d
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Dominique Dawes
Activist, Gymnast / 1976 -
In 1996, Dominique Dawes won Olympic gold with the U.S. women's gymnastics team as well as an individual bronze medal—becoming the first African American to win an individual Olympic medal in women's gymnastics.
See full bio
(1976-)
Activist, Gymnast
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Oscar De La Hoya
Boxer / 1973 -
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer who is best known for his winning bouts in six different weight classes, and for his popular televised fights.
See full bio
(1973-)
Boxer
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Ronaldo
Soccer Player / 1976 -
Soccer player Ronaldo starred for the Brazilian national team and several European clubs over the course of a career that spanned nearly two decades.
See full bio
(1976-)
Soccer Player
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Dizzy Dean
Baseball Player / 1911 - 1974
Dizzy Dean was a Major League Baseball pitcher who led the St. Louis Cardinals to World Series victory in 1937.
See full bio
(1911-1974)
Baseball Player
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Juan Martin del Potro
Tennis Player / 1988 -
Juan Martin del Potro became the youngest tennis player to finish in the Top 10. He was the first Argentine to achieve the Grand Slam singles final since 2005.
See full bio
(1988-)
Tennis Player
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Jack Dempsey
Boxer / 1895 - 1983
Jack Dempsey -- known as the "Manassa Mauler" -- was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1919-1926.
See full bio
(1895-1983)
Boxer
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Jupp Derwall
Coach, Soccer Player / 1927 - 2007
During his tenure as national coach, German association football (soccer) manager Jupp Derwall guided West Germany the 1980 European championship title.
See full bio
(1927-2007)
Coach, Soccer Player
-
Henri Desgrange
Cyclist / 1865 - 1940
French bicyclist Henri Desgrange is best known for organizing the first Tour de France.
See full bio
(1865-1940)
Cyclist
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Gail Devers
Track and Field Athlete / 1966 -
American track athlete Gail Devers overcame Graves disease, a thyroid disorder, to win Olympic gold medals in 1992 and 1996.
See full bio
(1966-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Joe DiMaggio
Baseball Player / 1914 - 1999
Joe DiMaggio was one of the best all-round baseball players in the history of the game, helping the NY Yankees to nine World Series titles.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1914-1999)
Baseball Player
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Novak Djokovic
Tennis Player / 1987 -
Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic won the 2011 Wimbledon Championship, becoming the number one tennis player in the world.
See full bio
(1987-)
Tennis Player
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Larry Doby
Baseball Player, Coach / 1923 - 2003
Baseball player Larry Doby was the second African American player in the major leagues and first in the American League when he joined the Cleveland Indians.
See full bio
(1923-2003)
Baseball Player, Coach
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Landon Donovan
Soccer Player / 1982 -
Professional soccer player Landon Donovan led the U.S. national team to the quarterfinals in the 2002 World Cup.
See full bio
(1982-)
Soccer Player
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Gabby Douglas
Gymnast / 1995 -
Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas is best known as the first African American to win the individual all-around event. She also won a team gold medal for the U.S. at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
See full bio
(1995-)
Gymnast
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Donald Driver
Children's Activist, Football Player / 1975 -
American football wide receiver Donald Driver, drafted by the Greenbay Packers in 1999, won the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars in May 2012.
See full bio
(1975-)
Children's Activist, Football Player
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Didier Drogba
Soccer Player / 1978 -
Didier Drogba has earned worldwide acclaim as a professional soccer player and champion for peace in his native Ivory Coast.
See full bio
(1978-)
Soccer Player
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Fred Dryer
Television Actor, Football Player, Producer / 1946 -
NFL player Fred Dryer played for the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams before starting his acting career. He starred on the TV action series Hunter.
See full bio
(1946-)
Television Actor, Football Player, Producer
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Tim Duncan
Basketball Player / 1976 -
Basketball player Tim Duncan has led the San Antonio Spurs to multiple championships and is widely hailed as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.
See full bio
(1976-)
Basketball Player
-
Kevin Durant
Basketball Player / 1988 -
Kevin Durant is a top-scoring American professional basketball player, who plays for the National Basketball Association's Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.
See full bio
(1988-)
Basketball Player
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Leo Durocher
Baseball Player, Coach / 1905 - 1991
Biography.com profiles baseball player and manager Leo Durocher, who played managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Giants, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.
