Derek Jeter

From Mickey Mantle to Lou Gehrig to Joe DiMaggio, the New York Yankees have had their fair share of legends don the pinstripes. Soon enough, shortstop Derek Jeter will be mentioned in the same breath as the names previously mentioned. That is, if his name already isn’t currently being mentioned among those greats.

In his first year as a full-time player, Derek Jeter was named the starting shortstop of the New York Yankees, a role he has yet to relinquish. He was named an Opening Day starter in 1996 and as a rookie, he hit .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBI. Those numbers were good enough to earn him the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year.

Jeter never looked back after having an incredible rookie campaign. He’s currently a nine-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He was also honored with the Babe Ruth Award in 2000, was the MLB All-Star Game MVP in 2000 and won the AL Hank Aaron Award in 2006.

Perhaps more important than his career stats is that Jeter has helped the Yankees win four World Series titles. After winning a championship as a rookie in 1996, the Yankee captain has helped the Bronx Bombers win three-consecutive titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Derek Jeter is one of the most recognizable players in baseball, if not of any sport in the U.S. He’s a born leader and has a charismatic personality that the New York media eats up. Many players have been chewed up and spitted out by the “Bronx Zoo,” but not Jeter.

Even though some consider him overrated as a defender, nobody can argue that Jeter gives his all on every single play. Multiple times he’s given up his body on plays, which includes diving head first into the stands to produce outs. He’s the ultimate team player who always appears focused and determined.

Other shortstops might have better numbers or more awards, but arguably none of them mean as much to their teams as Derek Jeter has meant to the New York Yankees. If he’s not considered a legend now, he will be in due time.

Bo Jackson

From Jim Thorpe to Deion Sanders to Brian Jordan, the sports world has seen several multiple-sport athletes.

But there was only one Bo Jackson.

Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson never won a World Series. Bo Jackson never won a Super Bowl, either. He also wasn’t even a starter on the Los Angeles Raiders and he only played three years in the NFL. But he nevertheless was a legend among multi-sport athletes.

Jackson used to call football a “hobby.” This is coming from a man who won a Heisman Trophy and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He also ran for 2,782 yards on 515 carries - an impressive 5.4 average – and also scored 18 touchdowns running and receiving in the three years he played in the NFL.

One of Bo Jackson’s most legendary plays occurred in 1988 on Monday Night Football. Jackson’s Los Angeles Raiders were taking on the Seattle Seahawks and Hawks had a trash-talking linebacker named Brian Bosworth who claimed he would contain Jackson all night.

If by “contain” Bosworth meant getting run over by Jackson then he was right. On that legendary night, Bo Jackson rushed for 221 yards, flatted Bosworth and also took an outside sweep 91-yards untouched.

Amazingly, Jackson wasn’t even the starter for the Raiders. That job belonged to Marcus Allen, but the two formed one of the best 1-2 punches in all of football. If it weren’t for suffering a serious hip injury in 1991, who knows how great Jackson could have been.

Bo Jackson’s real passion was baseball. And although his .250 career batting average isn’t noteworthy, the 141 home runs he clobbered are. Jackson also finished his career with 415 RBI while playing with the Kansas City Royals (1986-1990), Chicago White Sox (1991-1993) and the California Angels (1994).

Jackson’s best season occurred in 1989 when he was selected to the All-Star team and even won the 1989 MLB All-Star Game MVP. Jackson also won the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1993.

For his career, Bo Jackson totaled four 20-home run seasons from 1987 to 1990. He also recorded a 30-home run season in 1989 and a 10 RBI season in 1989.

As previously mentioned, had Bo Jackson stayed healthy throughout his entire career, he might have turned out to be the best multi-sport athlete ever. In fact, he still might have been given all he accomplished in just a short period of time.

Bo Jackson is one of the best athletes the sports world has ever seen.

Magic Johnson

Question: Who is perhaps the only player in NBA history arguably better than the great Michael Jordan?

