In 1936, when Adolf Hitler was expecting the Aryans to dominate the Olympics, Jesse Owens struck pure gold at major track events. He won four gold medals, proving Hitler wrong.
John Rooney / AP Photo
2/29
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Thrilla in Manila
If you are a true boxing fan, you must watch the Thrilla in Manila, wherein Muhammad Ali created history by knocking out Joe Frazier after 14 grueling rounds for the title of heavyweight champion of the world in 1975.
Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
3/29
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Youngest Masters winner
21-year-old Tiger Woods rewrote the record books when he won his first ever Masters title, also becoming the youngest ever professional golfer to achieve this victory.
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4/29
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Breaking the color barrier
Jackie Robinson single handedly managed to break the barrier of race when he became the first African-American Major League Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty
5/29
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Most gold medals at a single event
In the 2008 Olympics, when other athletes were hoping to win a gold medal for their country, Michael Phelps became the first ever athlete to win eight at a single Olympics.
Eric Bronson, UM Photography
6/29
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The new all-time home run leader
“It’s gone! It’s 715! There’s a new home run champion of all time” is what the commentator on WSB radio yelled when Hank Aaron broke game legend Babe Ruth’s home run streak by securing his 715th career run in 1974.
Getty/Tim Clary/AFP
7/29
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The shot
Seconds before the buzzer, Jordan ran up to the basket to make a jump shot that ensured the series win for the Chicago Bulls against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989.
Chronicle / Alamy Stock Photo
8/29
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The first four-minute mile
Roger Bannister became the first ever person to conquer the mile by running the distance in just under four minutes. The four-minute barrier was broken by him at Oxford University’s Iffley Road Track in 1954.
Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times
9/29
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Women’s second World Cup victory
Brandi Chastain’s victory after scoring the winning penalty in the 1999 World Cup games is a moment forever etched in the memory of football fans across the world. This was their second world cup title.
ALLSPORT HULTON/ARCHIVE
10/29
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Battle of the sexes
Billie Jean King responded to a challenge raised by the former world no. 1 tennis champion Bobby Riggs and defeated him in three straight sets.
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
11/29
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Woman Athlete of the Half Century
Babe Didrikson Zaharias certainly proved that it doesn’t matter when you start, as long as you do. She may have picked up golf late but mastered the sport to win the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship.
David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images
12/29
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The Hand of God goal
Diego Maradona is known for scoring a goal with his hand in the quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The referee did not call a penalty, and it gave Argentina a lead that subsequently led to their win.
Ed Lacey/Popperfoto via Getty Images
13/29
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Seven world records in seven days
The 1972 Olympics witnessed one of the worst incidents in sporting history when terrorists killed 11 members of the Israeli team, including athletes, coaches, and officials. Mark Spitz still managed to win seven gold medals that year.
KilmaleyCamogie | Twitter
14/29
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Superstar of the 1958 World Cup
Pele became the youngest player to play in a World Cup final match and scored six goals for the Brazilian team in the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
TPN / Getty Images
15/29
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King of Clay
Rafael Nadal will always be remembered for defeating the then top-ranked Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final. The Spanish player ascended to the number one spot after this match.
TONY DUFFY/ALLSPORT
16/29
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The perfect 10
14-year-old Nadia Com?neci, a Romanian gymnast, set an example for aspiring female athletes by scoring a total of seven perfect 10s in gymnastics events at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. She won three gold medals and one silver and bronze each.
AP Photo / Steve C. Wilson
17/29
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A skating legend
The 1980 Winter Olympics witnessed the speed skater Eric Heiden winning five gold medals, a feat that was not achieved by anyone in the games until then.
tomwatson.com
18/29
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Duel in the Sun
In the 1977 Open Championship, Tom Watson managed a birdie putt after his opponent Jack Nicklaus played an absolute stunner 35-foot shot to clinch the title. The tournament was dubbed as ‘Duel in the Sun’.
Photo by Erich Schlegel / Dallas Morning News
19/29
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The injury-defying gold
Injury did not stop Kerri Strugg from winning a gold medal in the pole vault event in the 1996 Olympics. Her coach holding Kerri on the winning podium is a moment to cherish in the history of the Olympics.
MPI/Getty Images
20/29
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A glorious home run
When the stakes were already high in the fifth inning of the 1932 World Series game three, Babe Ruth decided to call the shot to center field and hit a home run on the next pitch to the exact same spot.
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
21/29
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Defining moment in the U.S. Open
It’s match point in the U.S. Open tournament of the open era and Arthur Ashe becomes the first African American male to win the title with that point.
Robert Riger/Getty Images
22/29
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Perfect 10 in the summer of 84
Mary Lou Retton became the first American who achieved perfect 10s to win the first individual all-around gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics despite undergoing surgery for a knee injury just weeks before the event.
Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images
23/29
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500 lap victory
It took Dale Earnhardt 20 years of NASCAR racing to finally clinch victory at the Daytona International Speedway in 1998.
Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
24/29
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Three out of the park
Three pitches were all it took for New York Yankees Reggie Jackson to hit three consecutive home runs in the sixth game of the 1977 World Series, a feat only achieved by Babe Ruth at the time.
Takeo Tanuma/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
25/29
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The ultimate K.O.
A defining moment in boxing history in 1990 at the Tokyo Dome match, Buster Douglas delivered a knockout punch to Mike Tyson. Tyson’s defeat shattered his record for being the undisputed heavyweight champion.
MICHAEL LLOYD / THE OREGONIAN/OREGONLIVE
26/29
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UCLA wins again
Bill Walton was the center field player for his UCLA Bruins basketball team and scored 44 points in the 1973 NCAA men’s national championship, a game that helped secure the seventh consecutive title for his team.
Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
27/29
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Bolting towards a new record
Usain Bolt officially becomes the fastest man on earth when he shattered both the 100 meter and 200 meter world records, and later won the 4X100 meter relay with his team.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
28/29
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Crosby’s game winning goal
Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics gold medal game, which was a rematch of the men’s tournament in ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
29/29
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Ultimate walk-off home run
The game is tied at the bottom of the ninth inning in game seven of the 1960 World Series and Bill Mazeroski knocks one right of the park to clinch the last second victory by defeating the Yankees.