AMERICAN ATHLETIC PANTHEON

Which Are The 10 Most Iconic Moments In American Sports History?

Credit: Vince Fleming

Sports fans really are something else. There’s a reason many teams consider their supporters an extra player: the amount of energy and enthusiasm they bring to each game is sometimes the determining factor that separates winning from losing.

Whether you were watching from the sidelines or glued to the edge of your couch, you can probably remember a few memorable moments on which your favorite teams and athletes were able to shine. But, just in case, we have compiled ten of our all-time favorite sports moments that made us realize how outstanding American athletes are. Enjoy!

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The year was 1974 and, in the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a 32-year-old challenger by the name of Muhammad Ali entered the ring to fight the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion George Foreman. Around the world, approximately one billion people tuned in to watch what many still believe to be the greatest boxing match in the 20th century - the now-legendary "Rumble in the Jungle."

What’s more memorable about this fight is how surprising it was: Ali won by knockout in the eighth round, beating 4-1 odds that favored Foreman. "The Greatest" showed his impressive tactics and speed, which proved to be more than enough to face Foreman’s outstanding power. After the fight, both opponents became close friends, and walked together to the stage of the 1996 Oscars for the documentary "When We Were Kings."

Credit: Jerry Yu

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? From David and Goliath to every Rocky film, some of our favorite stories feature uneven fights in which the little guy manages to overcome and defeat a fearsome foe. And sports are no exception, as the 1980 Winter Olympics ice hockey game between the United States and the Soviet Union shows. A game that is now known under a name that reflects its true underdog nature: the "Miracle on Ice."

In the medal round of the Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, New York, the hosting United States team faced the Soviet Union, a four-time gold medalist juggernaut. The Soviet Union team was the favorite to win: their players had more experience, against their younger and mostly amateur American opponents. However, the American team's marvelous performance allowed them to win the game 4-3. They then went on to win the gold medal by defeating Finland in the finals.

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Michael Jordan’s 14-year career with the Chicago Bulls helped him become a global icon, and to be considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. It stands to reason that the last playoff game with the Bulls would be a moving occasion for every basketball fan. However, no one was expecting Jordan’s "last dance" to be as nail-biting as it was.

The 1998 NBA finals faced Jordan’s Chicago Bulls against the Utah Jazz, and, by Game 6, the Bulls were leading by 3 games to 2. The Utah Jazz, however, were winning this final match by 86-85 and, with 20 seconds on the clock, it seemed they were going to claim victory. It was at the very last play of the game that Jordan was able to shoot a two-pointer that flew over the head of Bryon Russell and hit nothing but net. It seems only logical that Jordan’s last shot won his beloved team another championship.

Credit: Chris Chow

If there is one trope that sports movies seem to love, it is the final play that earns the protagonist’s team victory. That final hurrah on which everything our hero has learned comes to fruition condensed into a single, perfect play that leaves everyone shocked. While almost a cliche at this point, these scenes tend to be extremely iconic and convey an extreme feeling of satisfaction and excitement to the audience. Luckily, if you happen to be a San Francisco 49ers fan, you can fall back on a real-life, game-winning final play that seems to come straight from a movie.

If you mention "The Catch" to any die-hard football fan, they will instantly know that you are talking about quarterback Joe Montana’s fantastic play in the 1981 NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. With 58 seconds left on the clock, Montana evaded the Cowboy’s defense and made a 6-yard touchdown pass that was caught at the back of the end zone by wide receiver Dwight Clark. Thanks to this last-minute effort, the 49ers were able to defeat the Cowboys by a single point, ending the game 28-27.

Credit: Lo Sarno

Tiger Woods is considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time. While that is a matter of personal opinion, what can’t be denied is that he is one of the biggest athletes in modern history: He holds numerous records, he was ranked as the world’s top player for almost 11 years, and he won 13 of golf’s major championship during his career. For many of his fans, what makes Woods the best are those amazing shots that show the full extent of his talent, and few are as iconic as his incredible 16th shot during the 2005 Masters.