Answer: Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Magic Johnson played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the franchise’s glory years from 1979 to 1991. During that span, Johnson helped the Lakers win five NBA Titles: 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988. He was also a 12-time NBA All-Star, a three-time Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987) and a three-time league M.V.P. (1987, 1989, 1990).

Magic Johnson is often referred to as the prototype big point guard and was the only player in NBA history that could play all five positions effectively. Given his size, speed and athleticism, he not only could play all five positions, but dominate as well.

Johnson’s forte on the court was the fast break, where he excelled at getting the ball out of his hands and to his teammates for scoring opportunities. If his teammates were slowed up in transition, Johnson was outstanding at positioning himself under the basket for in-the-paint points.

Magic Johnson’s greatest effort came when he was just a rookie. At age 20, his Los Angeles Lakers took on Dr. J’s Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went down with an injury in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, Johnson took over, scoring 42 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, as well as finishing with seven assists and three steals. It might have been the best individual Finals performance of all time.

Along with his many career achievements, Magic Johnson was also a two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, was nominated to the 1980 NBA All-Rookie Team and was selected to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Johnson was also a nine-time All-NBA First Teamer and was a Second Team All-NBA Player in 1982.

The legend Johnson finished with 17,707 points, 6,559 rebounds and 10,141 assists in his career. If it weren’t for him being tested positive for the HIV virus during the 1991-1992 NBA Season, Johnson might have continued to add to his unbelievable career.

Joe Paterno

One of the finest and most influential figures in college football history is longtime Penn State University head coach Joe Paterno.

Joe Paterno has an overall coaching record of 372-125-3. He’s also 23-10-1 in bowl games and he’s won two NCAA National Championships (1982, 1986).

But it’s what he does off the field that makes him a true college football legend.

What many don’t know is that Joe Paterno started what was known as the “Grand Experiment” in 1970. The idea behind it was to get collegiate athletes a solid education and make sure they were not only their best on the field, but also in the classroom as well.

Every year, Paterno requires that all of his players have above-average success in the classroom and more times than not, his student athletes don’t fail him. Throughout the years, Penn State football players consistently have outstanding graduation rates and are often among the top 10 in Division I scholastics.

Being a former English major, Joe Paterno often makes sure that his athletes don’t use incorrect grammar when talking to reporters or fellow teammates. You won’t hear “We played good today,” out of a Penn State Nittany Lions player.

On top of what he does for students’ scholastic achievements, Joe Paterno and his wife Sue have donated more than $4 million to expand the Pattee Library on PSU’s campus. They’ve also helped raise an additional $13.5 million in private donations for the library’s construction.

Joe Paterno is now in his 80s and over the past four or five years, there has been talk through the media of his impending retirement. But you don’t usher a legend out – he can leave whenever he pleases. That’s how much Joe Paterno means to Penn State University and college football. He deservedly writes his own ticket.

Not many coaches can touch what Joe Paterno has brought to college football over the years. He’s a true college football legend and an outstanding coach.

Joe Paterno’s Career Awards and Achievements:

1972 Walter Camp Coach of the Year
1978 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1981 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
1982 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986 SI Sportsman of the Year
1986 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award
1994 Walter Camp Coach of the Year
2002 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
2005 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
2005 The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award
2005 Walter Camp Coach of the Year

Aerosmith

Aerosmith, comprised of guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, lead singer Steven Tyler, drummer Joey Kramer and guitarist Brad Whitford, is one of the most successful hard rock bands of all time. They’re often referred to as “The Bad Boys from Boston” and “America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”

Aerosmith’s first single, “Sweet Emotion” was released in 1975 and climbed all the way to No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. The band went on to have 21 singles chart in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1976, Aerosmith’s second major single, “Dream On” climbed all the way to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. And in 1988, the band reached No. 3 on the list with the release of “Angel.” The band’s most successful single was “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”, which reached the No. 1 spot in 1998 – Aerosmith’s only No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

To date, Aerosmith’s most successful studio album was Toys in the Attic, which was released April 8, 1975. The album peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 list and went Platinum eight times. The band’s next two most successful studio albums were the 1993 release Get a Grip and the 1997 release, Nine Lives. Both peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 list and went Platinum seven times.

