She’s the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who’s ever lived.

- Billie Jean King

Martina Navratilova was a boss on the court. She is one of three women all-time to have accomplished the Grand Slam “Boxed Set”- a career Grand Slam in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Boasting a career record of 1,442-219, she is the only player of either gender to have won eight different tournaments seven different times. While peerless on the court, her life has been equally defined by her integrity and courage off of it.
  Originally from Czechoslovakia, she defected to the United States in 1975 at the age of 18. Stripped of her Czech citizenship, she was and has continued to be a resolute critic of the Communist power structure in her native country.      
  Navratilova came out in 1981- a gutsy move considering the social climate at the time. In their book Idols of the Game, Robert Lipsyte and Peter Levine reflected on the impact Navratilova had on the collective American consciousness:

As a lesbian, Navratilova expanded the dialogue on issues of gender and sexuality in sports. In the years that she and Chris Evert were locked in their fierce rivalry to be Number One, sports fans saw it was possible for two very different women, physically and emotionally, different in lifestyle and playing style, to both be great champions - and friends.

In subsequent years, she has acted as a tremendous advocate for LGBT equality, receiving the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign in 2000.

This taught me a lesson, but I’m not quite sure what it is.
-John McEnroe

While  “You cannot be serious!” would become McEnroe’s indelible catchphrase, it is also a fairly accurate encapsulation of the life and career of one of the most polarizing figures in the history of sport. While few players have ever matched McEnroe’s tenacity and artistry, it’s safe to say that no one will ever duplicate his on-court behavior. Whether he was berating officials, smashing rackets or generally freaking the fuck out, McEnroe worked hard to achieve the nickname “SuperBrat”. While some would argue that his antics tarnished an otherwise sublime career, it’s pretty hard to argue with his resume- he won seven Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam doubles titles and threw in a Grand Slam mixed doubles title to boot.

A lightning rod in the world of soccer, Diego Maradona was immensely talented and always controversial. His short, stocky stature led to a unique playing style, dominant in sprints and unfettered by physical pressure. Maradona was a master tactician, drawing defenders close only to deliver pinpoint passes to open teammates.
A veteran of three World Cups, Maradona captained Argentina to victory in the 1986 tournament in Mexico, winning the Golden Ball award along the way. Argentina’s quarterfinal victory over England was the game that cemented his legacy. Maradona would score both goals in a 2-1 victory, albeit in very different fashions. His first goal came on an unpenalized handball, commonly referred to as the “Hand of God”, equally celebrated and reviled in soccer lore. The second came on a 60m left-footed dribble past 5 English defenders, voted “Goal of the Century” by FIFA in 2002. Some would argue that these are the two most famous goals in soccer history, and they came a mere four minutes apart.
While treated as a god in his native land, Maradona’s path to fame has been rocky. He was suspended and fined for rampant cocaine abuse while playing for Napoli, and was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for ephedrine. Eyebrows were raised over his alleged friendships within the Italian underworld, and he has publicly aligned himself with the political ideologies of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. In the years since his retirement, Maradona has suffered significant physical and psychological issues stemming from his continued drug and alcohol abuse- sad to say, but the dude is kind of a mess.

As a career member of the New York Knicks, Willis Reed established a ferocious, physical style of play at both ends of the court that earned him great accolades throughout his career. Rookie of the Year in 1964, Hall of Fame in 1982, 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1997- you know, no big deal. Oddly enough, the defining moment of his career would come on May 8, 1970- in a game he barely played in.
With the odds seemingly stacked against them, the Knicks headed into a showdown at Madison Square Garden against the Los Angeles Lakers. Reed had missed Game 6 due to a torn thigh muscle (A TORN THIGH MUSCLE)  that would seemingly preclude him from the 7th and deciding game. Against all odds, Reed came out of the tunnel and onto the court during pregame warmups whipping an anxious crowd into a frothing frenzy. Reed started the game and scored the first two field goals for the Knicks- the only baskets he would make in the game. The rest is history- drawing inspiration from their wounded brethren, the Knicks rolled to a 113-99 victory winning their first NBA title. Reed’s transcendent moment  would later be voted as the single greatest moment in the history of the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

