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Across 140 years, from 1886 to today, tomorrow and the next days after that, The Sporting News has covered countless competitions, games and matches, races and bouts in dozens of athletic endeavors. Sports, the original live improv — every pitch, possession, punch, pass and kick — is what this celebration is all about.
First, a moment about moments.
You know the lightning bolts, those instants that make us love sports, when the implausible becomes reality — and electrifies the soundtrack to our sports-loving lives.
“Do you believe in miracles?!”
“In your LIFE have you ever seen anything like that?!”
“In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”
The unbelievable made real — in a blink, a moment.
But what if the definition of a “moment” is shape-shifting? Two hours of a baseball game, four days of a golf tournament, two weeks of an Olympiad, nine months of a Premier League season.
Is a “moment” when a Black man puts pen to contract or when he takes his spot at first base on Opening Day? Is a moment the first gold medal or the fourth? Is a moment 56 consecutive games or the hitless 57th, is it a Super Bowl victory guaranteed or the victory itself?
Over the past months, that’s what our team has wrestled with and argued about as we ranked and re-ranked — and re-ranked again — the moments on this list, a list in no way definitive (what ranking is?) but certainly one that brings the gravitas of a sports media company that has been around for every … last … one of them.
The opening section of “The Sporting News First Hundred Years 1886-1986,” a book published in 1985, reads: “When the first issue of The Sporting News rolled off the press in mid-March 1886, major league baseball, represented by the National League and American Association, was suffering from acute growing pains.”
Growing and pains. The irony, 140 years later, is that The Sporting News is growing, though it hasn’t been without pains that most if not all media companies — a few older, most younger —have experienced in today’s fast-evolving landscape.
Yet here we stand with 14 editions of SportingNews.com in seven languages and beyond that providing sports coverage to numerous fans, partners and clients.
Although, as the story goes, The Sporting News was dubbed “the Baseball Bible” by a cruise-ship captain in the late 1920s, we’ve covered football, basketball, hockey, horse racing, boxing, golf and more since the late 1940s. Today, we also cover soccer, the Olympics, tennis, F1, MMA, cricket, darts and rugby, among others.
That’s why this list might seem overly expansive to some. We would respectfully disagree. Because the emotions evoked by these moments aren’t defined by country or continent. They’re defined by their humanity.
The link between our games and all of us is inescapable. Sports are a reflection of society and can reach beyond the competition itself. It became clear early on that Jesse Owens or Jackie Robinson would occupy No. 1 on our list — because of the larger statement each man made, Owens to the world in Berlin as Nazism took hold and Robinson to a largely still segregated America.
Honestly, who’s No. 1 and who’s No. 2 is an infinitesimal difference over 140 years of countless sports moments. But No. 1 is a strong statement. So why did we choose Robinson’s breaking MLB’s color barrier? It was voiced most eloquently by panel member Riley Trujillo: “Jackie dismantled a formal segregation system that triggered a movement across sports and ultimately shifted American culture. While Jesse Owens had global symbolic impact, it was more symbolic than structural.”
So here’s the list from our perspective of 140 years covering sports. We’re confident you’ll enjoy, if not always agree with, our greatest moments. Maybe you’ll learn a few things along the way. Above all, we hope you’ll join us, starting now, on a 2026 celebration of not just sports but The Sporting News, too.
