Bob Cousy is known by many nicknames, such as “Mr. Basketball,” and “The Houdini of the Hardwood,” for how he changed the ball-handling style, and for his passing skills in the NBA. Basketball games were like magical performances to him that would make him exceedingly successful. He led the league in assists for eight years and won the MVP award in 1957.
Bob Cousy is pictured here, shooting over Ernie Becktrying and Wilt Chamberlain in 1959, at a game in Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. His dribbling prowess would throw his defenders right off, blinding them with no-look passes that they just couldn’t predict the trajectory of.
JOE NAMATH
Joe Namath’s rise to stardom was propelled by his shocking forecast that his team, the New York Jets, would defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. In an interview after their win, he was asked if the Colts’ defense was the toughest he has ever faced, he replied, “That would be the Buffalo Bills’ defense.”
This photo shows Joe Namath standing on the sidelines on December 8, 1974. On this day, the Jets faced the Bills in a messy game. They went on to win it 20-10, with Namath scoring 131 yards, and successfully passing two touchdowns.
NADIA COMANECI
Nadia Comaneci is pictured completing a somersault during the 1976 Summer Olympics. This was taken on Aug. 1, 1976, and it perfectly captures her brilliance in a sport where she would become a five-time Olympic medalist.
She went on to become the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0, making the sport more popular around the globe. She received a perfect score from this performance, and added six more, winning three golds in total. She garnered two more perfect scores during the 1980 Summer Olympics, held in Moscow, and earned two additional gold medals.
TED WILLIAMS
Teammates surround Ted Williams during Spring Training in March of 1956. Everyone would be curious as to what Williams had to say when it comes to the sport of baseball. He was a six-time American League batting champion, also an MVP award recipient, and in this photograph he is acting out his batting form to his audience in Florida.
In 1956, Ted Williams hit .345, with a Major League best of .479 that season. He played for 19 years solely as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox.
DICK BUTKUS
This is a photograph of Dick Butkus hustling his way through a game with the St. Louis Cardinals. This was taken the same season that he would be awarded the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. He won it again the next season for his relentless efforts.
Dick Butkus was regarded as one of the most intimidating linebackers of the game, and this picture shows us a little bit of how “The Most Feared Man” operates in the field. He played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973.