Monica Seles joined the ATP tour full time at the tender age of 15. Her early career trajectory was incomparable- she won her first Grand Slam title at the 1990 French Open, defeating No.1 ranked Steffi Graf in the final. In doing so, she became the youngest French Open champion in history at 16 years and 6 months old. Her ascension continued in 1991 when she won three more Grand Slams and finished the year ranked as the No. 1 women’s player in the world. Her 1992 season would show similarly dominant results.
On April 30th, 1993 Seles played in a quarterfinal tournament match against Magdalena Maleeva in Hamburg, Germany. During a break between games, a crazed fan ran from the crowd to courtside and stabbed the unsuspecting Seles in the back with a 9 inch blade sending shockwaves through the sporting world.
Though the physical injuries would heal somewhat quickly, Seles wouldn’t return to tennis for more than 2 years. Sadly, the psychological effects of the attack had taken a great toll- Seles would win a few more tournaments but her career was never the same. Despite her diminished skills, her popularity continued to grow. Upon her retirement in 2008, Sports Illustrated columnist John Wertheim wrote of a remarkable career:

Yet, transformed from champion to tragedienne, Seles became far more popular than she was while winning all those titles. It became impossible to root against her. At first, out of sympathy. Then, because she revealed herself to be so thoroughly thoughtful, graceful, dignified. When she quietly announced her retirement last week at age 34, she exited as perhaps the most adored figure in the sport’s history. As happy endings go, one could do worse.

“Russell was by far, and will always be, the most valuable player ever in sport.”

— Bob Knight

It’s hard to know how to write about Bill Russell, and to examine his life and career without the proper context is challenging to say the least. Throughout his career, Russell was a complex man- prideful and combative, introspective and principled. Above all else, Russ was a champion’s champion, a tremendous teammate and the greatest winner in the history of professional sport.
At the collegiate level, Russell led the University of San Francisco to three Final Four appearances and two National Championships. His utter dominance would continue at the professional level. Red Auerbach, coach and GM of the Boston Celtics (and the most shrewd talent evaluator in the business) acquired the right to draft Russell in a blockbuster draft-day trade. Led by Russell, the Boston Celtics won 11 NBA titles in Russell’s 13 seasons- no, that’s not a typo. His combination of athleticism and basketball IQ gave him a physical and mental edge over his opponents, while elevating the level of his teammates play. When Red retired from coaching in 1966, he handed over the reins to Russell, making him player-coach- but more significantly the first black head coach in American professional sports.
Throughout his life and career, Russell was the subject of extreme and repeated bigotry. Understandably distrustful of many who surrounded him, Russell maintained a tight circle. To those within it- family, teammates, coaches- he was warm and engaging. To those outside of it he was cold and uncommunicative, most notably to the Boston media. Russell and the city of Boston were on fractured terms for many years after his retirement. Fortunately, the past few decades have shown a gradual but pronounced reunion as Boston’s greatest champion has found it in his heart to forgive and embrace the city.

Bill Walton is arguably the greatest collegiate basketball player who ever lived, and one of basketball’s most enduring and bizarrely lovable characters. At UCLA, Walton won 3 straight NCAA player of the year awards, helping the Bruins to consecutive undefeated seasons in ‘72 and ‘73. Walton’s early pro career was marred by an assortment of injuries, but things clicked in the 1976-77 season when he led the underdog Blazers to their first and only NBA championship. Sadly, chronic ankle issues would hound Walton for the rest of his career. Teetering on the brink of retirement, Walton put in a personal (and fateful) call to Boston Celtics GM Red Auerbach. With the support of Larry Bird, Walton joined the 1986 Celtics, a championship group widely considered to be the greatest basketball team ever assembled. Flourishing in a backup role, a healthy and productive season would make him the first player ever to win an MVP, Finals MVP and 6th Man award.