Sporting News 140 Greatest Sports Moments Of All Time
No. 140 - Shohei Ohtani strikes out Mike Trout to win World Baseball Classic, 2023
The two best players in the world with over 60 million fans watching globally, Shohei Ohtani struck out Angels' teammate Mike Trout for the final out ... Full story
No. 139 - Sidney Crosby's 'Golden Goal' lifts Canada past USA, 2010
Crosby's OT goal stifles a furious U.S. comeback in a gold medal game for the ages at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver ... Full story
No. 138 - Texas Western beats Kentucky for NCAA title in game that changed basketball, 1966
Texas Western's all-Black starting five defeats all-white Kentucky in a historic, barrier-breaking national championship game ... Full story
No. 137 - Liverpool overcomes 3-0 deficit, stuns AC Milan in Champions League final, 2005
Down 3-0 at the half, Liverpool scores three goals in six minutes to author the greatest comeback in Champions League history ... Full story
No. 136 - Ben Hogan survives serious car crash, wins U.S. Open, 1950
"The Miracle at Merion." Sixteen months after surviving a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus, Ben Hogan wins the U.S. Open ... Full story
No. 135 - Santonio Holmes makes toe-tap catch in final seconds to win Super Bowl, 2009
Pittsburgh steals one late as Santonio Holmes punctuates one of the most iconic game-winning two-minute drills in Super Bowl history ... Full story
No. 134 - Teresa Weatherspoon hits 'The Shot' in WNBA Finals, 1999
A half-court buzzer-beater to win the WNBA title. "I let it go and it looked like it took forever." ... Full story
No. 133 - Penn State interception clinches upset of Miami in Fiesta Bowl, 1987
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl set in motion the groundwork for the Bowl Alliance, Bowl Championship Series and the College Football Playoff ... Full story
No. 132 - Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA scoring record with 'logo 3', 2024
As Magic and Bird changed the NBA, Caitlin Clark changed the whole of the women’s game ... Full story
No. 131 - Cathy Freeman wins 400 meter gold in front of frenzied home Sydney crowd, 2000
Time and place always matters when forming indelible moments that embody the Olympic spirit ... Full story
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No. 130 - Serena Williams wins 23rd grand slam while pregnant, 2017
Serena Williams entered the 2017 Australian Open still at her peak at age 35, tied with Steffi Graf at 22 grand slam singles titles ... Full story
No. 129 - Villanova stuns No. 1 Georgetown in legendary NCAA final, 1985
David slayed Goliath (and Patrick Ewing) to cap the most stunning Cinderella story in Final Four history ... Full story
No. 128 - Unknown guard Jeremy Lin captures NBA's imagination in red-hot month, 2012
Before February 2012, nobody had ever heard of Jeremy Lin. By the end of the month, "Linsanity" was a global sensation ... Full story
No. 127 - Mike Tyson KOs Michael Spinks in 91 seconds, 1988
The demolition of Spinks established Mike Tyson as the most feared man in the sport ... Full story
No. 126 - Johnny Rodgers' punt return sparks Nebraska in Game of the Century, 1971
The 1971 Big 8 matchup between No. 1 Nebraska and No. 2 Oklahoma remains the standard from a bygone era ... Full story
No. 125 - Nick Foles runs 'Philly Special' during Eagles' Super Bowl upset of Patriots, 2018
A backup QB beat the GOAT thanks to the gutsiest trick play in Super Bowl history ... Full story
No. 124 - Carlton Fisk waves walk-off home run fair to win Game 6 of World Series, 1975
Facing potential elimination, Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk lofted a ball to left field in the 12th inning ... Full story
No. 123 - Figure skater Sonja Henie wins still-standing record third gold medal, 1936
Nearly a century later, no women's figure has matched Sonja Henie's three straight gold medals ... Full story
No. 122 - No. 16 seed UMBC routs No. 1 Virginia in NCAA's biggest upset, 2018
It finally happened. Prior to UMBC's upset of the ages, 16-seeds were 0-134 all-time against 1-seeds ... Full story
No. 121 - Larry Mize chips in from 140 yards to stun Greg Norman and win Masters, 1987
Arguably the greatest shot in the history of Augusta National, authored by an Augusta native ... Full story