See full bio
(1905-1991)
Baseball Player, Coach
e
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Dale Earnhardt
Race Car Driver / 1951 - 2001
Dale Earnhardt was a champion stock car driver with NASCAR who won seven championships. He died in the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001
See full bio
(1951-2001)
Race Car Driver
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Ashton Eaton
Track and Field Athlete / 1988 -
At the Summer Games in London, Ashton Eaton—the youngest to member of the U.S. decathlon team that year, at age 24—took home the decathlon gold medal.
See full bio
(1988-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Gertrude Ederle
Professional Swimmer / 1905 - 2003
American swimmer Gertrude Ederle achieved fame when she competed in the 1924 Olympics and became the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926.
See full bio
(1905-2003)
Professional Swimmer
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Carl Edwards
Race Car Driver / 1979 -
NASCAR driver Carl Edwards won his first NEXTEL Cup in 2005 and continues to be one of the best drivers.
See full bio
(1979-)
Race Car Driver
-
Gareth Edwards
Athlete / 1947 -
Welsh rugby player Gareth Edwards played for Wales and the British Lions. During his career, he won the Five Nations Championship 11 times.
See full bio
(1947-)
Athlete
-
Teresa Edwards
Basketball Player / 1964 -
Teresa Edwards is an American basketball player best known for winning five Olympic medals in women’s basketball including four gold and one bronze.
See full bio
(1964-)
Basketball Player
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John Elway
Football Player, Entrepreneur / 1960 -
During his 14-year career as a quarterback with the Denver Broncos, athlete John Elway passed for more than 50,000 yards and 300 touchdowns.
See full bio
(1960-)
Football Player, Entrepreneur
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Jessica Ennis
Track and Field Athlete / 1986 -
British track and field star Jessica Ennis won a gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
See full bio
(1986-)
Track and Field Athlete
-
Sara Errani
Tennis Player / 1987 -
Italian tennis player Sara Errani has won several honors, including two WTA singles titles and six WTA doubles titles. She lost to Maria Sharapova in the final round of the 2012 French Open.
See full bio
(1987-)
Tennis Player
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Julius Erving
Basketball Player / 1950 -
Hall of Fame basketball forward Julius Erving, or "Dr. J," was an acrobatic player in the NBA and ABA. His dunks and graceful play helped change the game.
See full bio
(1950-)
Basketball Player
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Marlen Esparza
Boxer / 1989 -
Boxer Marlen Esparza is the first American female to qualify in her sport at the Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, she won a bronze medal.
See full bio
(1989-)
Boxer
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Lee Evans
Track and Field Athlete / 1947 -
American runner Lee Evans won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City and set a world record that lasted for two decades.
See full bio
(1947-)
Track and Field Athlete
-
Chris Evert
Tennis Player / 1954 -
Chris Evert became the youngest tennis player to reach the semifinals of the U.S. championship in 1971. She reigned for 7 years as the #1 player in the world.
See full bio
(1954-)
Tennis Player
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Barney Ewell
Track and Field Athlete / 1918 - 1996
Barney Ewell was one of the leading sprinters of the 1940s, and won three medals at the 1948 Olympics.
See full bio
(1918-1996)
Track and Field Athlete
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Patrick Ewing
Basketball Player, Coach / 1962 -
Patrick Ewing is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player best known for winning Olympic Gold Medals in 1984 and 1992 for U.S. Men's Basketball.
See full bio
(1962-)
Basketball Player, Coach
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Ezzard Charles
Boxer / 1921 - 1975
Ezzard Charles was American world heavyweight boxing champion from 1950, when he outpointed Joe Louis to 1951, when he was knocked out by Jersey Joe Walcott.
See full bio
(1921-1975)
Boxer
f
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Cesc Fàbregas
Soccer Player / 1987 -
Soccer player Cesc Fàbregas has starred for the Arsenal and FC Barcelona clubs and led Spain to multiple championships in international competition.
See full bio
(1987-)
Soccer Player
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Nick Faldo
Golfer / 1957 -
British golfer Nick Faldo won three Masters tournaments and three British Opens before becoming a television golf analyst.
See full bio
(1957-)
Golfer
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Brett Favre
Football Player / 1969 -
Quarterback Brett Favre led the Green Bay Packers to victory in Super Bowl XXXI, and is the all-time leader in career passing yards and touchdowns.
See full bio
(1969-)
Football Player
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Roger Federer
Tennis Player, Philanthropist / 1981 -
Tennis pro Roger Federer was the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title. In 2012, he became a seven-time Wimbledon champion, tying with Pete Sampras for the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks.
See full bio
(1981-)
Tennis Player, Philanthropist
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Allyson Felix
Track and Field Athlete / 1985 -
Allyson Felix is a three-time Olympic gold medalist. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she won two gold medals, in the women's 200 and the 4-by-100-meter relay.