Put lightly, “The Big Red-Head” has always been considered a bit of a free thinker. Whether getting arrested at an anti-Vietnam War rally or touring with his beloved Grateful Dead, Walton has always defied convention. Nowhere is this more evident than in his career as a broadcaster- prone to hyperbole, ridicule, catchphrases and exasperation, Walton puts the “color” in color commentator. Throw it down, big man!

Considered by many as the greatest Olympian ever, Mark Spitz is an American icon. His record 7 Gold Medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics was surpassed only recently by Michael Phelps in 2008. In a span of 4 years from 1968-1972, Spitz set 33 world records in various events.

Also noteworthy? Spitz wore the most iconic mustache in the history of sports. Grown in a time when swimmers were shaving all their body hair, the Spitz-stache was originally grown as an act of rebellion towards the clean cut image pervasive in college swimming. Spitz reportedly intended to shave it before the Munich Olympiad, but it garnered so much attention he decided to keep it as a “good-luck piece.” The best story of the mustache was related by Spitz himself in an interview.

“I had some fun with a Russian coach who asked me if my mustache slowed me down. I said, ‘No, as a matter of fact, it deflects water away from my mouth, allows my rear end to rise and make me bullet-shaped in the water, and that’s what had allowed me to swim so great.’ He’s translating as fast as he can for the other coaches. The following year every Russian male swimmer had a mustache.”

History has given us a great many mythical creatures- the dragon, the griffin, the unicorn, and the two-sport star, to name but a few. Arguably the most flamboyant and versatile athlete of all time, “Neon Deion” was a physical freak of nature. Selected 5th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1989 NFL Draft less than a year after being signed by the New York Yankees, controversy would soon follow as his “Prime Time” alter-ego refused to be contained. Whether it was his ritual of drawing a dollar sign in the dirt before each at bat or signature hi-step into the end zone, Sanders showmanship bred occasional resentment amongst teammates and competitors alike. With infectious charisma, a smile that could light up the screen and his signature bandana firmly in place, Sanders was a pop cultural smash.

While some questioned his character, no one could ever question his phenomenal talents and incredible competitiveness. Whether he was stealing bases or defining the term “shutdown corner” Sanders always backed up the talk- after all, how many people can claim to have scored a touchdown and hit a homerun in the same week?

There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the first time I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball.
-Al Campanis, Dodgers scout


The story of a skinny Jewish kid from Brooklyn becoming the greatest pitcher ever is awesome. When the career in question is bookended by “what almost wasn’t” and “what could have been” it becomes legendary- such is the tale of Sandy Koufax. Blessed with a thunderbolt fastball and a 12-6 curve that once made the great Mickey Mantle exclaim “How the fuck is anybody supposed to hit that shit?” Koufax’s stuff was from another world.

  As it turns out, the human body isn’t designed to wield the kind of power that flowed through Koufax’s left arm, and it almost ended his career before it started. A lack of command led to walks, walks led to sporadic use and sporadic use led to an assortment of injuries. At the end of the 1960 season, Koufax walked off the field and threw his glove and cleats in the trash, determined never to set foot on a baseball diamond again. Thankfully cooler heads prevailed- Koufax took stock of his situation and committed himself to a rigorous off season regimen. Paired with some much needed mechanical adjustments, the work paid off. From 1961 through his retirement in 1966, Koufax launched an assault on the record books. In all, Koufax helped the Dodgers win 4 World Series, won 3 Cy Young Awards, an MVP, 2 World Series MVP’s, 3 pitching Triple Crowns (leading the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA) and threw 4 no-hitters including the 8th perfect game in league history.

Sadly, Koufax’s body would betray him in the end. In 1964, he started experiencing a host of arm issues including the traumatic arthritis that would prematurely end his career. Koufax was a first ballot Hall of Famer, but one wonders what his career might have looked like if he hadn’t had to walk away in his prime. Who knows, though- after all, they say it’s better to burn out than to fade away.