Aerosmith won their first Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. They went on to win four more Grammy awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their singles “Janie’s Got a Gun”, “Livin’ on the Edge”, “Crazy”, and “Pink. Aerosmith trails only U2 for most Grammy awards won in that category.

Aerosmith has collected five American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and 16 Boston Music Awards. Aerosmith also ranks fourth all-time at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) with ten wins to date. The band is the all-time leader in Best Rock Video awards with four, as well as Viewer’s Choice awards with three.

In 2001, Aerosmith achieved one of the greatest honors in rock music by being inducated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They also hold the second highest number of No. 1 singles on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for a group with nine. Aerosmith also holds the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group.

Aerosmith’s Studio Albums:

1973: Aerosmith
1974: Get Your Wings
1975: Toys in the Attic
1976: Rocks
1977: Draw the Line
1979: Night in the Ruts
1982: Rock in a Hard Place
1985: Done with Mirrors
1987: Permanent Vacation
1989: Pump
1993: Get a Grip
1997: Nine Lives
2001: Just Push Play
2004: Honkin’ on Bobo

Aerosmith is a true hard rock legend.

Emmitt Smith

Rush for over 1,400 yards and haul in over sixty catches in five straight seasons and you’re definitely considered a legend.

Emmitt Smith was born May 15, 1969 in Pensacola, Florida. He played collegiately at Florida University, where he was eventually elected into the Gator Football Ring of Honor.

Out of college, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Smith in the 1990 NFL Draft with the 17th pick in the first round. He played for the Cowboys for 13 seasons from 1990 to 2002, before joining the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.

For his career, Emmitt Smith compiled 18,355 rushing yards (a 4.2 yard per average) and 174 rushing touchdowns. He currently holds the NFL record for career rushing yards, breaking Walter Payton’s mark on October 27, 2002. Smith also leads all running backs with 164 career rushing touchdowns and his 175 total touchdowns ranks him second to only San Francisco 49ers’ wide receiver Jerry Rice, who has 207 total touchdowns.

Emmitt Smith was best known for his tremendous durability, vision and balance. He was never one of the faster or flashier backs, but he was always well renowned for running between the tackles and gaining the “tough yards.”

One knock on Smith has always been that he had great offensive lines blocking for him in Dallas. And fans of Barry Sanders have long believed that if Barry didn’t have an earlier retirement that he would have shattered the NFL career rushing record.

But there’s no denying Smith was a great player – great offensive lines or not. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls, was the 1993 NFL MVP and was a six-time All-Pro selection. He also won the 1990 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was elected into the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor.

Perhaps Emmitt Smith’s greatest achievement was winning the MVP Award for Super Bowl XXVIII. Smith finished his career a three-time Super Bowl winner and one of the true NFL greats.

Tom Landry

The name Tom Landry is often symbolic with NFL coaching legacy.
 
After playing defensive back during his NFL playing career and amassing 32 interceptions in 80 games, tom Landry became a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants in 1956. Ironically enough, Landry was opposite fellow coaching legend Vince Lombardi, who was the Giants’ offensive coordinator.
 
While serving as the Giants’ defensive coordinator, Tom Landry invented the now popular 4-3 defense. The defensive front features four down lineman (two defensive ends and two defensive tackles), three linebackers (two left and right outside linebackers and one middle) and four defensive backs (two cornerbacks and two safeties).
 
Tom Landry was also the first coach to analyze tendencies and determine what the opposing offense was trying to do before the snap. Landry’s “Flex Defense” was designed to align defenders in the right position to counter what the offense was trying to accomplish. It was the first time any coach built a system that was designed to be flexible based off of countering the opposing team’s offense.

