Who were your favorite athletes growing up?

[AARPLynne]

Joe Montana never threw an interception in his four Super Bowl games with the San Francisco 49ers on the way to four Championships and three Super Bowl MVP awards. Michael Jordan won an NCAA Championship with UNC and six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, and was a five-time NBA MVP. Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam titles, setting the record after surpassing Steffi Graf in 2017.

Who were your favorite athletes growing up?

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[dt324]

Otto Graham, Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, Mickey Mantle, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Wilma Rudolph, Jim Thorpe (after I saw the Burt Lancaster movie), Rod Laver, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Weismuller.

[mjlutz48]

Baseball: Ted Williams

Football: Johnny Unitas

Basketball: John Havlicek

[2Papa]

#9, Mr Hockey for me.  Gordie Howe!

[rt8746]

As a kid growing up in Queens, NY some of my favorite athletes were Rusty Staub, Jon Milner, Felix Milian (notice the NY Mets theme). Then Reggie Jackson when he came to the Yankees, Ron Guidry, Earl the Pearl Monroe, Walt Frazier, Micheal Ray Richardson and Ray William. But my all time favorite athlete is and will always be Muhammad Ali. The most POPULAR athlete of the 20th century hands with Pele being number 2 most popular 

[PamelaB323018]

Dorothy Hamil and Peggy Flemming were my favorite athletes because they were so graceful on the ice.

[Michelino815]

an Ohio boy, Jim Brown was the man in the fall, Rocky Colavito in the summer

[MikeT1954]

#7 The Mick - I grew up about 2 hours from Commerce, OK. And I became a baseball fan in 1961 when the M&M boys were chasing Ruth’s record of 60 HR’s - every day in the paper was pictures of Mantle, Maris and Ruth and their comparable numbers. Plus CBS owned the Yankees so their games were on TV every Saturday & Sunday.
I really enjoyed watching Aaron Judge break Roger Maris A.L. record of 61 this past summer - brought back such great memories from 61 years ago!

In football it was #74 Bob Lilly, until #12 Roger Staubach came along.

[j860025m]

As a New York sports fan from NJ, my favorites were Mickey Mantle of the Yankees and Y.A. Tittle of the Giants.  Both are definitely in the top of their sport for all time!

[LindaH406784]

Peggy Fleming, the Olympic champion ice skater. She was the epitome of grace and athleticism. As a child she was my athletic hero but then as an adult (when she courageously faced and shared her battle with cancer) she was, once again, inspirational.

[DeborahP848962]

Being from Maryland & baseball being my favorite sport, I have to say Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Boog Powell. But Brooks was (is) my absolute fav!

[WilliamH354583]

Mick! #7 Mickey Mantle

[DavidW195790]

I grew up in the age of some great stories about athletes Jim Thorpe and Red Grange who were both wronged by the establishment and still managed to break barriers. Other barrier breakers like Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Earl Lloyd, Phil Jordan, Wat Misaka and others too numerous to mention. These people moved their games to higher levels, giving us the play we have come to enjoy today.

[postman29]

Although I love almost all sports, Carl Yastrzemski was always number one, due to my love of baseball. My others were Bobby Orr in hockey and Larry Bird in basketball. Of course, Tom Brady in football is the G.O.A.T.!

[rk48058573]

I love football, baseball, basketball (prior to 3-point lines) & hockey.  Grew up with older brothers and my parents.  The most impactful player that I recall was Lawrence Taylor of the NY Giants.  He completely changed the art of being a linebacker with speed and abilities.  Tom Seaver was my favorite dependable NY Mets player.  Always pitched the heck for 7-9 innings a game.  He truly was Tom terrific.  Keith Hernandez was a great hitter and excellent first baseman on my Mets.  My favorite b-ball player was Walt (Clyde) Frazier for the NY Knicks.  He set the plays up and was a very dependable shooter.  For hockey I would have to say Ed Giacomin (NY Rangers- goalie) & Rod Gilbert, also a Ranger but played right winger.  Tough hard nosed but great skaters.

[MLD6]

My favorite athlete when I was growing was Stan "the Man" Musial of the St. Locos Cardinals. He was a hall of fame baseball player and a nice guy.

[wilful]

Babe Ruth, Jessee Owens, Lew Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio.

[DominicA237341]

I would agree with Jesse Owens as a favorite athlete when I was growing up. He won four gold medals in track and field events in the 1936 Berlin Olympics under the gaze of the host, Adolf Hitler. Hitler would come up with an excuse not to be present in offering congratulations for Owens' marvelous athletic performance.