In what ended up being his 4th Masters win, Tiger Woods hit this now legendary shot on the 16th hole of the final round. According to his caddie Steve Williams, Tiger was able to sink this shot from the rough by aiming to a ball mark "the size of a dime", an almost impossible feat that cemented Woods in golf history.

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While several tennis matches between male and female players have been called "the battle of the sexes" throughout the decades, the 1973 exhibition match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is probably the most well-known. This match was not only a fine demonstration of tennis between two excellent players, but it also helped open the discussion about gender equality in this sport.

In 1973, 55-year-old former tennis champion Bobby Riggs challenged the world's number one female player Billie Jean King to a match, declaring that a male player past his prime such as himself would still be able to beat the best female player. While many believed the match to be a publicity stunt, King took the challenge seriously and ended up defeating Riggs in three sets.

Credit: Brandon Mowinkel

The Red Sox vs Yankees rivalry is perhaps the most well-known sports feud. They are two of America’s most emblematic baseball teams and have competed for over 120 seasons in the MLB's American League. After the Red Sox sold baseball legend Babe Ruth to the Yankees, the Red Sox entered an 86-year losing streak that became known as "the Curse of the Bambino", which for many marks the beginning of the rivalry between both teams. Luckily, the Boston team was able to break this curse in 2004, in a match that is considered one of the biggest comeback stories of all time.

What was amazing about this win was that no one was expecting the Red Sox to break their dry spell in this match: They were down three games to none in the playoffs, and everyone was expecting the Yankees to easily win. But thanks to some amazing teamwork and an incredible home run by David Ortiz, the Red Sox were able to defeat "the Evil Empire" and advance to their first World Series since 1986.

Credit: Josh Hemsley

Few things are as satisfying in the world of sports as a good old home run. There is something magical about the deafening sound a bat makes after it hits, and the way the cheers from the crowd gradually increase as soon as they realize that the baseball is leaving the field. On October 3, 1951, a home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson not only allowed his team to win that year’s National League pennant, but it also became a cultural phenomenon forever inscribed on baseball history as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World".

The Giants were facing their cross-town rivals the Brooklyn Dodgers in the final game that would settle a 1-1 tie. Thomson’s game-ending home run sent a fastball sent by Dodger’s pitcher Ralph Branca, which went flying down the left field and landed in the lower-deck stands. The nickname "Shot Heard 'Round the World" came from how such an unbelievable and dramatic hit was viewed and heard by millions of Americans across the country.

Credit: John Torcasio

Just like "The Catch", this last-minute, game-changing pass became so legendary that it received a nickname worthy of its magnificence: This catch by Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Franco Harris is now known as "The Immaculate Reception." However, this play is not without its controversy, as any Oakland Raiders fan will be happy to tell you.

In 1972, the Steelers were facing the Raiders in the AFC divisional playoff game. With only 22 seconds left in the game, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a long pass to running back John Fuqua, who was covered by Raiders safety Jack Tatum. Miraculously, the ball bounced on Tatum’s helmet, and it was later caught by Harris, who ran for a touchdown just before the game ended. To this day, Raiders fans believe that the ball bounced on Fuqua, making the pass incomplete. It stands to reason that NFL Films chose the Immaculate Reception as both the greatest and the most controversial play of all time.

Credit: Bryan Turner

We’ll end this article with a moment of national pride. As the country with the most medals in history, America is always eagerly waiting for the next Olympic Games to see its amazing athletes shine. And while all Olympic stories are to be commended, the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona provided the stage on which one of the greatest sports teams ever assembled was presented: the U.S. Olympic basketball team, better known as "The Dream Team."

This was the very first American team to feature active professional players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Michael Jordan. The Dream Team completely dominated all eight matches, winning the gold medal by defeating Croatia 117–85. The team was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2009, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.

