Top 3 most influential athletes in the US history
USA sports history has known many wide-renowned names, strong personalities, and inspiring stories. Moreover, the country gave birth to athletes, who made their respective disciplines better, added something to them, or ignited the viewers’ interest all over the world just by playing the game they wholeheartedly adored.
Most of the athletes in this list wouldn’t stop at the sport, which was also the reason for their inclusion, and they were successful in almost anything they’ve done. Here are the top three most influential USA sportspeople of all time.
Tiger Woods
The prolific athlete made golf famous for wider audiences thanks to his media persona. The playstyle, club twirl, and Tiger’s fist pump have conveyed the game’s fascination for the viewers. It’s hard to hold back and not make a bet after studying the bookmaker’s review, for example, here https://bookmaker-ratings.com/review/betneptune-bookmaker-review-rules-support-sign-up-free-bets-site/, when such a professional plays.
Woods turned professional in the mid-nineties, and golf was viewed as an older men’s sport back then: slow, unexciting, more recreational time spending than a high-performance. The athlete’s arrival was tied to the so-called “renaissance” in modern golf history. From the US and European courts, it gained more and more fame and followers worldwide.
Sadly, the athlete has suffered severe injuries in the car crash in 2021 and, in his own words, won’t be at the top of his form ever again. But Woods admits that his fans might see his talent on the court in a couple of tournaments a year, though.
Muhammad Ali
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” is a boxing style of this legendary fighter. Every move, every step he made on the ring became history, and all the wins had their impact. While most of his opponents were slow and sluggish, Muhammad Ali is well known for his quick feet and a “Rope-a-Dope” skill aimed at tiring out the rival. All the fights he took part in were spectacular, and viewers never left disappointed.
Ali is recognizable and respected by those who don’t know or like boxing for many reasons, namely his civil rights activism. In 2005, his deeds outside the ring were awarded: the boxer got the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. Ali’s accolades in the boxing ring and activism after his sports career made him one of the most identifiable African-American men in history.
Michael Jordan
Six-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time Olympic gold medal achiever, and triumphs on the court were supported by Jordan’s victories outside it. MJ twice announced that he was retiring from the sport but then returned, and broadcasts of his conference and opening games after the announcement broke TV rating records.
The basketball talent was displayed in sports and other areas. For instance, he starred in the animated film Space Jam, where he played himself. MJ got into the cartoon world teamed up with Bugs Bunny and other heroes to defeat space monsters and save the universe. Space Jam is still warmly remembered, and the cartoon remains a cult classic.
Also, Nike created a series of trainers under its sub-brand, the Air Jordan, which became insanely popular, new models are still being released, and rare pieces of footwear can only be found at resellers for vast sums of money.