See full bio
(1985-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Bob Feller
Baseball Player / 1918 - 2010
Bob Feller was the first 20th-century pitcher to pitch three no-hit games, and his record of 348 season strikeouts stood for 19 years.
See full bio
(1918-2010)
Baseball Player
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Alex Ferguson
Coach, Soccer Player / 1941 -
Alex Ferguson is a Scottish soccer player known for his highly successful, long-term management of the Manchester United league.
See full bio
(1941-)
Coach, Soccer Player
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Derek Fisher
Basketball Player / 1974 -
An NBA point guard, Derek Fisher was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers when they won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002.
See full bio
(1974-)
Basketball Player
-
Peggy Fleming
Ice Skater / 1948 -
Figure skater Peggy Fleming won the only U.S. gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Later, she publicly battled breast cancer, beating it with radiation therapy.
See full bio
(1948-)
Ice Skater
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Mick Foley
Athlete, Television Personality / 1965 -
Mick Foley is a professional wrestler with WWE, Inc. who wrestles under the names Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind. He wrote a best-selling autobiography.
See full bio
(1965-)
Athlete, Television Personality
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George Foreman
Boxer, Entrepreneur, Minister / 1949 -
George Foreman is a retired American boxer who twice won boxing's heavyweight championship. After retiring, he became a popular pitchman.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1949-)
Boxer, Entrepreneur, Minister
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Rube Foster
Baseball Player / 1879 - 1930
Rube Foster was a baseball player and manager who organized the Negro National League, the first long-lasting professional league for African American players.
See full bio
(1879-1930)
Baseball Player
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Leryn Franco
Athlete / 1982 -
Paraguayan model and javelin thrower Leryn Franco received wide fame after competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, but not for her athleticism alone—her good looks are equally, if not more, responsible for her mass appeal.
See full bio
(1982-)
Athlete
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Missy Franklin
Professional Swimmer / 1995 -
At the 2012 London Olympics, Missy Franklin won gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes, and two more gold medals with the 4-by-200-meter and 4-by-100-meter relay teams.
See full bio
(1995-)
Professional Swimmer
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Dawn Fraser
Athlete / 1937 -
Australian Dawn Fraser was the first woman swimmer to win gold medals in three consecutive Olympic Games (1956, 1960, 1964).
See full bio
(1937-)
Athlete
-
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Track and Field Athlete / 1986 -
Sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce became the first Jamaican woman to win the 100-meter Olympic gold medal in 2008. She won her second straight 100-meter Olympic gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
See full bio
(1986-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Joe Frazier
Boxer / 1944 - 2011
Joe Frazier was the world heavyweight boxing champion from February 1970 until January 1973 and fought in the famous "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975.
See full bio
(1944-2011)
Boxer
-
Walt Frazier
Basketball Player / 1945 -
Walt Frazier was a basketball player who was one of the finest professional guards in the late 1960s and early '70s.
See full bio
(1945-)
Basketball Player
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Dallas Friday
Athlete / 1986 -
Dallas Friday is a champion professional wakeboarder. She won silver and gold medals at the X-Games and an ESPY Award for Best Female Sport Athlete.
See full bio
(1986-)
Athlete
g
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Kevin Garnett
Basketball Player / 1976 -
Kevin Garnett is an American professional basketball player who is considered one of the most versatile and dominant players of his time.
See full bio
(1976-)
Basketball Player
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Pau Gasol
Children's Activist, Basketball Player / 1980 -
Spanish professional basketball player Pau Gasol is a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was Spain's flag bearer during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
See full bio
(1980-)
Children's Activist, Basketball Player
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Justin Gatlin
Track and Field Athlete / 1982 -
Justin Gatlin sprinted to fame by setting a world record in the 100-meter race. Months later, he tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended. Gatlin is slated to make a comeback at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
See full bio
(1982-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Tyson Gay
Track and Field Athlete / 1982 -
Tyson Gay is a track and field athlete who specializes in sprinting. He placed fourth in the men's 100 at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, following a hamstring injury.
See full bio
(1982-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Lou Gehrig
Baseball Player / 1903 - 1941
Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s, setting the mark for consecutive games played. He died of ALS in 1941.
See full bio
(1903-1941)
Baseball Player
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Bernice Gera
Women's Rights Activist, Baseball Player / 1931 - 1992
Bernice Gera became the first female umpire of a baseball game in 1972, but later resigned, reportedly because other umpires refused to work with her.
