Retired Sports Stars Whom We Can't Stop Talking About
Faux Babe Ruth in The Sandlot said it best: "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." In sports, that sentiment rings truer than anyone could ever imagine.
Legends are names we will never stop talking about. The way they influenced the game, their peers and future generations are what brings that quote to life.
There is a select group of names that has been eternally etched into the beautiful mantle that makes up sports. In order to qualify, each person had to have an unforgettable impact on their respective sport. On top of that notion, they also represent names current and future generations are out there chasing.
Here are 10 names that made the final cut.
Honorable Mentions
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Understanding that greatness isn’t limited to 10 names, an honorable mentions section was necessary here:
- Arnold Palmer, golfer
- David Beckham, soccer
- "Sugar" Ray Robinson, boxing
- Barry Bonds, baseball
- Hank Aaron, baseball
- Shaquille O'Neal, basketball.
- Deion Sanders, football/baseball
- Gordie Howe, hockey
- Jack Nicklaus, golfer
- Walter Payton, football
- Lawrence Taylor, football
- Nolan Ryan, baseball
- Larry Bird, basketball
Michael Jordan
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Michael Jordan will live on forever in people’s minds not only because he left the NBA with six championship rings. But as Mars Blackmon, drawing inspiration from Nostradamus, said in 1989, “It’s gotta be the shoes.”
The popularity of Jordan’s kicks and the creation of the Jordan Brand as a company have changed our perception of MJ himself. That’s why retro sneakers like his Air Jordan XI “Legend Blue” released in 2014 generated $80 million in revenue, per SportsScanInfo (h/t Tobe Okocha of Hypebeast).
When you combine Jordan’s average of 30.1 points per game with his six NBA titles, five MVP awards and countless iconic sneaker designs, what you get is the greatest basketball influencer to ever walk this planet.
Barry Sanders
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Running backs in the NFL continue to revolve around the legend of Barry Sanders.
It was Sanders who defined what a highlight reel should actually look like. It was also Sanders who was tasked with representing a franchise by his lonesome for 10 seasons.
He gracefully ran, cut and exploded to the tune of 15,269 yards. That total was good enough for third-best in NFL history.
Sanders may have only reached the playoffs on five separate occasions, but that didn’t matter. He stuck with Detroit and retired a Lion at the age of 30.
All of the sensational cutbacks and jaw-dropping moves he made public are part of the legend. Sanders redefined the running back position and did it with an underlying sense of elegance.
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Wayne Gretzky
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To this day, Wayne Gretzky is the NHL's all-time leader in goals scored (894) and assists (1,963). No one has been able to match the diverse aptness he brought with him to the ice.
What makes Gretzky’s story even more fascinating than some other names on here is that he spent the duration of his career bouncing between five franchises. Can you imagine Jordan moving around during his prime?
The Great One played with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues—for a season—and the New York Rangers. No matter where he ended up, exuberant production followed.
We’re currently living in a time period flooded with exceptional talent. Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos have proven that. However, none of those guys carry the same legacy as Gretzky.
He’s a four-time Stanley Cup winner, and his dominance even forced the NHL to change its rules for a brief period of time, as Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports mentioned. It doesn't get a lot better than that.
Magic Johnson
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It’s safe to say that professional basketball in Los Angeles wouldn’t be the same without Magic Johnson’s legacy looming over the city.
Johnson was an essential component of the Showtime Lakers—a team that won five NBA titles and defined what it was like to play fast, flashy and fearless.
He was a 6’9” point guard who did everything well. He was essentially LeBron James before James was crowned king of the world—an oversized athlete with the ball skills and ability of a smaller guard.
Johnson’s career average of 19.5 points, 11.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game are totals you rarely see anymore. He used those totals to serve as the conductor of so many great Laker teams.
Many believe that Johnson remains the benchmark in terms of greatness at the point guard position. ESPN.com ranked him No. 1 overall, citing his three MVP awards, five NBA titles and remarkable vision.
Johnson also will be remembered for the courage and strength he showcased in 1991. That was when the Lakers guard shared with the world that he was HIV positive and that his time with the Lakers would be coming to an end—Magic did return for the 1995-96 season.
He was a special player, that 20 years after he walked away from the sport, he still maintains an impactful legacy on both ends of the spectrum.
Jackie Robinson
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Jackie Robinson completely altered the course of history. He shattered barriers in sports and culture by becoming the first African American athlete to play—and thrive—in Major League Baseball.
We are all eternally grateful for his struggles, sacrifice and courage.
Out on the field, Robinson turned a 10-year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers into a Hall of Fame resume. He left the sport with a career batting average of .311, led the league in stolen bases twice and even took home an MVP award in 1949.
When you think back, Robinson’s forceful style of play and groundbreaking legacy will always stand the test of time. He remains a defining pioneer of American culture.
Joe Montana
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Before we had Tom Brady and Peyton Manning to cheer for, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana was the guy everybody chased in terms of winning championships.
His career chucking the pigskin around in San Francisco may not stack up to the statistical greatness of say Dan Marino or Brett Favre, but Montana won. And he won a lot.
Montana's lifetime achievement of four Super Bowl titles ties him with Pittsburgh Steelers great Terry Bradshaw and of course, Brady.
Winning aside, Montana’s influence ran deep in a schematic way. He was the lead man under Bill Walsh’s innovative West Coast offense.
Because of innovation, production and the fact that Brady is still aiming to win another Super Bowl, Montana remains a talking point in all NFL circles.
Muhammad Ali
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The common theme you’re going to see prevail as you voyage on through this slideshow is greatness. Muhammad Ali defines that word to the T.
Ali’s in-ring record of 56-5 was enhanced by the generation-defining battles he fought. Wars against the likes of Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Sonny Liston are doctrines of a time when heavyweight boxing was king.
Ali’s decorated career both in and outside of the squared circle will keep the embers of his legacy burning for the duration of time.
Bo Jackson
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The dual-sport lord himself, Bo Jackson, is one name that won’t ever go out of style.
Jackson’s freaky athletic ability is almost mythological at this point. His rumored 4.12-second 40-yard dash in 1986 is still something that gets talked about, as Mark Inabinett of AL.com explained.
He was the athlete who put all those other athletes to shame. Jackson was a star halfback for the Los Angeles Raiders and spent time playing professional baseball with the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox.
Babe Ruth
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In many ways, baseball is baseball because of Babe Ruth. What that means is that Ruth was the first true phenomenon of his time.
He was a former pitcher—and a great one at that—who left the Boston Red Sox and became the game’s greatest pure hitter with the New York Yankees—hence the “Curse of the Bambino.”
Ruth’s 22 years in baseball proved to be impervious to failure. Glancing up and down his stat sheet shows you how remarkable this man from Baltimore was.
The Bambino helped shape professional baseball and the Yankees. Without Ruth, that franchise wouldn’t carry a quarter of the history, luster and class it does today.
Carl Lewis
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Track and field doesn’t garner the same attention as baseball, football or any other major professional sport. But there was a period of time when Carl Lewis changed that.
Lewis captured nine gold medals during his Olympics tenure and capped it off with eight first-place finishes in the World Championships. He was as dominant of a figure as there was in terms of track and field success.
The 1984 Olympics stands alone as Lewis’ brightest athletic moment. That was the year he was able to tie Jesse Owens’ record of four gold medals. Rolling Stone ranked Owens’ ‘84 Olympic moment No. 4 in terms of all-time significance.
For his unique athletic ability and what he did for the sport, Lewis deserves to be here.
All stats and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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