MLB player wants to race Bengals WR John Ross

Queen City, more like Speed City.

(Nods self-approvingly at obvious witty lead.)

When the Bengals drafted the fastest man in football, John Ross, in the first-round last week it created a hotbed of speed in Cincinnati, where baseball hot rod Billy Hamilton already resided.

As is the case when any new kid moves onto the block, Hamilton is challenging Ross to a race to determine true speed superiority.

"It's something I look forward to. I'm a competitor, if something happens with him, it happens," Hamilton said Thursday, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We'll do it for a charity event. I'm willing to do it."

Ross set the NFL Combine record with a 4.22-second 40-yard dash. Hamilton leads the MLB in stolen bases and owns 200 in his five-year pro career. The Cincinnati Reds' outfielder said he hasn't run a 40-yard dash since ninth grade, but did it in 4.5 seconds.

"I think we could do 40 and I think it'd be a good race for the city and for me and him to get our names out there," Hamilton said. "It's something we could look forward to looking into, our agents [could talk] and see how it goes."

Ross has yet to respond publicly to Hamilton, but you can bet with Bengals rookie minicamp opening this weekend, the wideout will be asked about the gauntlet being thrown.

Here is hoping the speedsters race. The world needs more street races.