See full bio
(1931-1992)
Women's Rights Activist, Baseball Player
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Althea Gibson
Golfer, Tennis Player / 1927 - 2003
Tennis star Althea Gibson was the first African American to play at Wimbledon. She also broke racial barriers in professional golf.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1927-2003)
Golfer, Tennis Player
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Frank Gifford
Football Player, Television Personality / 1930 -
Football player Frank Gifford played receiver and running back for the New York Giants. He made a second career out of sports broadcasting on TV and radio.
See full bio
(1930-)
Football Player, Television Personality
-
Lucas Glover
Golfer / 1979 -
Lucas Glover is a professional golfer who has been in the top 30 on the earnings list since 2005.
See full bio
(1979-)
Golfer
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Juan Gonzalez
Baseball Player / 1969 -
Baseball player Juan Gonzalez, considered by some to be the best Puerto Rican player since Roberto Clemente, played for the Rangers, Tigers, Royals and Indians.
See full bio
(1969-)
Baseball Player
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Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ice Skater / 1971 -
Ekaterina Gordeeva is a Russian figure skater who, with her late partner and husband Sergei Grinkov, was a two-time Olympian and four-time world champion.
See full bio
(1971-)
Ice Skater
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Cosmo Duff Gordon
Athlete / 1862 - 1931
Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon was one of the few male first-class passengers to survive the Titanic disaster of 1912. His curious rescue came under harsh ridicule.
See full bio
(1862-1931)
Athlete
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Jeff Gordon
Race Car Driver / 1971 -
Jeff Gordon is best known as an American stock car race driver with the most wins in NASCAR modern history (1972-present).
See full bio
(1971-)
Race Car Driver
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Steffi Graf
Tennis Player / 1969 -
Steffi Graf is an internationally renowned pro tennis player who ranked up scores of championship titles in the 1980s and '90s.
See full bio
(1969-)
Tennis Player
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Red Grange
Football Player, Radio Personality / 1903 - 1991
Red Grange was an American football player best known for his frequent touchdowns, earning him the nickname "the Galloping Ghost."
See full bio
(1903-1991)
Football Player, Radio Personality
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Hank Greenberg
Baseball Player / 1911 - 1986
Hank Greenberg became one of Major League Baseball's first Jewish super stars, while playing for the Detroit Tigers.
See full bio
(1911-1986)
Baseball Player
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Wayne Gretzky
Coach, Hockey Player / 1961 -
Arguably hockey's greatest player, Wayne Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers during his long career.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1961-)
Coach, Hockey Player
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Ken Griffey, Jr.
Baseball Player / 1969 -
American professional baseball player Ken Griffey, Jr. was a dominant power hitter of the 1990s and ranked among the best defensive outfielders of all time.
See full bio
(1969-)
Baseball Player
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Robert Griffin III
Football Player, Track and Field Athlete / 1990 -
Quarterback Robert Griffin III won the 2011 Heisman Trophy before emerging as a dynamic playmaker for the NFL's Washington Redskins.
See full bio
(1990-)
Football Player, Track and Field Athlete
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Janet Guthrie
Race Car Driver / 1938 -
Janet Guthrie was the first female racecar driver to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race, the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500.
See full bio
(1938-)
Race Car Driver
h
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Marvin Hagler
Boxer / 1954 -
Middleweight boxing champion Marvin Hagler was one of the greatest fighters of the 1970s and 1980s, holding the middleweight title for seven years.
See full bio
(1954-)
Boxer
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Dorothy Hamill
Ice Skater / 1956 -
Dorothy Hamill is a gold medal-winning Olympic figure skater known for her moves on the rink as well as her signature bobbed haircut.
See full bio
(1956-)
Ice Skater
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Laird Hamilton
Athlete, Producer, Model, Television Personality / 1964 -
Laird Hamilton is an athlete, surfer, model and television host. He is one of today’s best known big wave surfers.
See full bio
(1964-)
Athlete, Producer, Model, Television Personality
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Scott Hamilton
Ice Skater, Television Personality / 1958 -
Scott Hamilton is a U.S. Gold Medal Olympiad also known for his sports commentary and raising cancer awareness.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1958-)
Ice Skater, Television Personality
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Mia Hamm
Soccer Player / 1972 -
Mia Hamm is a former American soccer player who has scored more international goals than any other player, male or female.
See full bio
(1972-)
Soccer Player
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Tonya Harding
Ice Skater / 1970 -
Tonya Harding is a disgraced figure skater who ruined her future in th sport when she was implicated with clubbing fellow competitor Nancy Kerrigan.