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No. 120 - First-half hat trick by Carli Lloyd leads U.S. to World Cup title, 2015
Carli Lloyd cemented her moment in history as she scored the fastest hat-trick ever in the Women’s World Cup ... Full story
No. 119 - Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb's all-time career hit record, 1985
Not many people loved being on a baseball field more than Pete Rose ... Full story
No. 118 - Shohei Ohtani strikes out 10, hits 3 home runs as Dodgers reach World Series, 2025
Some call it the greatest single-game performance in MLB history, a snapshot of Shohei Ohtani's mind-bending all-around abilities ... Full story
No. 117 - John Elway's 'helicopter run' propels Broncos to first Super Bowl title, 1998
The 37-year-old defied Father Time, Isaac Newton, and three Packers in what stands as the defining play of a Hall of Fame career ... Full story
No. 116 - West Germany stuns Hungary at World Cup in the 'Miracle of Bern', 1954
Quite simply, the greatest upset in World Cup final history ... Full story
No. 115 - Notre Dame rallies late, ends UCLA's 88-game winning streak, 1974
The Bruins built an 11-point lead with a little more than 3 minutes left, but a furious Irish run made history ... Full story
No. 114 - Larry Bird steals the ball from Pistons to give Celtics unlikely playoff win, 1987
Larry Bird’s career was full of clutch moments. His most famous came in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals ... Full story
No. 113 - Appalachian State upsets No. 5 Michigan with blocked kick on final play, 2007
The Wolverines were expected to win in a blowout against an FCS school in the first televised game on the new Big Ten Network ... Full story
No. 112 - Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio hits in record 56 straight games in 1941
When considering baseball's most "unbreakable" records, Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak comes to mind ... Full story
No. 111 - Alex Ovechkin break's Wayne Gretzky's all-time career goals record, 2025
Fueled by a sheer force of will and longevity, Alex Ovechkin finally chased down "The Great One" ... Full story
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No. 110 - Dream Team smashes competition, makes basketball more global, 1992
The poetic prophet, Sir Charles Barkley: "I don't know anything about Angola. But Angola's in trouble" ... Full story
No. 109 - U.S. beats England in World Cup's greatest single-game upset, 1950
England were World Cup favorites. The U.S. lost its previous seven matches by a combined score of 45-2 ... Full story
No. 108 - Serena and Venus meet for first all-Black and all-sister US Open final, 2001
It was a night of firsts at Arthur Ashe Stadium, three days before terrorist attacks brought the U.S. to a halt ... Full story
No. 107 - Ted Williams goes 6-for-8 in final-day doubleheader to hit .406, 1941
Ted Williams, sitting on one of baseball's magic numbers, had a decision to make entering the final day of the 1941 season ... Full story
No. 106 - Celtics' Bill Russell becomes first Black coach to win title in U.S. pro sports, 1968
Bill Russell had been named player/coach at the start of the prior season, taking over for legend Red Auerbach ... Full story
No. 105 - Willie Mays makes critical over-the-shoulder catch in World Series, 1954
Only one play in the long history of Major League Baseball has the distinction of being known as “The Catch” ... Full story
No. 104 - Carlos Alcaraz edges Jannick Sinner in 5th-set tiebreak at epic French Open final, 2025
For 5 hours, 29 minutes, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner showed why they will pick up where the Big Three left off ... Full story
No. 103 - Daytona 500 ends with drama, a brawl, and a brand new audience, 1979
NASCAR was a Southern secret until a snowstorm trapped the Eastern Seaboard indoors on Feb. 18, 1979 ... Full story
No. 102 - Desmond Howard burns rival Ohio State, strikes 'Heisman pose' after TD, 1991
Desmond Howard was the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy heading into The Game against No. 18 Ohio State ... Full story
No. 101 - Gold shoes, gold medals for Michael Johnson, who sets WRs in the 100 and 200, 1996
The gold shoes. The smile at the finish line. The pose next to the timer that confirmed a time of 19.32 ... Full story
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No. 100 - Marshawn Lynch unleashes 'Beast Quake' in Seahawks' playoff upset, 2011
