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Fan IQ, which despite its URL, is not pronounced “faneek,” ranks the Nats’ own Elijah Dukes as fifth-best athlete in modern history when it comes to producing out-of-wedlock children (I’m not down with the term “illegitimate,” sorry). It’s even somewhat scientific: Author “100%InjuryRate” determined the average number of o-o-w kids produced by pro athletes by dividing playing careers by children. Hot NFL prospect Darren McFadden leads the list with three kids in four years, giving him a “production rate” of .75 kids/year.
Dukes, the blog claims, has fathered six children, four out of wedlock. I can only find five, three out of wedlock, though I’m not sure what became of this charming episode. (Dave Sheinin in the Post played it safe recently, saying “He fathered at least five children with four women between 2003 and 2006, court records show”). Under Fan IQ’s formula, that would drop Dukes to .500, a tie with Santonio Holmes.
Still, it’s important to remember that Dukes is only 23.