See full bio
(1970-)
Ice Skater
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Padraig Harrington
Golfer, Biologist / 1971 -
Golfer Padraig Harrington won two British Open championships and the 2008 Professional Golfers’ Association of America Championship.
See full bio
(1971-)
Golfer, Biologist
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Owen Hart
Athlete / 1965 - 1999
World Wrestling Federation fans knew Owen Hart as "the Rocket" or "the Blue Blazer." He died tragically during a pre-match publicity stunt when he fell 90 feet.
See full bio
(1965-1999)
Athlete
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Robert Harting
Athlete / 1984 -
Robert Harting is a German discus thrower and Olympic gold medalist. Known for tearing open his shirt after big wins, he is often called "The Incredible Hulk."
See full bio
(1984-)
Athlete
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Tony Hawk
Professional Skateboarder / 1968 -
Tony Hawk is a professional skateboarder, probably the most famous to ever be involved in the sport.
See full bio
(1968-)
Professional Skateboarder
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Bob Hayes
Football Player, Track and Field Athlete / 1942 - 2002
Bob Hayes was a sprinter and NFL player who was remarkably powerful, with as much raw speed as any athlete in history.
See full bio
(1942-2002)
Football Player, Track and Field Athlete
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Joanna Hayes
Track and Field Athlete / 1976 -
American athlete Joanna Hayes won the gold medal in 100-meter hurdles at the 2004 Olympics, becoming only the second American in history to win the title.
See full bio
(1976-)
Track and Field Athlete
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John Heisman
Coach, Football Player / 1869 - 1936
U.S. collegiate gridiron football coach John Heisman legalized the forward pass and originated the center snap. The Heisman Trophy was named after him.
See full bio
(1869-1936)
Coach, Football Player
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Rickey Henderson
Baseball Player, Coach / 1958 -
African American Rickey Henderson is a professional baseball player best known for setting a record for the most stolen bases in major league baseball in 1991.
See full bio
(1958-)
Baseball Player, Coach
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Sonja Henie
Film Actress, Ice Skater / 1912 - 1969
Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater who won three Olympic gold medals. After retiring from skating, she acted in Hollywood films like The Thin Ice.
See full bio
(1912-1969)
Film Actress, Ice Skater
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Justine Henin
Tennis Player / 1982 -
Justine Henin is a Belgian tennis player whose strong serve and powerful one-handed backhand elevated her to the top of the women's game in the mid-2000s.
See full bio
(1982-)
Tennis Player
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Orlando Hernández
Baseball Player / 1965 -
Orlando Hernández fled Cuba for America after being banned from baseball in 1997. He signed with the New York Yankees and helped them win three World Series.
See full bio
(1965-)
Baseball Player
-
Lleyton Hewitt
(1981-)
Tennis Player
-
Edmund Hillary
Athlete, Explorer, Philanthropist / 1919 - 2008
20th century explorer and mountaineer Edmund Hillary was the first to reach the peak of Mt. Everest along with fellow climber Tenzing Norgay.
See full bio
(1919-2008)
Athlete, Explorer, Philanthropist
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Martina Hingis
Tennis Player / 1980 -
Teenage Martina Hingis was the top women's tennis player in the world in the late 1990s, but ankle injuries and a cocaine scandal cut her career short.
See full bio
(1980-)
Tennis Player
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Hulk Hogan
Animal Rights Activist, Athlete, Reality Television Star / 1953 -
Hulk Hogan was one of the most beloved figures in the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s, known for his flamboyance and the frenzy of his fans—Hulkamania.
See full bio
(1953-)
Animal Rights Activist, Athlete, Reality Television Star
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Larry Holmes
Boxer / 1949 -
Larry Holmes was an American heavyweight boxing champion in the late 1970s and early 1980s who was known for his solid defense.
See full bio
(1949-)
Boxer
-
Santonio Holmes
Football Player / 1984 -
American football player Santonio Holmes was named MVP of Super Bowl XLIII after making the game-winning touchdown catch for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
See full bio
(1984-)
Football Player
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Evander Holyfield
Boxer / 1962 -
Boxer Evander Holyfield fought in the Olympics and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1990 to 1992, and again from 1993 to 1994. In an infamous bout in 1996, Holyfield's ear was bitten by Mike Tyson.
See full bio
(1962-)
Boxer
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Dwight Howard
Children's Activist, Basketball Player / 1985 -
American professional basketball player Dwight Howard began playing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012. Prior to that, he was a star with the Orlando Magic.
See full bio
(1985-)
Children's Activist, Basketball Player