The NFL’s loudest home crowd erupted, literally causing an minor earthquake that registered as 2.0 in magnitude ... Full story
No. 99 - Bobby Thomson hits walk-off home run as the Giants win the pennant, 1951
A two-page spread in the next day’s New York Daily News bore the headline "The Shot Heard ‘Round the Baseball World" ... Full story
No. 98 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sinks sky hook to become NBA's all-time leading scorer, 1984
When Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973, few thought that his record of 31,419 points would be surpassed so soon ... Full story
No. 97 - Steffi Graf wins Olympic gold to complete calendar 'Golden Slam' at 19, 1988
Only five players — man or woman — have completed the career Golden Slam. Only one did it in a single year ... Full story
No. 96 - Boston College QB Doug Flutie hits last-second Hail Mary to blow away Hurricanes, 1984
The "Hail Flutie" remains the standard for miraculous finishes in college football ... Full story
No. 95 - Colts edge Giants to win 1958 NFL championship that launches pro football in U.S., 1958
Pro football wouldn't have become the most-watched sport in America without "The Greatest Game Ever Played" ... Full story
No. 94 - Carl Lewis matches Jesse Owens with 4 gold medals at Los Angeles Olympics, 1984
''Jesse Owens is still the same man to me he was before,'' Lewis said after winning his fourth gold medal. ''He is a legend. I'm just a person" ... Full story
No. 93 - Joe Carter belts walk-off home run to win Blue Jays' second straight World Series, 1993
The names Bill Mazeroski and Joe Carter will forever be tied together in history ... Full story
No. 92 - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's extra time goal completes treble for Manchester United, 1999
Man United made English football history in the most stunning finish to a Champions League final. "I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell."... Full story
No. 91 - Montreal's Maurice Richard scores 50th goal in final period of 50-game season, 1945
Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the first — and for a while, only — goal-per-game player in hockey history ... Full story
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No. 90 - Justin Leonard drains 45-foot putt to cap wild USA rally and win Ryder Cup, 1999
The putt. The celebration. The comeback. Team USA — and its rowdy crowd — ratcheted up the Ryder Cup tension, for better and worse ... Full story
No. 89 - Marvin Hagler outpunches Thomas Hearns in savage 3-round championship bout, 1985
Billed as "The Fight," it was later renamed "The War” after the three greatest rounds in boxing history ... Full story
No. 88 - Shane Warne’s legendary ‘Ball of the Century’ changes cricket, 1993
Shane Warne’s first ball to Mike Gatting did more than just bend physics; it rewrote the story of modern cricket ... Full story
No. 87 - Bo Kimble shoots free throw left-handed to honor fallen teammate Hank Gathers, 1990
Just 12 days after Hank Gathers tragically died on the court, his best friend honored him with a unique NCAA tournament tribute ... Full story
No. 86 - Alabama beats Georgia for national title with astonishing 2nd-and-26 TD in OT, 2017
Alabama coach Nick Saban made one of the gutsiest halftime adjustments of all time, and it paid off ... Full story
No. 85 - Mike Piazza belts emotional home run in New York in first game after 9/11, 2001
For the first time in more than 10 days, New Yorkers felt something other than despair ... Full story
No. 84 - Bills erase 35-3 deficit, send Oilers home with historic playoff comeback, 1993
The biggest comeback in NFL postseason history, orchestrated by a backup QB... Full story
No. 83 - Brandi Chastain rips her shirt off in celebration after winning World Cup for U.S., 1999
The moment was an immediate sensation, both for its display of elation in victory, and controversial nature ... Full story
No. 82 - Michael Jordan battles flu, manages 38 points in critical NBA Finals win, 1997
The iconic image of Scottie Pippen practically carrying a sick Michael Jordan still haunts Jazz fans ... Full story
No. 81 - Perfection: Nadia Comaneci records first 10.0 score in Olympics gymnastics, 1976
Nadia Comaneci etched her name into gymnastics history in the Summer Olympics in Montreal ... Full story
