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Sean Connery’s sports legacy: Manchester United, the U.S. Open and tipsy press conference interruptions

Sean Connery, the legendary Scottish actor known for playing James Bond, has died. He was 90.

Connery leaves behind a rich filmography, which includes seven James Bond films, “The Untouchables,” “The Rock” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” among many others.

While Connery will be remembered as an actor, things almost didn’t end up that way. Before his big break, Connery nearly signed with Manchester United, according to the Indian Express. No, seriously.

Connery, who played for a Scottish football club in the 1950s, reportedly received an offer of £25 (or a little over $32) a week from then-Manchester United manager Matt Busby. Connery turned down that offer, saying his career in soccer would be done by the time he was 30.

Connery’s love of soccer didn’t end when he became an actor. He also narrated the 1982 World Cup film.

Sean Connery was also a big tennis fan

Connery also developed a love of tennis over the years. He frequently attended the U.S. Open, and was at the event in both 2015 and 2017.

Connery’s greatest appearance at the event, however, came in 2012, when he crashed Andy Murray’s press conference.

Connery was at the event with legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Apparently, they, along with Murray’s mother, Judy, consumed a fair amount of wine during Murray’s match, according to Sports Illustrated.

ANDY MURRAY: [To Judy] You smell of wine. (Laughter.)

JUDY MURRAY: He [Ferguson] made me have wine. He's just been telling me that Scotland invented the world.

SIR ALEX FERGUSON: Been coming here the last three years to New York, and I explained how Scotland invented the world; today we invented the wine. (Laughter.)

SIR SEAN CONNERY: Today they conquered the world.

Murray, who is from Scotland, had previously communicated with Connery prior to the tipsy press conference interruption, but that was reportedly the first time the two met in person.

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