In 1960, Tom Landry became the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Even though history would prove Landry was a coaching genius and legend, things didn’t go very well during his first five seasons. The Cowboys started off 0-11-1 during Landry’s first year, and never amassed more than five wins in each of the next four seasons.

Despite the horrible start to his career, Landry was given a ten-year extension by then Dallas Cowboys’ owner Clint Murchison. It was a risk on the part of Murchison, but one that would eventually pay huge dividends.

The Cowboys won seven games in 1965 and then were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in 1966, posting 10 wins and making it the championship game. Even though Landry’s Cowboys lost to Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers, the season marked many great things to come.

Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys went on to have 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985. That marvelous feat is still an NFL record and is also one of the longest winning streaks in professional sports.

Landry amassed a 270-178-6 record over the 20 consecutive winning seasons, which is the third most wins for a head coach. The Dallas Cowboys went on to win 13 Divisional titles, five NFC championships and two Super Bowls (1972, 1978). Landry’s 20 career playoff wins are the most of any head coach in NFL history.

For all his accomplishments, Tom Landry won several awards, including AP Coach of the Year and Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1966.

Simply put, Tom Landry was an innovator and a true coaching legend.

Hakeem Olajuwon

One of the finest all-around centers in the game of basketball has ever seen was Hakeem Olajuwon.

“The Dream” was born January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria. When he reached his playing days, Hakeem Olajuwon stood 7-feet tall and weighed 255 pounds. He was the prototypical NBA center.

Hakeem Olajuwon played alongside future Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler at the University of Houston. There, both Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler put on a clinic, leading Houston to three trips to the NCAA Final Four.

Hakeem Olajuwon went on to be drafted by the Houston Rockets with the first overall selection in the 1984 NBA Draft. That draft is so popular, because it was the same one that produced the likes of Charles Barley, John Stockton and one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, the air man Michael Jordan.

Hakeem Olajuwon had a tremendous rookie year and was voted to the 1985 NBA All-Rookie Team. Other coaches, players and fans marveled at the way he not only dominated under the basket on the offensive end, but also was one of the best defenders on a yearly basis.

It was until the 1993-94 and 1994-95 NBA seasons where Hakeem Olajuwon became one of the greatest centers of his generation, however. He went on to dominate great centers like Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Shaquille O’Neal and in-state rival David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs.

In one of the greatest NBA Finals in basketball history, Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets battled the New York Knicks in a seven-game grudge match.

With the Knicks up 3-2 in the best of seven series, Hakeem Olajuwon made one of the best plays in NBA Finals history, blocking New York guard John Starks’ shots as time expired and Houston defending an 86-84 lead. In Game 7 of the series, Hakeem Olajuwon, “The Dream”, scored a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, which helped boost the Rockets to NBA Finals Champions. It was the first sports championship in Houston since the Houston Oilers won the AFL championship in 1961.

Thanks to “The Dream”, the Rockets again won the NBA Finals in 1995. Not only is Hakeem Olajuwon a two-time NBA Champion, but he’s also a two-time NBA Finals MVP.

For his amazing career, Hakeem Olajuwon amassed 26,946 points, 13,747 rebounds and 3,830 blocked shots. In 1994, he became the only player in NBA history to have won MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season – a record that still stands today. Hakeem Olajuwon is also the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots and is also in the top ten for blocks, scoring, rebound, and steals. Hakeem  Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history placed in the top ten for all four categories.

Hakeem Olajuwon was a 12-time All-Star during his career and a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993-1994). He was also a six-time All-NBA First Team Selection, a three-time All-NBA Second Team Selection and a five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team Selection.

While the NBA has certainly seen its fair share of great centers, Hakeem Olajuwon undoubtedly deserves mention with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Ernie Harwell

Not all legends are made on the gridiron, hardwood or baseball diamond. Some are made in the broadcasting booth.

Ernie Harwell was born January 25, 1918 in Washington, Georgia. He graduated from Emory University and from there he began his career working as a copy editor and sportswriter for the Atlanta Constitution. Ernie Harwell also was a regional correspondent for one of the top sports publications, The Sporting News.