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No. 80 - Arthur Ashe becomes first Black champion at US Open, 1968
In the first year of the modern "Open Era" of tennis, Arthur Ashe made history on multiple fronts ... Full story
No. 79 - Nelson Mandela presents trophy to South Africa at Rugby World Cup, 1995
The newly-elected president used the power of sport to promote healing amidst racial instability in post-Apartheid South Africa ... Full story
No. 78 - Journeyman Buster Douglas KOs Mike Tyson to win heavyweight title, 1990
Mike Tyson wasn’t just undefeated by 1990. He was indestructible ... or so the world thought ... Full story
No. 77 - Patrick Mahomes outduels Josh Allen in 'The 13-second Game' in AFC Divisional Playoffs, 2021
Josh Allen's 19-yard TD pass put the Bills on top with 13 seconds left. That was all the time Patrick Mahomes needed ... Full story
No. 76 - Rory McIlroy finally gets his Masters to complete career grand slam, 2025
Fittingly, Rory McIlroy’s Augusta triumph came after bogeying the 72nd hole to fall into a playoff with Justin Rose. ... Full story
No. 75 - Uruguay beats Argentina in first World Cup final, 1930
The stories about teams arriving to the first World Cup are almost as crazy as the ball controversy in an electric final between two football-craved countries ... Full story
No. 74 - USC's integrated team routs Alabama, sparks change for SEC football, 1970
Black players scored all six touchdowns in the Trojans' 42-21 victory in Birmingham ... Full story
No. 73 - Cal Ripkin Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games, 1995
The mid-game celebration for Cal Ripken Jr. was among the most memorable in sports history ... Full story
No. 72 - Mike Powell outduels Carl Lewis, breaks Bob Beamon's long jump record, 1991
Over three decades later, no long jumper has come within eight inches of Mike Powell's majestic record-setting leap ... Full story
No. 71 - Mississippi State defies governor to compete in NCAA Tournament, 1963
"The Game of Change" against Loyola. Mississippi State used decoy cars to defy an order blocking them from playing against Black players ... Full story
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No. 70 - Dale Earnhardt finally breaks through at Daytona, 1998
On his 20th try, Dale Earnhardt finally took the checkered flag at the Daytona 500, leading to a pit road tribute the sport had never seen ... Full story
No. 69 - Andy Murray ends Great Britain's 77-year Wimbledon drought, 2013
It took Andy Murray four agonizing match points to close it out, and when he finally did, a nation rejoiced ... Full story
No. 68 - Boise State's shocking 'Statue of Liberty' play beats Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl, 2007
A string of trick plays made the college football world believers of the Broncos ... Full story
No. 67 - Kris Jenkins beats the buzzer and UNC with title-winning 3-pointer, 2016
We had never seen a true buzzer-beater win an NCAA title — until Kris Jenkins ... Full story
No. 66 - John Elway puts together 'The Drive' that sends Broncos to Super Bowl, 1987
The quarterback's legend was born with a 98-yard drive in the final minutes against the Browns ... Full story
No. 65 - Magic Johnson wins All-Star Game MVP after returning from HIV diagnosis, 1992
Months earlier, Magic Johnson had retired following his HIV announcement which stunned the NBA world ... Full story
No. 64 - Brazil suffers humiliation against Uruguay on home soil in World Cup final, 1950
An official crowd of 173,850 poured into Rio's new Maracana Stadium, expecting a coronation ... Full story
No. 63 - Simone Biles reshapes gymnastics with legendary Rio performance, 2016
In an age where comic-book movies boomed in popularity, Simone Biles emerged as the real-life superhero ... Full story
No. 62 - Titans pull off 'Music City Miracle' to eliminate Bills in AFC playoffs, 2000
The Bills only needed to survive one kickoff return after taking a 16-15 lead with only 16 seconds left ... Full story
No. 61 - LeBron James announces his Decision to take his talents to South Beach, 2010
LeBron James ushered in a new era of player empowerment with "The Decision," forever altering the balance of power ... Full story
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No. 60 - Usain Bolt blazes to three gold medals for the third straight Olympics, 2016
