit, seeing a ball thrown from this big man from the mound would be a little intimidating. Shaquille O’Neal: This big man center is a big man. He is one of the heaviest players the NBA has ever seen, weighing in at 325 pounds. To be fair, he is 7ft 1 in tall. But other tall players do not have his bulk. Shaq has been able to use his size to dominate other players on the court, and has helped different teams win NBA championships. Recently, O’Neal has been moved around a lot between teams, and he is also the oldest active player in the NBA. Basketball is in his blood and he continues to play — and play reasonably well. Glen Davis: There’s a reason that Glen Davis is referred to as “Big Baby”. It’s because he’s big. Weighing in at 289 pounds, Davis is another big man who can dominate through his size. Davis plays as a backup center sometimes, but he is most often used as a power forward. While he didn’t get a lot of playing time during the regular season, Davis rose to prominence for the Celtics during the NBA playoffs in 2010, even playing a role in the Finals series. Charles Barkley: There’s reason that announces call Charles Barkley “The Round Mound of Rebound.” He was a good rebounder, but he also had a distinctive build. He dominated players on the court, though, and had an aggressive style of play. He was also outspoken, not shy about his opinions. Fans, though, love his brash ways, and Barkley is still on the sports scene as an analyst. Barkley also writes books and follows politics. He famously announced in 2008 that he would run for Alabama governor in 2014. Jerome Bettis: Okay, so it’s hard to pick from football players that could be considered obese. There are a lot of very big guys that play football. One of them is Jerome Bettis, whose nickname is “The Bus.” And the man really is a bus. At 5 ft 11 in and 252 pounds, Bettis was able to power through a number of tackles as a back. Sometimes he even dragged his would-be tacklers into the end zone with him. Bettis is retired now, but the legend of The Bus still lives on. John Daly: One of the most famous golfers in the world is John Daly. He is famous for his driving distance, and as a result is called “Long John”. His off tee shots are considered rather dominating. Also dominating is his appearance. As someone who appears obese, Daly flouts the country club look adopted by most other golfers. Additionally, his attitude and appearance in other ways also set him apart from other golfers. But there is no denying that he is an intriguing figure — and one that still dominates on the course. André the Giant: You probably know this…giant…from The Princess Bride. However, André René Roussimoff was professional wrestler in France. And, due to his size, it is little surprise that he dominated, even winning a title, and being inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. The giant was more than 7 ft tall, and weighed more than 500 pounds. Even though his size is the result of a real condition, he also helped things along with a great deal of eating and drinking. Tony Stewart: Anthony Wayne Stewart is one of the premier auto racing drivers in the U.S. He has won titles in Indy and stock cars. He also drives in NASCAR. Stewart is known for his large size, as well as his driving ability. In addition to driving, he is also an owner. He only drives part time now. Stewart is rather large, though, and some have disparagingly joked about his ability to get into a race car. But that doesn’t change the fact that he has been a great driver, and one that has won plenty of awards. Dusty Rhodes: This professional wrestler won several National Wrestling Alliance titles. He also did well in the WCW and with WWE. Dusty is known for his polka-dot wrestling outfit, and for his expanding size. Born Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., Dusty Rhodes was known for his over the top performances, and also worked hard to be seen as a working class hero. He was known for the Bionic Elbow, a signature finishing move. Right now, Dusty still wrestles sometimes, but mainly does work as a booker and producer in Florida.