The United States has been the hub of talent in all fields, and sports are no different. Americans have made an indelible impact on sports history over the past century, with several elite athletes making their mark both on their sport and in American pop culture as well.
These athletes have competed at the highest levels of their sport and have consistently placed near the top of world rankings, or set records that stand the test of time and will never be broken by another American athlete.
According to Eric Lindstrom, Utah has had its share of sports stars too, but the greatest of them overall include the following.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was a professional baseball player from 1914 to 1935. He began his career with the Boston Red Sox as an outfielder.
His skill at hitting earned him a spot in the lineup, and he became one of the best-known sports icons of the 1920s.
Ruth’s home run hitting prowess led to two terms as head of Major League Baseball, first as commissioner and then as president. His accomplishments on and off the field made him one of America’s greatest sports heroes.
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is one of the most famous sports figures in history, largely for his boxing prowess. He was born Cassius Clay and became a world champion when he won gold at the 1960 Olympics. A few years later he changed his name to Muhammad Ali and converted to Islam.
He went on to become one of the most iconic figures in boxing, with a record of 56 wins out of 60 professional fights, including 37 knockouts.
In 1970, he was sentenced to five years in prison (he never served time). The sentence stripped him of his title and license and barred him from fighting until it was overturned by US Supreme Court four years later.
Michael Jordan
Jordan is considered by many to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships, and in his first three years as a professional, he averaged a triple-double – meaning he averaged more than 10 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 10 assists per game.
Jordan was also a dominant baseball player, playing nine seasons with the Chicago White Sox and hitting .202 with 3 home runs.
In 1993, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue his dream of becoming a Major League Baseball player but returned to play for the Bulls after three seasons. Jordan would go on to win six NBA titles before finally retiring for good in 2003.
Tiger Woods
At age 18, Tiger Woods became the youngest golfer to win a major championship. Woods holds countless records and has won an unprecedented 12 majors by age 32.
He is one of only five golfers to have won more than 200 tournaments on tour, with 82 PGA Tour victories.
In 2008, he was named Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Decade. Woods was ranked as the world’s highest-paid athlete for a record nine straight years from 2002 to 2010.
Conclusion
Eric Lindstrom, Jr believes that some of the greatest American athletes have come and gone, but these are a few who not only revolutionized their sport but also made their mark on society.
They have been inducted into sports halls of fame, won prestigious awards, and left legacies that will be remembered for decades to come.