Bolt's seemingly effortless gold medal three-peat in Rio cemented his legacy as the greatest Olympic sprinter of all-time ... Full story
No. 59 - Lou Gehrig bids farewell to Yankee Stadium crowd after ALS diagnosis, 1939
Baseball had never seen anything like Lou Gehrig, who called himself "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth" ... Full story
No. 58 - Mark Messier makes good on guarantee, delivers Rangers long awaited Stanley Cup, 1994
A surreal clutch performance that earned the Rangers' captain the nickname "The Messiah" ... Full story
No. 57 - Joe Namath issues guarantee, leads Jets past Colts in Super Bowl 3, 1969
The Jets being 19-point underdogs didn’t faze their brash star quarterback from Alabama ... Full story
No. 56 - Joe Louis KOs Max Schmeling in first round with 100 million listening, 1938
Joe Louis was an American sports hero after downing the German amid the rise of the Nazi party overseas ... Full story
No. 55 - 'The band is on the field!' Cal strings together 5-lateral walk-off TD vs. Stanford, 1982
College football's soul is never-ending bragging rights and impossible-to-comprehend plays ... Full story
No. 54 - Dolphins complete NFL's only perfect season with Super Bowl win over Washington, 1972
As time goes by and teams fail to replicate the Dolphins’ feat, the special season gets sweeter ... Full story
No. 53 - Ray Allen's desperate 3-pointer saves Heat in NBA Finals, 2013
An all-time NBA Butterfly Effect moment, many consider Ray Allen’s corner 3 as the single biggest shot in NBA Finals history ... Full story
No. 52 - Journeyman Don Larsen throws perfect game for Yankees in World Series, 1956
To this day, there has never been another perfect game in the postseason, let alone in the World Series ... Full story
No. 51 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins at Daytona in first race at speedway after father's death, 2001
If Field of Dreams took place on an asphalt cathedral rather than a cornfield, it would look like the 2001 Pepsi 400 ... Full story
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No. 50 - Nancy Kerrigan competes against Tonya Harding at Olympics after being attacked, 1994
A figure skating rivalry devolved into one of the most salacious stories in American sports history ... Full story
No. 49 - Billie Jean King runs over Bobby Riggs in hyped Battle of the Sexes, 1973
How big was “Battle of the Sexes”? Ninety million tuned in worldwide and 30,000 packed the Astrodome ... Full story
No. 48 - Tiger Woods wins full-round U.S. Open playoff on broken leg, 2008
The full extent of Woods’ injuries were not revealed until two days later ... Full story
No. 47 - Usain Bolt sets still-standing records in 100, 200 at World Championships, 2009
Usain Bolt became a global phenomenon at the 2008 Olympics. One year later, he set an unconscionable standard ... Full story
No. 46 - Michael Phelps wins 7th of 8 gold medals by .01 seconds in 100 butterfly, 2008
Phelps collected a record 28 medals in Olympic competition, none more clutch than his furious rally in Beijing ... Full story
No. 45 - Man City scores in extra time to snatch Champions League title from Man United, 2012
Without an English championship since 1967-68, Manchester City won it in dramatic fashion ... Full story
No. 44 - Jack Johnson becomes first Black heavyweight champion, 1908
Jack Johnson's historic win during the height of the Jim Crow Era compelled former undefeated champ James Jeffries to come out of retirement for the "Fight of the Century" ... Full story
No. 43 - Red Sox ignite 'Curse of the Bambino' by selling Babe Ruth to Yankees, 1920
Red Sox owner Harry Frazee changed the course of baseball history when he sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees ... Full story
No. 42 - Carlos Alberto's magical goal seals Pele's greatness at World Cup, 1970
Pele claimed his third world title, underscoring his claim to be the best who ever did it ... Full story
No. 41 - Secretariat runs like no other, demolishes Belmont field by 31 lengths, 1973
“He is moving like a tremendous machine,” became the signature call from track announcer Chic Anderson ... Full story
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No. 40 - Long-time doormat Indiana reverses course, storms to national title, 2026
Indiana? The Hoosiers became the ultimate Cinderella story under second-year coach Curt Cignetti ... Full story