Ernie Harwell got his first announcing gig for the Atlanta Crackers, which was a minor league baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia between 1901 and 1965. In 1948, Ernie Harwell became the only announcer in the history over baseball to be traded for a player when Brooklyn Dodgers’ general manager Branch Rickey dealt catcher Cliff Dapper to the Crackers in exchange for breaking Ernie Harwell’s broadcasting contract. Ernie Harwell took over for regular Dodgers’ broadcaster Red Barber, who became hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer.

Ernie Harwell broadcasted for the Dodgers through 1949 and then jumped to the rival New York Giants from 1950 to 1953. Ernie Harwell’s famous call of Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard ‘round the word” during the 1951 National League pennant playoff game is still aired today throughout the country. Ernie Harwell also announced for the Baltimore Orioles from 1954 to 1959.

In 1960, Ernie Harwell became the voice of the Detroit Tigers. It was there in Detroit that he became a legend.

Ernie Harwell replaced longtime Tigers’ play-by-play announcer Van Patrick in 1960. Ernie Harwell was the voice of the Tigers until Tigers’ flagship radio station WJR didn’t renew his contract in 1991. After spending a stint with the California Angels in 1992, public outcry demanded that Ernie Harwell was brought back to Detroit.

Ernie Harwell began calling innings 1-3 and 7-9 of each Tiger game and from 1994 to 1998 he did the Tigers’ television broadcast. In 1999, the Tigers welcomed Ernie Harwell back to the radio booth full-time, until he announced his retirement in 2002.

For his broadcasting career, Ernie Harwell did the play-by-play for two All-Star Games (1958 and 1961) and two World Series (1963 and 1968). Ernie Harwell’s voice could also be heard throughout his career on CBS Radio, ESPN Radio and on WJR when the Tigers went to the 1984 World Series.

Below are some of Ernie Harwell’s most notable calls:

—-“It’s gone! - Ernie Harwell’s recollection of his call of the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”, the home run by Bobby Thomson that won the NL pennant for the New York Giants on October 3, 1951. The NBC TV broadcast on which Ernie Harwell made the call was not preserved or recorded for posterity.”

—-“Here’s the set by Segui, the pitch…swung on, a drive to left! That’ll be the ball game! It’s over the head of Gosger! McLain wins his thirtieth, here comes Stanley, he’ll score…Willie Horton hits a single and the ball game is over, and the Tigers win it 5-4…Denny McLain is one of the first out of the dugout, racing out, and Horton is mobbed as the Tigers come from behind, and McLain has his thirtieth victory of the 1968 season! - Calling the final out on September 14, 1968. It was the 30th win of the year for Denny McLain, the first such feat for a major league pitcher since Dizzy Dean in 1934.” - Ernie Harwell

—-“This big crowd here ready to break loose. Three men on, two men out. Game tied, 1-1, in the ninth inning. McDaniel checking his sign with Jake Gibbs. The tall right-hander ready to go to work again, and the windup, and the pitch…He swings, a line shot, base hit, right field, the Tigers win it! Here comes Kaline to score and it’s all over! Don Wert singles, the Tigers mob Don, Kaline has scored…The fans are streaming on the field…And the Tigers have won their first pennant since nineteen hundred and forty-five! Let’s listen to the bedlam here at Tiger Stadium! - Calling Don Wert’s game winning single to give the Tigers the American League pennant on September 17, 1968.” - Ernie Harwell

—“Gibson has tied the record of Sandy Koufax, 15 strikeouts in a single World Series game. Trying for number 16 right now against Cash to break the record. He takes his set position, he delivers, here’s the pitch…Swing and a miss, he did it! - Calling St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson’s record-setting 16th strikeout against the Tigers in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series. (Audio) ” - Ernie Harwell

—“Here comes Herndon, he’s got it! And the Tigers are the champions of 1984! - Calling the last out in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series.” - Ernie Harwell

—-“Peña digging in, waiting, here’s the set, the pitch…Swing and a miss! And the Toronto Blue Jays win it, the final game of 2002. The final score: the Blue Jays 1, and the Tigers nothing. - Harwell calling the last out in his final game broadcast on September 29, 2002.” - Ernie Harwell

Ernie Harwell continues to be beloved in the city of Detroit and throughout the world of baseball. He’s a true living legend and one of the best broadcasters in sports history.

