15 Sports Superstars and the Plays That Defined Them

When you think of Derek Jeter's career-defining play, what do you think of? What about Michael Jordan's?

The following 15 athletes are or were superstars, legends even, in their sports. And sports legends all have one thing in common: heroic moments. This list is by no means comprehensive. In fact, the following represents just 15 of the many iconic sports figures throughout history and their most memorable moments on the field, court, green, ice or course. 

Keep in mind that we're not talking big games or the completion of major accomplishments (like Gretzky's 50 in 39). We're talking big plays, or single moments on the field of battle. Each are incredible as far as athleticism, impact on the game or both.

As a caveat, it must be noted that everyone on this list had many incredible career moments to choose from. What follows is simply an attempt to identify the most career-defining, iconic and legendary play for each.

Honorable Mention: Odell Beckham Jr.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gets an honorable mention because he's not quite a full-fledged superstar yet, and he's far from a legend (though he's off to a good start). 

If Beckham does indeed go on to have an iconic NFL career, people will surely look back to his rookie season and a catch he made against the Dallas Cowboys. Many in the sports world immediately hailed it as one of the greatest catches of all time.  

Honorable Mention: Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Lynch isn't quite a legend yet either, but he's certainly a star in today's NFL. Besides, if any play can be called definitive of one's career, it has to be Lynch's 67-yard monster run against the New Orleans Saints in 2011.

The historic run, or perhaps more accurately, steamroll, was absolutely the definition of Beast Mode.

Steve Young, 49-Yard TD

In 1988, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young was still a backup to Joe Montana. However, he saw game action in October because of an injury to the team's legendary starter.

Against the Minnesota Vikings, Young scrambled for a 49-yard touchdown run that would become famous. Watching it now, the windy, twisting, turning jaunt seems to take hours to complete.

Young didn't see regular playing time until 1991, but he certainly put on a display of things to come that day in '88.  

Landon Donovan, World Cup 2010

Landon Donovan is one of America's great soccer heroes. His most famous goal came on the biggest of stages, the 2010 World Cup.

To close out group play, the U.S. and Algeria had played to a 0-0 tie, but a tie would not be good enough for the Americans. They would, in all likelihood, need the three points that came with a win to advance to the round of 16.   

As stoppage time ticked off the clock, a win seemed less and less likely—that is, until Donovan raced up the field and put a rebound into the back of the net.

Travis Pastrana, Double Backflip

Travis Pastrana is one of the most famous action sports stars of all time. His career has been marked by a constant pushing of the boundaries, but perhaps the most defining moment (calling it a "play" doesn't really make sense in this context, but you get it) came at the X Games in 2006.

Pastrana landed a trick no one ever had—a motocross double backflip—and it was epic.

Sidney Crosby, Olympic Winner

Olympic hockey, U.S. vs. Canada, overtime—it doesn't get much bigger than that.

It was on that stage Canadian Sidney Crosby hit the goal of his life, a game-winner against the Americans to win the gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Magic Johnson, Baby Sky Hook

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made the sky hook famous, and Magic Johnson made the baby sky hook (or junior hook, or whatever you want to call it) famous.

Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers led the Boston Celtics 2-1 in the 1987 NBA Finals. Down one with just seconds remaining, Johnson executed a perfect running "baby sky hook" to put the Lakers up 107-106, a lead they would not relinquish.

According to NBA.com, Larry Bird said, "You expect to lose to the Lakers on a sky-hook. You don't expect it to be from Magic."

Roger Federer, Through the Legs

Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open semifinal in 2009. During the third set, he executed one of the most difficult shots in tennis, a backward, through-the-legs beauty to get to match point.

According to the Telegraph, Federer spoke about the timing and impact of the shot when he said, "That's why it's the greatest shot I ever hit in my life."

Believe it or not, he did it again in 2010.

Bart Starr, QB Sneak

Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr's defining moment came in football's biggest, and coldest, game in 1967. History remembers it as the original "Ice Bowl."

Starr's Green Bay Packers trailed the Dallas Cowboys 17-14 with five minutes remaining in the championship game. The Packers executed a drive down the field and ended up on the Dallas 1-yard line with 16 seconds to go.