No. 39 - Muhammad Ali lights Olympic torch at Atlanta Opening Ceremony, 1996
It was an inspiring moment for "The Greatest," who battled Parkinson's Disease until his death in 2016 ... Full story
No. 38 - Wayne Gretzky rockets past Gordie Howe on NHL's all-time points list, 1994
"The Great One" reached point No. 1,849 in a staggering 988 fewer games than "Mr. Hockey," then scored the game-winner in OT ... Full story
No. 37 - Jack Nicklaus turns back the clock, rallies for Masters win at age 46, 1986
With his son on the bag, The Golden Bear uncorked a then-record 6-under-par 30 on the back 9 in the final round to become golf's oldest major champion ... Full story
No. 36 - Dwight Clark makes 'The Catch' and the 49ers make the Super Bowl, 1982
Joe Montana scrambled, looking for a target and saw Dwight Clark streaking toward the back of the end zone ... Full story
No. 35 - Injured Kirk Gibson hits walk-off home in Game 1 of World Series, 1988
"I don't believe what I just saw!" The human drama of this one-on-one duel secures its place on this list ... Full story
No. 34 - Muhammad Ali outlasts Joe Frazier in brutal 'Thrilla in Manila', 1975
Ali later admitted it was the closest he felt to death. Fourteen rounds in 100 degree heat, the final fight of the Ali-Frazier trilogy is perhaps the most brutal fight in boxing history ... Full story
No. 33 - Roger Maris belts home run No. 61 to break Babe Ruth's record, 1961
Nothing captivates baseball fans quite like a home run chase, for better or worse ... Full story
No. 32 - Five-time champion Bjorn Borg outlasts John McEnroe in tense 5-set Wimbledon final, 1980
The Bjorn Borg-John McEnroe rivalry was born at Centre Court, their first meeting coming in a Wimbledon final ... Full story
No. 31 - Kobe Bryant explodes for eye-popping 81 points, 2006
The Raptors used every player and Toronto coach Sam Mitchell broke out high school defenses, using a box-and-1 and triangle-and-2. Nothing worked ... Full story
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No. 30 - Cubs end 108-year title drought with extra-inning, Game 7 win in World Series, 2016
Game 7 between Chicago and Cleveland was one of the most dramatic nights in MLB history ... Full story
No. 29 - Franco Harris makes 'Immaculate Reception' in Steelers playoff win over Raiders, 1972
Due to play's divine nature, Pittsburgh sportscaster Myron Cope channeled Catholicism for the brilliant pun ... Full story
No. 28 - Red Sox rally from 3-0 deficit, eliminate Yankees en route to first title in 86 years, 2004
The most memorable moment from the Red Sox's curse-breaking 2004 run wasn't the final out of the World Series, but came against their arch rivals ... Full story
No. 27 - Roger Bannister does the unthinkable, breaks 4-minute barrier for the mile, 1954
The world record for the mile had hovered just above 4 minutes for nine years ... Full story
No. 26 - Lorenzo Charles dunks air ball to lift Cinderella NC State past Houston, 1983
There was a loose ball, an air ball, and suddenly Jim Valvano running around the court looking for someone to hug ... Full story
No. 25 - Superstar Bobby Orr's flying goal lifts Bruins to Stanley Cup title, 1970
Bobby Orr’s goal produced one of the most famous sports photographs of all time ... Full story
No. 24 - Auburn ruins rival Alabama's perfect season with electrifying 'Kick Six' finish, 2013
The late Rod Bramblett's radio call still echoes to this day: "Auburn's gonna win the football game!" ... Full story
No. 23 - Rookie Malcolm Butler flips Super Bowl loss into win with goal line interception, 2015
Malcolm Butler's defensive play killed the Seahawks’ probable win to give the Patriots a shocking victory ... Full story
No. 22 - Rafael Nadal dethrones Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 'the greatest match ever played', 2008
The match lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes, not including two rain delays that added to the drama ... Full story
No. 21 - Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' give Argentina World Cup, 1986
Diego Maradona moved alongside Pele in the greatest of all-time conversation ... Full story
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No. 20 - Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion, 1964
Sonny Liston was considered invincible. That all came to a halt when he faced a brash Cassius Clay ... Full story