Citation

Many casual sports fans know whom Secretariat is – the great horse that won the 1973 Triple Crown.

But before there was Secretariat, there was Citation.

Citation was horse racing’s first millionaire horse. He earned $1,085,760 in a 45-race career that span from 1947 to 1951. Citation was so good that of the 32 times he ran, he was in the money every time but once.

At one point during his illustrious career, Citation set a modern-day record by winning 28 out of 30 races, including 16 consecutive wins between 1948 and 1950. His final record was 32-10-2.

Citation won his first race in 1947 at the Futurity Stakes. That same year, he also won the Pimlico Futurity, but it wasn’t until 1948 when he became a horse racing legend.

In 1948, Citation won nine major races, including the Tanforan Handicap, the Flamingo Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Stars and Stripes Handicap, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the American Derby and the Pimlico Special. As you can read, the most significant events won by Citation in 1948 were none other than the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes – horse racing’s Triple Crown.

Ridden by jockey Arcaro, Citation won the Kentucky Derby by 3 ½ lengths over his stablemate, Coaltown, who eventually won the 1949 Horse of the Year. In the Preakness Stakes, Citation won by 5 ½ lengths and at the Belmont Stakes, he captured horse racing’s Triple Crown by tying the stakes record of 2:28 1/5 set by Count Fleet, the 6th Triple Crown winner.

Throughout his career, Citation won many racing awards. On top of being the 8th U.S. Triple Crown Champion in 1948, he also was the U.S. Champion 2-year-old Colt in 1947, as well as the U.S. Champion 3-year-old Colt in 1948. Citation went on to win U.S. Horse of the Year in 1948 and the U.S. Champion Older Horse in 1951.

In 1959, Citation was elected into the United States racing Hall of Fame and is regarded as the No. 3 racehorses of the 20th Century behind Secretariat and Man o’ War.

Tony Gwynn

One of the greatest hitters in baseball history was born May 9, 1960 in Los Angeles, California. His name? Anthony Keith Gwynn, better known as Tony Gwynn.

Tony Gwynn made his Major League debut July 19, 1982 for the San Diego Padres. His final game was October 7, 2001 for those very same San Diego Padres. Tony Gwynn played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Padres, which is a remarkable feat considering how athletes jump from sports city to sports city nowadays.

In his first game in 1982, Tony Gwynn drove a base hit off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Sid Monge. Twenty years later in 2001, Tony Gwynn got his final hit off Colorado Rockies pitcher Gabe White. In between those 20 years, he compiled 3,141 hits in route to becoming the Padres’ all-time hits leader.

Hits aren’t the only Padres’ record Tony Gwynn holds, either. Tony Gwynn is also the San Diego Padres’ all-time leader in average (.338), games played (2,440), at bats (9,288), runs (1,383), doubles (543), triples (85), RBI (1,138), walks (790) and stolen bases (319).

It’s safe to say that Tony Gwynn is the greatest player in Padres history.

