5 of The Greatest Sports Moments of All Time

Ever since humans first played sports, there have been countless special and iconic moments. In this article, we’ll somehow narrow it all down to the five greatest moments in sports history. This task certainly isn’t easy to any degree, but we’ve managed to pick five that you’ll surely remember.

These moments are unquestionably special, and you’ll want to remember where you were when it happened. These iconic moments will certainly stand on their own forever, and we’ll forever cherish them as sports fans.

5. Jackie Robinson Breaks Through the Color Barrier

This moment may not be a game-winning shot or a hallmark championship. However, this moment is easily one of the most significant moments in sports history. Back on April 15th, 1947, Robinson played in his first major league game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Subsequently, he became the first African-American athlete to have ever played in the major leagues across all sports. As a result, he officially broke through the segregation that was present in baseball at the time.

Robinson made his major league debut with 26,623 fans watching that day. The majority of the fans who watched him play were also African-American. After this moment, other sports leagues followed suit when it comes to breaking segregation.

4. Jesse Owens’ Dominance at the 1936 Olympics

Who could forget the 1936 Olympics where American Jesse Owens dominated the entire competition? All in all, he won gold medals in multiple events, including the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the long jump. In the process, Owens became a member of the gold-winning American quartet that bagged the 4×100 meter relay event.

This performance was historic because Owens debunked the entire “Aryan Myth,” where Hitler claimed that the African-American race was inferior. Without a doubt, his athleticism was on full display during the 1936 Olympics, and he took credit for winning four gold medals. He also paved the way for African-American athletes to participate, and even dominate, in sports.

3. Michael Jordan’s Last Shot in 1998

Everyone from the ‘90s certainly couldn’t forget Michael Jordan’s last shot in a Chicago Bulls uniform back in 1998. This moment happened in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, and Jordan hit a jumper at the top of the key over his defender giving his Bulls an 87-86 lead over the Utah Jazz. The shot eventually propelled Jordan and the Bulls to win their sixth NBA Championship.

Jordan had a surplus of iconic and memorable plays throughout his career, but why does this moment deserve a ton of credit? For starters, he won his sixth NBA title through this shot, and it was also the last shot he took while wearing a Bulls uniform. As a result, he fittingly went out on top. Without any doubt, this clutch shot is one of the most iconic shots in basketball’s rich history.

2. Hank Aaron Surpasses & Breaks Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record

In April of 1974, Hank Aaron struck out another home run, which marked his 715th home run. With this home run, he managed to break the home run record of 714 home runs previously set by the great Babe Ruth. This moment was special because he finished the 1973 season with 713 home runs, and he was scared that he wouldn’t live to see the next season due to constant threats he received from people.

Fortunately, Hank indeed, lived to see the 1974 season, breaking the record in front of a 53,775 crowd in Atlanta. This moment doesn’t just deserve credit for being one of the most iconic moments in history as it also set new standard for African-American athletes in sports to excel and become legends in their respective crafts.

1. Miracle on Ice

Any sports fan cannot simply argue that the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” is the greatest sports moment of all time. It also deserves credit to be recognized as the greatest upset in the history of sports as well. This moment shone the spotlight on the United States Olympic hockey team, which were heavy underdogs against the USSR Olympic hockey team.

You could say that this moment was a true David vs. Goliath moment. The United States faced economic struggle at the time, and this victory allowed the Americans to hang their hats on and celebrate a much-needed win. The U.S. National Team eventually defeated Finland in their next game, and they clinched the gold medal in the 1980 Olympics. You certainly won’t find any moment that’s as uplifting, inspiring, and as iconic as this sports moment!