After two unsuccessful run plays, Starr took the ball himself on 3rd-and-goal. He sneaked it in for the touchdown, and the win.

Derek Jeter, 'The Flip'

Derek Jeter had many memorable moments throughout his career, but two defensive plays stand out—the headfirst catch in 2004 and, of course, "The Flip" in 2001. 

The New York Yankees trailed the Oakland Athletics two games to none in the American League Division Series. In the seventh inning of a close Game 3, Jeter made an incredible play on a relay to save a run.

The Yankees went on to win the game, 1-0, and later, the series.

Larry Bird, the Steal

Larry Bird just made it look so easy. His defining play was not an incredible shot, but rather, a steal.

In May 1987, Bird's Boston Celtics faced Isaiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 came down to the wire.

Down 107-106 with seconds remaining, the Celtics lined up to defend a Pistons inbound. Bird leapt in to grab the pass lobbed by Thomas and dished it to Dennis Johnson, who laid it in for the game-winning score.   

Joe Montana, to John Taylor

Two plays stick out as defining in Joe Montana's legendary career. His touchdown pass to Dwight Clark to clinch the 1982 NFC Championship Game is one.

But better than winning a playoff game is winning the Super Bowl. That's what made Montana's game-winning TD pass to John Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII just a little more special.

Down 16-13 and pinned deep in his own territory with just over three minutes to go, Montana marched the San Francisco 49ers down the field against a stingy Cincinnati Bengals defense. With 39 seconds remaining, he capped off the drive with the completion to Taylor, sealing the 49ers' victory.

Montana was a true champion, and he showed why on that day in 1989.

Tiger Woods, 16th Hole

Tiger Woods has 14 major titles and many incredible memories on the golf course. However, perhaps no moment better defined his competitiveness, meticulous nature or flair for the dramatic than the 16th hole at the Masters in 2005.

Very much in the hunt on the tournament's final day, Woods found himself in a precarious position at the 16th hole. His first shot landed left of the green, and it appeared he would be lucky to make bogey.

Instead, he made birdie and went on to win the whole shebang. So Tiger.

Marc Patrick, VP of global marketing at Nike called it, "one of those magical moments in sports history — a time you remember where you were when it happened," according to Steve DiMeglio of For The Win.

Bobby Orr, 'Flying Bobby'

There is a statue outside TD Garden in Boston depicting Hall of Famer Bobby Orr's defining goal.

The year was 1970, and the Boston Bruins led the St. Louis Blues 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. In overtime of Game 4, Orr provided a moment that would live in the hearts of Boston fans forever.

He scored the game-winning goal off of a pass from Derek Sanderson and celebrated with a flying leap. 

Willie Mays, 'The Catch'

Willie Mays is widely regarded as one of the best all-around players in baseball history. His over-the-shoulder basket catch in the 1954 World Series illustrated just how skilled he was as an outfielder. Rightly so, it's remembered as one of the most famous catches of all time.

Michael Jordan, 'The Shot'

Michael Jordan was the architect of innumerable incredible plays and moments over the course of his NBA career. Choosing just one was a challenge, to say the least.

After extensive rumination, "The Shot" edged out "The Final Shot" by a hair. 

Jordan's final shot with the Chicago Bulls to win the 1998 Finals became iconic. It was an incredible, meaningful play, and it was classic Jordan. 

However, "The Shot," his game-winning jumper to move on in the 1989 playoffs, was perhaps just a little more definitive. The shot itself, and the subsequent celebration (you know the one), is an image you've seen a thousand times. So MJ. 

Babe Ruth, 'Called Shot'

If you had to think of one moment in one game associated with the great Babe Ruth, what would it be?

Ironically, one of the defining moments of Ruth's storied career might not have actually happened. Did Ruth call his shot during the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs? Or was he simply pointing to the opposing dugout?

No one can really say for sure, but regardless if the story is myth or fact, it will forever be a part of the Babe's legend.  

Hear him talk about it himself in this great piece from MLB.com.