Below are some of Tony Gwynn’s most memorable moments:

500th hit – August 18, 1985 vs. Atlanta pitcher Craig McMurtry
1,000th hit – April 22, 1988 vs. Houston pitcher Nolan Ryan
1,135th hit – September 17, 1988 vs. Atlanta pitcher Jim Acker (Gwynn became the Padres’ all-time hitter leader, surprising Dave Winfield.)
1,500th hit – August 15, 1990 vs. Montreal pitcher Steve Frey
2,000th hit – August 6, 1993 vs. Colorado pitcher Bruce Ruffin
2,500th hit – August 14, 1996 vs. Cincinnati pitcher Hector Carrasco
3,000th hit – August 6, 1999 vs. Montreal pitcher Dan Smith
3,141st hit – October 6, 2001 vs. Colorado Gabe White

For his career, Tony Gwynn was selected to 15 All-Star Games, was a five-time Gold Glove Award winner and a seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Tony Gwynn also won several more awards, including the Roberto Clemente Award in 1999, Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1998 and the Branch Rickey Award in 1995. In honor of his accomplishments, the San Diego Padres retired Tony Gwynn’s #19 jersey.

Not many players in the history of baseball had a better plate approach than Tony Gwynn. Tony Gwynn’s legacy was built on what he did with the bat, but he was also a solid defender and despite his size, could swipe a bag with the best of them, too.

In 2007, Tony Gwynn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He earned 97.6% of the total votes and was a first ballot inductee.

Arnold Palmer

“The King” Arnold Palmer is highly regarded as one of the best players in golf history. He is an American-born player who turned pro in 1954 after attending Wake Forest University.

Arnold Palmer started in 142 major championships. Of those 142 starts, he had seven wins, 10-second place finishes and 19-third place finishes. Arnold Palmer also has the longest streak of top-10 finishes in major championship history with six.

Arnold Palmer’s first major championship was at The Masters in 1958 when he beat fellow American golfers Doug Ford and Fred Hawkins by one stroke. He also won the 1960 Masters by one stroke, tipping Ken Venturi with a winning score of 282. Arnold Palmer defeated Kel Nagle by six strokes in the 1962 Open Championship, as well as Dave Marr and Jack Nicklaus by six strokes in the 1964 Masters.

Of his seven major champion wins, Arnold Palmer won four Masters (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), two British Opens (1961, 1962) and one U.S. Open championships (1960). Arnold Palmer also won three PGA Championships (1964, 1968, 1970).

Arnold Palmer racked up 29 PGA Tour events in four seasons from 1960 to 1963. In 1960, Arnold Palmer won the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year and Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year” award. He also earned the Vardon Trophy – given to the golfer with the lowest scoring average – four times in years 1961, 1962, 1964 and 1967.

Arnold Palmer is often ranked behind Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and even Byron Nelson on the all-time greatest golfers list. But what’s most significant about Arnold Palmer’s legacy is how he became one of the first stars of the sport’s television age, which began in the 1950s.

For his legacy, Arnold Palmer won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

Mario Lemieux

Talk about staying true to one team – Mario Lemieux is the perfect example of an athlete being loyal to the sports city that embraced him.

Before the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted “Super Mario” with the first overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, the organization was in dire straights. Financial turmoil stirred up rumors that the team would have to relocate and by 1983, the Penguins were averaging fewer than 7,000 fans per game, or less than half of their arena’s capacity.

Enter Mario Lemieux.

Mario Lemieux made his NHL debut on October 11, 1984 in a game against the Boston Bruins. On his very first shot attempt, Mario Lemieux sunk a goal against Pete Peeters and his legacy was born. Later that season, Mario Lemieux became the first rookie to be named the All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player on his way to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.

Mario Lemieux went on to play 17 years in the NHL – all of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mario Lemieux owns the league’s single-season record for shorthanded goals with 13 in the 1988-89 season and shares the record for most goals in one period with four in January of 1997. Mario Lemieux also has the record for most MVP-Awards in All-Star Games with three, and shares the All-Star Game record for career goals with 13.

Of course when an athlete plays 17 years for one team, he’ll hold a few team records, too. Below are several of Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh Penguins records.

