Famous Athletes a to z

Boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley won championships in three separate weight classes to forge a legacy as one of the sport's most accomplished performers.

Shirley Muldowney is recognized as one of the top professional car racers in the world, having earned the moniker "First Lady of Drag Racing."

Photographer Nickolas Muray was famous for his portraits of Hollywood beauties, his fabulous fencing skills and his romance with artist Frida Kahlo.

Andy Murray is a three-time Grand Slam runner-up. He lost to rival Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2012, but beat Federer at the 2012 Summer Olympics for the singles gold medal.

Spanish-born Rafael Nadal is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional tennis players of all time, completing the career Grand Slam by age 24, the youngest in history to achieve the feat.

Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova was one of the world's top tennis players in the 1970s and '80s.

Paul Newman came to be known as one of the finest actors of his time. He also started the Newman's Own food company, which donates all profits to charity.

Professional golfer Jack Nicklaus, nicknamed "the Golden Bear," won the U.S. Open four times and the Professional Golfers Association championship five times.

Despite his successes, Australian golfer Greg Norman earned a reputation for his inability to sustain leads in several major tournaments.

Chuck Norris has starred in such action films as Return of the Dragon and Missing in Action. He also had a hit TV series called Walker, Texas Ranger.

Standing 7 feet tall and weighing 315 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in the NBA. After his 2011 retirement, he became an on-screen league analyst.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is an English Snooker player best known as one of the most talented and awarded athletes in the sport.

Lamar Odom is an American basketball player for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, best known for playing seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, and for marrying reality star Khloé Kardashian.

Michael Oher is an NFL football player with the Baltimore Ravens. He was the subject of Michael Lewis's book, The Blind Side, and the 2009 film of the same name.

Apolo Anton Ohno is an Olympic champion speed skater who holds the record for most medals won by a U.S. Winter Olympian.

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships during the peak of his magnificent 18-year professional career.

American Gymnast John Orozco is best known for his rise to the top of the gymnastics world and participation in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

American track-and-field athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. His long jump world record stood for 25 years.

Terrell Owens is a longtime National Football League wide receiver whose career has been marked by Hall of Fame numbers and controversial statements.

Manny Pacquiao has won world boxing titles in eight different weight divisions, and is considered one of the world's best boxers.

Legendary pitcher Satchel Paige became the oldest player to join Major League baseball, with a career that spanned 40 years.

Arnold Palmer, nicknamed "The King," is a former champion golfer and is considered one of the sport's all-time greats.

As head football coach at Pennsylvania State University, Joe Paterno was one of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate football.

Danica Patrick is a female race car driver and has set several records for women drivers, including becoming the first woman to lead the Indy 500 and the first woman to win the pole position at the Daytona 500.

American boxer Floyd Patterson was the first to hold the world heavyweight championship twice. He won a gold medal in the 1952 Olympic Games.

Walter Payton was a running back for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League and is in the Football Hall of Fame.

Annie Smith Peck was a trailblazing scholar, writer and athlete who set records as a mountain climber in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A member of three Brazilian World Cup-champion teams, Pelé is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time.

American football player Adrian Peterson returned from a serious leg injury to challenge the single-season rushing record and win the NFL MVP Award in 2012.

Richard Petty is a champion NASCAR driver who was nicknamed "The King" for his record setting Daytona 500 and NASCAR championship wins.

Swimmer Michael Phelps has set the record for winning the most medals, 22, of any Olympic athlete in history.

Olympic medalist Mark Phillips is renowned as the commoner who married Princess Anne.

Oscar Pistorius, the "Blade Runner," is a South African sprint runner who became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics in 2012. In 2013, Pistorius admitted to shooting and killing his girlfriend, South African model Reeva Steenkamp.

Fritz Pollard was the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl, the first African-American NFL coach and one of the NFL's first black players.

English golfer Ian Poulter is a successful member of both the PGA and European tours.

