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.
1894-1986
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.
1951-1975
1942-
British athlete Paula Radcliffe is one of the elite runners competing today, having set and broken her own record in the women's marathon.
1973-
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.
1962-
1918-1995
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.
1960-
1917-2007
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.
1938-
Paul Robeson was an acclaimed 20th century performer known for productions like The Emperor Jones and Othello. He was also an international activist.
1898-1976
Baseball player Frank Robinson was the first Major League African-American manager. In 1982, he joined the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1935-
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.
1919-1972
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.
1961-
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.
1980-
1957-
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.
1934-
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.
1971-
1968-
1930-
1922-
O.J. Simpson is best known for his arrest and trial in the 1994 murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, of which he was found not guilty.
1947-
Former San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in baseball history.
1954-
African-American track and field star Tommie Smith broke both the Olympic and world records and won the 200-meter race in the 1968 Olympics.
1944-
Sam Snead was an American pro golfer who won a record 82 PGA tournaments.
1912-2002
U.S. baseball player, executive, and sporting-goods manufacturer A.E. Spalding co-founded one of the premier American sporting-goods companies.
1850-1915
Roger Staubach is a former NFL quarterback who led the Dallas Cowboys to win two Super Bowls. He’s also a businessman and sports commentator.
1942-
1957-1999
Toni "Tomboy" Stone made history in 1953 when she joined the Negro Leagues, making her the first woman ever to play professionally in a men's league.
1921-1996
Power-hitting outfielder Darryl Strawberry was one of baseball's biggest stars in the 1980s before his career was derailed by substance-abuse problems.
1962-
Ichiro Suzuki is a record-holding hitter in major league baseball, having played for the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees.
1973-
American football player Lawrence Taylor was a member of the New York Giants and is considered one of the best linebackers in the history of the game.
1959-
Isiah Thomas is generally regarded as one of the best point guards in the history of basketball. He played for the Detroit Pistons.
1961-
Jim Thorpe was a Native American professional football and baseball player, known for his all-around athleticism. He was a gold-medal runner at the 1912 Olympics.
1888-1953
Football player Emlen Tunnell was the first African American to play for the New York Giants, and the first African American to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
1925-1975
1971-
1918-1971
Tom Watson is an American golfer and six-time PGA Player of the Year. He was one of the sport's dominant figures in the 1970s and '80s.
1949-
Jerry West is a former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers who went on to become the team’s head coach and general manager.
1938-
Hoyt Wilhelm was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher known for his knuckleball and who set a pitching record.
1923-2002
Baseball legend Ted Williams was best known as the Boston Red Sox Player who had a contentious relationship with Boston fans, who he refused to tip his hat to during his career.
1918-2002
1959-
1939-
1867-1955
Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1914–1956) was named "Woman Athlete of the Half Century" in 1950 for her skills in basketball, track & field, and golf.
1911-1956