JIVE TALK

Jazz Up Your Vocabulary With These 10 Cool Phrases From The Jazz Era

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Are you a cool cat? Or a groovy alligator? The Age of Jazz had a vast cultural influence on both American music and culture, but one of its most curious aspects was "jive talk," the quirky jargon it birthed.

Largely influenced by jazz singer Cab Calloway - who authored at least two dictionaries on jive talk, the jazz-inspired 1930s Harlem vernacular permeated our culture and gave us popular modern words such as "cool" or "hipster." Join us and dive into the strange world of jive talk with these 10 hip phrases that defined the scene.

Credit: Billy Freeman

Back in the day, "dig it" wasn't just about enjoying something - it was about feeling it deep in your bones. One of the many expressions that originated in 1930s jazz circles and seamlessly integrated into mainstream American English, this phrase encapsulated the essence of jazz appreciation, where listeners are urged to immerse themselves fully into both music and scene.

Credit: Michael Sum

In jazz speak, a "cat" wasn't just a furry friend - it was a word that could be used for anyone involved with the jazz scene, but typically reserved for stellar musicians adept at improvisation and who remained chill under pressure.

While the exact origin of the term is unknown, some believe it derived from the West African Wolof language word for singer, "katt." A simpler alternative would be that jazz musicians usually hung out until late at night, just like real cats.

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If something is groovy, it is more than just good - it is the epitome of cool. While today we primarily associate "groovy" with the 1960s hippie counterculture, its roots trace back to the jazz era of the 1920s. The term is thought to have emerged both from the "grooves" of vinyl records and the repetitive patterns of popular music of that time.

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Before the term was co-opted by mainstream culture, the term "hipster" was used to refer to jazz fans and musicians. The word was derived from the slang term "hep," meaning "up to date." Hipsters in the 1920s were avant-garde tastemakers, pushing boundaries with their style, music, and way of life.

The term was later associated with hip-hugging pants in the 1960s, and after that, it didn’t reappear until the 90s, used to characterize the educated bohemian youth living in gentrified neighborhoods.

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"Scat" was a vocal improvisation technique popularized by jazz singers like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. It involved singing nonsense syllables in rhythm, showcasing the singer’s talent while adding a playful dimension to the music.

While the precise origin of the term remains uncertain, some speculate it was derived from a Louis Armstrong recording where he spontaneously sang a bunch of nonsense words that happened to be something like "scat-a-lee-dat."

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In jazz lingo, having "chops" means having some serious musical skills. However, the term is far older than that, and it used to refer to the jaws (both of a man or an animal).

Eventually, it became a synonym for the power of a jazz trumpeter’s "embouchure"(meaning the way in which a brass player applies the mouth to the mouthpiece of its instrument), and from there, it quickly evolved into a more general term for a musician’s skill.

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"Cooking," as a positive term in reference to music, seamlessly transitioned into our general English vocabulary while retaining much of its original meaning. In the jazz era, when the music was "cooking," it meant that the band was sizzling with energy and intensity.

Even today, we continue to use it similarly: when something is "cooking," it signifies improvement, progress, or momentum.

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Long before it became a ubiquitous term for any temporary job, a "gig" was a jazz musician's bread and butter.

Short for "engagement," the term originally referred to a live musical performance. Musicians often lived gig to gig, meaning that their livelihood depended on performing in order to afford their next meal.

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For jazz musicians, a "jam session" wasn't just a casual get-together - it was more of a sacred ritual of musical communion. These gatherings often took place in community centers or speakeasies, after musicians finished their regular paying gigs.

Jam sessions provided a place for experimentation and artistic freedom, where musicians would not have to conform to an audience and could exchange new ideas, but also often attracted non-musician fans eager to witness their musical idols in all their splendor.

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Before it became one of the most popular slang words in the English language, "cool" originated within the jazz community of the 1940s. In the jazz lexicon, "cool" transcended its literal meaning as a temperature and instead embodied a state of mind.

Coolness was synonymous with maintaining composure, staying ahead of the curve, and emanating an effortless aura of sophistication and style, mirroring the relaxed vibe that jazz music sought to evoke.