Steve Prefontaine is best known as the runner who once held the U.S. record in every long-distance event. He died in a car crash in 1974 at age 24.

Professional athlete. Considered one of the top players in the sport, Albert Pujols is a Major League Baseball first baseman for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

British athlete Paula Radcliffe is one of the elite runners competing today, having set and broken her own record in the women's marathon.

World-ranked tennis pro Agnieszka Radwanska became the first Polish player in history to receive a WTA tour singles title—at the Nordea Nordic Light Open in Sweden.

American gymnast Aly Raisman won two gold medals and a bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, held in London.

Manny Ramirez is a Dominican-American baseball player who helped the Red Sox win the World Series after an 86-year losing streak.

One of the greatest women's beach volleyball players of all-time, Gabrielle Reece is also a successful model, actress, writer and fitness expert.

Mary Lou Retton is a retired champion gymnast who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 1984 Olympics. She was featured on the Wheaties cereal box.

Hall of Fame football wide receiver Jerry Rice played for the San Francisco 49ers and is widely considered the greatest ever to play his position.

American track star Sanya Richards-Ross won Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008, as part of the U.S. 400-meter relay team, and went on to win gold in the women's 400 meters in 2012.

Cathy Rigby is best known as a medal-winning American gymnast and Tony nominated actress for her theatrical production in Peter Pan.

Basketball coach Patrick James Riley participated in both basketball and football, playing professionally with the San Diego Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Basebally player Cal Ripken, Jr. played 21 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles. By the time he retired in 2001, he set a new record by playing in 2,632 consecutive games.

Hall of Fame basketball guard Oscar Robertson played 14 NBA seasons. He averaged more than 25 points per game and retired as the league’s all-time assist leader.

Paul Robeson was an acclaimed 20th century performer known for productions like The Emperor Jones and Othello. He was also an international activist.

Retired NBA basketball player David Robinson spent his entire14-year pro career with the San Antonio Spurs. He’s widely considered one of the game’s all-time great centers.

Baseball player Frank Robinson was the first Major League African-American manager. In 1982, he joined the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play major league baseball, becoming Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949 and a World Series champ in 1955.

Sugar Ray Robinson was an American professional boxer who is frequently cited as the greatest boxer in history.

Andy Roddick is a retired champion tennis player who, in 2003, held both the grand slam title and the world's No. 1 ranking.

Aaron Rodgers is quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He steered the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLVII.

Dennis Rodman is considered one of professional basketball's all-time great rebounders. He helped lead the Detroit Pistons and later the Chicago Bulls to multiple titles.

In 2007, American baseball player Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in major league baseball history to hit 500 career home runs.

Tony Romo is one of the NFL's top quarterbacks and has played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Soccer superstar Ronaldinho was a member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup championship team and twice won the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player who has set records while playing for both Manchester United and Real Madrid.

American basketball player Rajon Rondo is an all-star point guard who led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008.

Wayne Rooney is one of the world's best-known soccer players and a top scorer for the Manchester United club.

American baseball star Pete Rose established a career record for hits before earning a lifetime suspension for gambling on the sport.

April Ross is a beach volleyball player who, along with teammate Jennifer Kessy, is a dominant figure on the international circuit. Ross and Kessy took the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

American Kyla Ross has received various national gymnastics awards. In 2012, she helped the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team win a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London.

Mickey Rourke is an American actor who had great success and became a sex symbol in the 1980s. He left acting to box but has recently returned to the screen.

In 1960, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games.

Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in just 13 seasons.

Nolan Ryan played professional baseball until age 46. He pitched 3,509th career strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher to surpass Walter Johnson's 1927 record.

Melissa Rycroft is known for her engagement and break-up on the 13th season of The Bachelor, and for winning 2012's Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars.

Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone has won dozens of World Championship and U.S. National Championship medals—competing with such teammates as Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson—and won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Tennis player Pete Sampras is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. In 2002 he set the career mark for most Grand Slam victories with 14 titles.

Curt Schilling was a major league baseball pitcher, who helped the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox to World Series victories.