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The first African American in Major league Baseball
Jackie Robinson wasn't the first African-American athlete to cross a color barrier, but his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 created a new era in sports. Black fans began coming to see the Dodgers when they came to town, abandoning their Negro league teams. Robinson finished the season playing in 151 games for the Dodgers, with a batting average of .297, an on-base percentage of .383, and a .427 slugging percentage. His performance earned him the Major League Baseball Rookie of the year. -
The young Cassius Clay
Clay won the light-heavyweight gold medal at the Summer Olympics that was held in Rome over Poland's Zbigniew Pietrzykowski with a 5-0 decision. On October 29, 1960, he won his first professional fight, a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker. Rather than the normal style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches, and carried his hands low.From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19–0, with 15 knockouts. -
First African American in Baseball Hall of Fame
Robinson was a fading star in 1955 when the Brooklyn Dodgers finally won a World Series over the Yankees and quit after a lackluster 1956. He was traded to the Giants over that winter but had already decided he had enough. He left on a controversial article announcing his retirement in Look Magazine.He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962, the first black to gain the honor. Baseball honored his memory by removing his uniform number 42 for no player in the future could wear it. -
At this time the youngest boxing champion ever to win over the reigning champ
Clay beat Sonny Liston in a six round bout to become the heavyweight champion of the world. After the fight, Clay announced his decision to become a Black Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. -
The African American boxer downfall in boxing
In April, 1967 Ali refused to be inducted into the US Army citing his religious convictions and claiming, 'I ain't got no quarrel with those Vietcong'. This behavior angered many Americans and he was stripped of the WBA title and also lost his license to fight. In June, he was found guilty of draft evasion from the court of law. He was fined $10,000 and was also sentenced to five years in prison. He however avoided prison by filing numerous appeals but was not allowed to box. -
Ali the greatest boxer at his peak
Ali and Frazier met in the ring on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as "The Fight of the Century," was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had legitimate claims to the heavyweight crown. Frazier retained the title on a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss in the last round. Ali won the rematch, by split decision against Ken Norton. -
Ali the greatest boxer at his peak continued
Ali won the rematch, by split decision, on September 10, 1973, which set up Ali-Frazier II, a nontitle rematch with Joe Frazier, who had already lost his title to George Foreman. The bout was held on January 28, 1974, with Ali winning a unanimous 12-round decision. In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Ali regained his title on October 30, 1974 by defeating champion George Foreman in their bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Hyped as "The Rumble in the Jungle", the fight was promoted by Don King. -
Muhammad ending boxing career
In 1978 Ali lost his belt to the 1976 Olympic gold medalist Leon Spinksin a 15 round split decision. However, seven months later, Ali won his title back with a unanimous decision. In the year of 1979 on June the 27,Muhammad Ali announced his retirement from professional boxing. overall professional record of 56-5. In 19 Ali carried the Olympic torch and ignited the beginning of Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He was also gifted with a second gold medal to replace the first one he tossed away. -
Jordan College years
In 1981, Jordan earned a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in cultural geography. As a freshman in coach Dean Smith's team-oriented system, he was named ACC Freshman of the Year after he averaged 13.4 points per game (ppg) on 53.4% shooting (field goal percentage). He made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing. -
Jordan early years in the NBA
Jordan was drafted 1st round and pick #3 on June 19,1984 to Chicago Bulls. He averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting. He quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star is Born" just over a month into his professional career. Jordan was also voted in as an All-Star starter by the fans in his rookie season. -
Jerry Rice the legendary Wide-Reciever starting off
On draft day, the 49ers traded its first two picks for New England's first-round choice, the 16th selection overall (the teams also swapped third-round picks as part of the deal), and selected Rice. For that rookie season, he recorded 49 catches for 927 yards, averaging 18.9 yards per catch and was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year. (Eddie Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals, one of the two wide receivers taken ahead of Rice, was named the NFL Rookie of the Year. -
Michael Johnson earlier Track and Field career
In 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Michael Johnson developed a stress fracture of his left fibula before the U.S. Olympic trials began. He did not qualify in the 400 m and he withdrew from the 200 m. In 1989, he placed 2nd in the 400 at the USA Indoor Championship, while at the NCAA Outdoor Championship he led off runner-up Baylor in the 4 x 400 with a time of 43.8 and won the 200 in an American record time of 20.59. -
Jerry Rice the Greatest Wide-Reciever
Jerry Rice performance in Super Bowl XXIII was even better. In possibly his finest performance ever, Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 5 yards, helping the 49ers to a narrow 20–16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. His receptions and receiving yards were both Super Bowl records. For his performance, he became only the third wide receiver to earn Super Bowl MVP honors. -
Michael Jordan in the 90's
On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, citing a loss of desire to play because of his father murder. In March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a 2-word press release: "I'm back. Motivated from playoff defeat, Jordan trained aggressively for the 1995–96 season. The Bulls finished with the best regular season record in NBA history: 72–10. Jordan is only the second to sweep up the MVP Awards in the All-Star Game, regular season and NBA Finals. -
The African American recorded breaking sprinter
Michael Johnson won his first Olympic medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain, as a member of the 4 400-metre relay team that set the world record, which he helped to lower again the following year. In 1995 he twice broke the world mark in the indoor 400 metres and won both long sprints at the world championships. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, he became the first man to win gold medals at both distances of the 200 and 400m run. -
Tiger Woods starting off
In October 20,1996 Tiger woods celebrate becoming a professional, winning his first PGA tour and being labeled as Rookie of the year. -
Jordan the Greatest of all time
In April 16, 20003 majority owner Pollin fired Jordan as team president. Despite that decision Jordan proven to be the greatest basketball player winning 6× NBA Champion (1991–1993, 1996–1998), 5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991–1992, 1996, 1998),14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002–2003), 6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998), 10× NBA scoring champion (1987–1993, 1996–1998) and being apart of NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. -
The Greatest golfer
Woods has won 14 professional major golf championships,and 71 PGA tour events.He has more career major wins and career PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer does. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour. achieved a career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won 16 World Golf Championships, and won at least one of those events in each of the first 11 years after they began in 1999. -
Career Highlights of Jordan
