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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Perhaps no defender in the history of the NFL was more feared than New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

“L.T.” was born February 4, 1959 and essentially came out of the womb ready to play football. After an All-American career at the University of North Carolina, the New York Giants drafted Lawrence Taylor with the second overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Lawrence Taylor made a splash right away in the NFL, winning the league Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1981. It would be just one of the many career accomplishments for Lawrence Taylor.

Lawrence Taylor played his entire career with the Giants from 1981 to 1993. He recorded 1,088 tackles, 142 sacks and nine interceptions. Lawrence Taylor was also a 10-time Pro Bowl and 10-time All-Pro Selection and won two Super Bowls with the Giants.

In 1986, Lawrence Taylor recorded 20.5 sacks (a career best) and won the AP NFL MVP. He was named the AP’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times (1981, 1982, 1986) and recorded double-digit sacks in seven consecutive seasons dating from 1984 to 1990. Lawrence Taylor was also named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team.

Lawrence Taylor was arguably the most gifted outside linebacker to ever play the game. He essentially changed the way offensive lines had to play the Giants because of his dynamic athletic ability. In many instances, teams tried to use extra defenders – sometimes three at a time – in efforts to slow Lawrence Taylor down, but were often unsuccessful.

He was a true sideline-to-sideline defender and one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. When he blitzed, he couldn’t be blocked by only a running back because it was a matchup Lawrence Taylor usually won. His energy and effort was often unrivaled.

Off the field Lawrence Taylor was just as reckless. After he retired, he admitted that he used to send hired prostitutes to opponents’ hotel rooms in hopes to tire them out. He also admitted to spending thousands of dollars on drugs and even fessed up to using teammates’ urine in order to pass league-administered drug tests.

More recently, Lawrence Taylor has pursued a career in acting and even had a role in Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday. Lawrence Taylor has also lent his voice to the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as well as Blitz: The League.

With Joe Namath, it’s not all about stats.

Oh, “Broadway Joe” had stats, too. But it was more about his presence and larger-than-life façade.

Joe Namath was drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, but elected to sign with the AFL’s New York Jets, who chose him with the third overall pick in the first round of the 1965 AFL Draft. Joe Namath played in New York for almost his entire career from 1965 to 1976, then capped off his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977.

For his career, Joe Namath finished with 173 touchdowns and threw for 27,663 yards. While his QB Rating was only a 65.5, Joe Namath was nominated to five Pro Bowls and was a five-time All-Pro Selection. He was also a two-time AFL MVP in 1968 and 1969.

As previously noted, however, stats weren’t Joe Namath’s claim to fame.

The year was 1969 and the NFL was regarded as the more superior league to the AFL. Led by All-Pro quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Baltimore Colts were favored by three touchdowns and expected to steamroll the New York Jets in the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, now referred to as the Super Bowl.

Three days before the game, Joe Namath responded to a heckler at the Miami touchdown Club with the now famous, “We’ll win the game. I guarantee you.” It was the first time a professional athlete guaranteed a win and the quote sent shockwaves through the country.

Who was this brash player?

Joe Namath proved that he wasn’t all talk, competing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards and earning the game’s Most Valuable Player Award in the New York Jets’ stunning 16-7 victory. It’s still one of the greatest upsets in football and sports history.

The win made Joe Namath a star and his career made him a Hall of Famer. But the guarantee made Joe Namath a legend. While he was the first NFL quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in 1967, he was also the game’s first marketable media personality. Joe Namath was a true media superstar and before his knees ruined his mobility, one of top quarterbacks to play the game.