Coincidence is the key here - The name denotes someone entirely different, the identitiy of the names is pure coincidence.
First or surname - sorry, but that would be a big hint. It's one word, though.
Yes, it is between the belts.
Nationality - no way, man 8)

Edit:
Ah, one more point: I am from Europe. There is no such thing as a "famous" baseball or a "famous" American football player. That would be an oxymoron. I mean, seriously. 8)

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