Sportsmaster
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Real Identity: Lawrence "Crusher" Crock
Affiliation(s): League of Shadows and The Light
Appearances: Drop Zone, Targets, Misplaced, Insecurity, Usual Suspects, Salvage, Satisfaction, True Colors, Complications, Intervention, Triptych, Tale of Two Sisters, and Artemis Through the Looking Glass
Appearances (Comics): Rabbit Holes and Hot Mess: Memory One
Appearances (Games): Legacy
Powers/Skills: Photographic Reflexes, Armed Combat, Above Average Physical Attributes, and Piloting
Voiced By: Nick Chinlund
Lawrence Crock is an ex-athlete who became a professional criminal. A master of martial arts (and every other athletic endeavor), Crock uses his prowess and customized sports equipment as Sportsmaster. He is a former freelance assassin for the League of Shadows. He later became affiliated with the mysterious organization known as the Light as its personal enforcer. Sportsmaster was determined to raise both his daughters to be assassins and join the 'family business.' He raised them in a violent and verbally abusive environment. Eventually, his oldest daughter Jade ran away from home only to become an assassin for the League of Shadows. For six years, he raised and trained his second daughter Artemis. On July 31st, Crock rejected an ultimatum from his estranged wife, Paula, to retire from "the life" and left the family apartment.
At an unspecified time, Artemis saw Sportsmaster with Professor Ivo, up to no good. Two of Sportsmaster's known tasks for the Light was to supply the Kobra Cult with the Blockbuster formula and procure a shipment of Kobra Venom from Santa Prisca. On July 22nd, as Sportsmaster attempted to leave, Miss Martian activated an explosive placed in the helicopter transport. Sportsmaster safely parachuted out and managed to save one ampoule of Kobra Venom. He came before the Light and reported the unexpected events.
On September 7th, Sportsmaster was routed to Taipei to extract Cheshire from a holding cell at the Taipei City Police Department headquarters. He then took her to Ra's Al Ghul for further orders and fought Red Arrow. After leaving Arrow for dead, the two returned to the Rhelasian peace summit to continue the mission. Sportsmaster arrived with a helicopter escort and engaged Aqualad. During the battle, Sportmaster hinted at having an inside source leading Aqualad to conduct a secret investigation after the summit concluded. Later in the month, Sportsmaster went to Vlatava to assassinate King Josef Vladek after the League of Shadows accepted a contract on his life. In Vlatavastok, he encountered Red Arrow. He performed a hammer throw that Arrow ducked then fired an arrow. Sportsmaster caught it and snapped it in half, used the Broken Arrow trigger, and knocked Red Arrow out with one punch. He killed King Josef in the royal palace.
On November 5th, Sportsmaster took part in a mission for the Light. He and Riddler were tasked with stealing the remains of Starro from S.T.A.R. Labs in Gotham City. Sportsmaster, sans costume, incited a riot outside the lab to distract the Gotham City Police Department officers posted outside. Once Riddler stole the echinoderm, Sportsmaster slipped away and picked him up in a getaway car. The remains was personally delivered to the Brain. On December 4th, 22:06 Central Standard Time (CST), Sportsmaster scaled the exterior of the Belle Reve Penitentiary. At 22:07 CST, the security system laser grid went offline and Sportsmaster entered the facility. He extracted Professor Ivo and they departed aboard a delivery truck. On December 5th, Sportsmaster brought Ivo to New Orleans where he was tasked with working alongside The Brain and Klarion. At 21:27 CST, he left for Orleans Parish to meet up with Ivo's train and procure an attache case containing a MONQI droid and Utility Fog.
While Cheshire engaged the Team, Sportsmaster returned to New Orleans. He later fought the Team until Klarion teleported everyone away. On December 6th, 03:44 EST, Sportsmaster sneaked into Artemis' bedroom and awaited her return. He gave her the chance to switch sides. On December 30th, Sportsmaster appeared on Santa Prisca alongside Lex Luthor and Queen Bee. Sportsmaster was immobilized with Apokoliptian Weaponry then knocked out by Artemis. Sportsmaster's mask was taken as a souvenir for Kid Flash.
On February 17th, Team Year Five, Sportsmaster, aided by henchmen and League of Shadows ninja, stormed the Museum of Natural History in Athens. He was tasked with finding the Tiamat statue fragment excavated by Dr. Sandsmark near Olympia. Sportsmaster eavesdropped on Alpha Squad's conversation with Aquagirl and took the elevator to the top floor, where the fragment was on display in the Antiquities wing. Sportsmaster procured the fragment but was confronted by Alpha. Alpha dispatched Sportsmaster and his henchmen but his exit finally arrived, a helicopter. Artemis managed to shoot a tracer on Sportsmaster's left shoe before he escaped. Sportsmaster was dropped off at Verhoyansk, where Icicle Jr. was busy excavating another fragment. The Team followed Artemis' tracer and made their way to Sportsmaster, who was busy chiding Junior and musing Icicle Sr. may have been a better choice. Just as the second fragment was found, Alpha Squad arrived to challenge them for it. They defeated both Junior and Sportsmaster and took the fragments. However, Junior and Sportsmaster evaded capture and fled the camp.
In July, Team Year Five, Sportsmaster was sent with Deathstroke to Kord Industries in El Paso to take the Scarab. The two were opposed by Blue Beetle. An explosion was set off and Blue Beetle lost his life but the Scarab was not stolen. Instead, it bonded with Jaime Reyes outside Kord Industries. On February 13th, Team Year Six, Sportsmaster and Partner observed the Appellaxian Golem in Arlington. While Partner continued to watch, Sportsmaster dealt with Ugly Mannheim and Whisper A'Daire. Through unknown means, he rendered the pair non-responsive, similar to a telepathic attack, as a warning to those who would stray from the Light. On March 21st, Crusher Crock declared he wanted a reckoning with Black Manta over the death of Artemis by the latter's son, Aqualad.
On April 9th, Sportsmaster stated his grievances to the Light. He would not accept reparations under the impression if word got out he took a pay off, his reputation would be further tarnished. Instead, Sportsmaster proposed an eye of an eye. Black Manta refused to relinquish Kaldur'ahm. Sportsmaster anticipated this and attacked Black Manta. However, Black Manta was spared thanks to the Light's replacement enforcer Deathstroke. At 07:12 Indochina Time (ICT), Sportsmaster left the meeting and boarded a helicopter piloted by Cheshire. With his formal request denied and position in the Light terminated, Sportsmaster was now free to kill Black Manta to save his reputation.
On May 27th, Sportsmaster and Cheshire infiltrated the Manta Sub. He engaged Black Manta in single combat but was interrupted by Manta Troopers and Tigress. Before he could kill Tigress, Sportsmaster was brought to the mental plane by Miss Martian. He didn't believe Tigress was Artemis and thought it was just a Martian illusion. At Artemis' behest, she and Sportsmaster were returned to their bodies. Tigress bested Sportsmaster with a move he taught his daughter. Sportsmaster accepted the truth and was amused by the her daughter's role in playing Black Manta and the Light for chumps. As a favor, he blew up the communications room to cover up Tigress' role in Miss Martian's liberation from her Proprietary Collar. However, while he and Cheshire prepared to leave, they were attacked by Deathstroke and Tigress. Miss Martian arrived and allowed Sportsmaster and Cheshire to leave.