· Pittsburgh Penguins team record for career games played (915)
· Pittsburgh Penguins team record for career goals (690)
· Pittsburgh Penguins team record for career assists (1033)
· Pittsburgh Penguins team record for career points (1723)
· Pittsburgh Penguins record for longest goal-scoring streak (12 games)
· Pittsburgh Penguins single-season record for goals (85 in 1988-89)
· Pittsburgh Penguins single-season record for assists (114 in 1988-89)
· Pittsburgh Penguins single-season record for points (199 in 1988-89)
· Pittsburgh Penguins single-game record for goals (5, four occasions including playoffs)
· Shares Pittsburgh Penguins single-game record for assists (6, three occasions)
· Pittsburgh Penguins single-game record for points (8, three occasions including playoffs)
· Only player in NHL history to record three eight point games in three consecutive games

For his career, Mario Lemieux played in 915 regular season games, scoring 690 goals and amassing 1,033 assists and 1,723 points. Mario Lemieux was inducted into Hockey’s Hall of Fame in 1997, is a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy Winner (1988, 1993, 1996) and was named ESPN’s Hockey Player of the Decade in 2000.

About the only thing Mario Lemieux couldn’t accomplish on the ice was winning a Stanley Cup. But it’s certainly a testament to Mario Lemieux’s loyalty that he stuck with one team for so long, despite having the opportunity to play for a contender and potentially win a Stanley Cup.

Mario Lemieux is one of the best hockey players of the modern era, not too mention one of the greatest overall athletes of all time.

The Hitchhiker

One of the shorter and more popular urban legends is of “The Hitchhiker.” The urban legend goes as follows:

A man was driving home late one night and noticed a young woman, about 17 or 18 years of age, standing on the side of the road.

Worried about her safety and curious why she was all alone in this secluded part of town, he stopped and offered The Hitchhiker a ride. When she got into the car, the man asked her why she was alone and standing by the side of the road. But all The Hitchhiker replied with was, “I need to get home very quickly before my parents become upset.”

So the man drove the young woman home and once he pulled up to her house, he watched The Hitchhiker safely go inside and drove off. As he was driving home, however, he realized that The Hitchhiker had left her sweater in the back seat. Considering how late it was, the man decided to return the sweater to her in the morning.

The next day, the man returned to the house where he had dropped off The Hitchhiker the night before to return her sweater. When an older woman answered the door, the man explained that he had given a ride to the girl and she had left her sweater in the back seat. With a terrified look on her face, the older woman responded, “But that’s impossible! She’s been dead for four years!”

As the urban legend goes, the young woman and her boyfriend were coming home late one night from a school dance when their car was involved in an accident and both were killed instantly. The ghost of the young lady now hangs around the same spot as the accident, in the form of The Hitchhiker, beckoning men to pick her up and take her home.

The Hitchhiker always leaves something behind.

Mark Messier

One of the best to ever don a pair of skates was “The Captain” Mark Messier. He’s often considered as one of the greatest leaders the game has ever seen.

Mark Messier’s pro career started in 1978 and amazingly spanned four decades until he retired in 2004. He was selected 48th overall in the 1979 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, but before his career finished, he also played for the New York Rangers (1991-1997 and again 2000-2004) and Vancouver Canucks (1997-2000).

Mark Messier played for the Oilers until October of 1991. He was then traded, along with future considerations, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Steven Rice, Bernie Nicholls and Louie DeBrusk. In July of 1997, he signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks, but returned to the New York Rangers in 2000.

Mark Messier is a six-time Stanley Cup Champion and a two-time Hart Memorial Trophy Winner. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1983 and the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1989 and 1991.

Mark Messier played in fifteen NHL All-Star Games and was a First-Teamer on the All-Star Team four times.

Mark Messier is also the only professional athlete to have captained two different championship teams when he did so for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers.

Mark Messier finished his career with 1,887 regular season points, which is the most for any player without winning a single scoring title. For his 1,756 regular season games played, Mark Messier scored 694 goals and amassed 1,193 assists.

As previously noted, Mark Messier has always been noted as one of the true great leaders in the NHL. And on November 13, 2006, the NHL created the Mark Messier Trophy, which is given monthly to honor player’s leadership.

In June of 2007, Mark Messier was selected as an inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame and was officially induced in November of 2007.

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