In the 1960s, Wilma Rudolph ran to three golds and three world records in the 1960 Olympics, Roger Maris blasted 61 home runs in 1961, UCLA started its men’s basketball dynasty, and the first Super Bowl was played after the AFL-NFL merger.
The 1970s brought us Title IX and a push for women’s sports by Billie Jean King, a perfect season for the Miami Dolphins, Hank Aaron became the home run king, and Ali fought the “Rumble in the Jungle.”
The 1980s saw Wayne Gretsky score his 100th goal, Mary Lou Retton win gold, Greg Lemond become the first American to win the Tour de France, and Michael Jordan take flight.
The 1990s saw the United States host the men’s 1994 World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup, and the 1996 Summer Olympics.
In the 2000s, the Boston Red Sox broke their 86-year World Series curse, Tiger Woods ascended to the top of the PGA Tour, Michael Phelps swam his way to 8 gold medals at the 2008 Olympics, Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points in a game, and the Williams sisters dominated tennis.
What was the best decade in sports history and why?