No. 19 - Bill Mazoroski's Game 7, 9th-inning HR gives Pirates World Series win vs. Yankees, 1960
Bill Mazeroski drilled a pitch into the trees beyond the left-field wall, igniting a mob scene on the field. ... Full story
No. 18 - Tommie Smith, John Carlos give Black Power salute after winning Olympic medals, 1968
The silent gesture was six months after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination ... Full story
No. 17 - Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese spark record TV ratings in NCAA title game, 2023
In 40 minutes, the game did more to advance women’s basketball than any in the previous 40 years ... Full story
No. 16 - After injuries and missteps, Tiger Woods wins 5th Masters at age 43, 2019
It had been over a decade since Tiger Woods last won a major ... Full story
No. 15 - Leicester City pulls off the unlikeliest of Premier League championships, 2016
Leicester were 5000/1 to win the Premier League at the start of the season, yet rolled to the title ... Full story
No. 14 - Wilt Chamberlain sets NBA scoring standard with 100 points, 1962
Only 4,124 people saw one of the greatest individual performances in NBA history ... Full story
No. 13 - Duke's Christian Laettner beats the buzzer and Kentucky in epic March Madness game, 1992
Of all the greatest plays in American sports history, this might be the only one without a nickname ... Full story
No. 12 - Vince Young's TD dash beats USC in the greatest CFB title game ever played, 2006
The Trojans and Longhorns painted a masterpiece using the Rose Bowl as the canvas ... Full story
No. 11 - David Tyree's 'helmet catch' denies Patriots perfect season as Giants pull Super upset, 2008
Just as it looked like the Giants’ El Manning-led last gasp drive would be stopped, David Tyree pulled off his miracle ... Full story
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No. 10 - LeBron James' stunning Game 7 block brings Cleveland its long-awaited title, 2015
Nobody thought the Cavs had much of a chance in the 2015 Finals against a record-setting 73-win Warriors team ... Full story
No. 9 - Move over, Babe - Hank Aaron hits No. 715 to break Ruth's all-time home run record, 1974
“What a marvelous moment for baseball,” Vin Scully exclaimed on the broadcast ... Full story
No. 8 - Tom Brady leads Patriots back from 28-3 deficit to shock Falcons in Super Bowl 51, 2017
The signature of Tom Brady’s career was clutch comebacks, and this was the most epic ... Full story
No. 7 - Muhammad Ali KOs George Foreman in hyped 'Rumble in the Jungle', 1974
In the heart of Africa, considering everything Muhammad Ali stood for — in that moment, he became "The Greatest" ... Full story
No. 6 - Lionel Messi finally gets his World Cup at tournament's greatest final ever played, 2022
The battle between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe was breathless and unhinged all the way to the penalties ... Full story
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No. 5 - Tiger Woods wins Masters by record 12 strokes in first major as a pro, 1997
Tiger Woods shot a 4-over 40 on his opening nine holes. Three days later, golf would never be the same ... Full story
No. 4 - Michael Jordan sinks the Jazz, wins 6th NBA title in final game with Bulls, 1998
The Bulls went into the 1998 season knowing that it would be their last dance ... Full story
No. 3 - 'Do you believe in miracles?' Team USA shocks the Soviet Union at the Olympics, 1980
A young broadcaster named Al Michaels belted out a line in the final seconds that will hit forever. ... Full story
No. 2 - In the face of racism, Jesse Owens captures four gold medals at Berlin Olympics, 1936
The gifted American impressed the world and left a lasting mark with poise and grace. ... Full story
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No. 1 - Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in Major League Baseball, 1947
After his debut, Jackie Robinson told an SN correspondent: “When I was in college I used to think that the time would come when Negroes would be in major league ball as they are in other sports. But I didn’t think it would be in my time and I never dreamed that I would be the first.” But he was, and his courage and resolve changed the game and impacted the United States forever ... Full story
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