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10 Athletes who are also Musicians

March 26, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Athletes who are also Musicians

Athletes are among the most glamorous of all men to walk the earth, and we have an image of them in our mind. We picture them as macho men who would do anything to take on the toughest of rivals. But, off the sports arena, they are like us, too, with their own hobbies and passions. We do not know a lot about the other sides of even our most favourite sportsmen. Many of the sport stars have a deep passion and love for music. In fact, some athletes have alternative careers in music, and do not treat it as just a hobby. Here is a list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. Let us take a look at their achievements in sports, as well as their devotion to music.

10 Athletes who are also Musicians

10. Henrik Lundqvist

Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender Henrik Björn Lundqvist currently plays for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He was nominated for the Vezina Trophy in each of his first three seasons and finally received the award in 2012. Lundqvist is the only goaltender in NHL history to achieve 30 wins in each of his first seven seasons, and is the tenth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. He was named among the “World’s 100 Most Beautiful People” by People in 2004. Besides his active sports career, Henrik Lundqvist also played guitar in a Swedish rock band called Box Play. He hosted “Sommar”, the two-hour talk show, on Swedish public radio on 10th July 2013.

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9. John Daly

10 Athletes who are also Talented Musicians

American professional golfer John Patrick Daly mainly participates in the PGA Tour and is the ninth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. He was nicknamed “Long John” for his driving distance off the tee and for his rough-and-tumble personal life. John Daly is the first PGA Tour player to average more than 300 yards per drive, a feat that he achieved every year continuously from 1999 to 2008. He is known for his talent besides his active sports career. Daly gave back-up vocals in the Kid Rock song “Half Your Age” in 2007. He released his music album called “I Only Know One Way” under Long Ball Records in April 2010. He wrote eight tracks on the album and also covered Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. John Daly himself once said about the album, “The album itself is really my life.”

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8. Manny Pacquiao

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Filipino world champion professional boxer Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao is the first and only world champion in eight divisions. He won ten world titles and is the first lineal champion in four different weight categories. Pacquiao was named as the 14th highest paid athlete in the world by Forbes in 2013. He was named “Fighter of the Decade” by the Boxing Writers Association of America and received the “Fighter of the Year” title three times from The Ring and BWAA. Manny Pacquiao, besides being sports star, is also a noted singer and musician, and is the eighth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. He released his first album titled “Laban Nating Lahat Ito” under Star Records in 2006 and later released his “Pac-Man Punch” under MCA Records in 2007.

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7. Oscar De La Hoya

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Retired Mexican American professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya was nicknamed “The Golden Boy” and won a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. He was named “Fighter of the Year” by The Ring magazine in 1995, and also named the top-rated Pound for Pound fighter in the world by the Ring twice in 1997 and 1998. Oscar won ten world titles in six different weight categories, and is the seventh place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. His bouts have an estimated pay-per-view income of over $700 million. Oscar De La Hoya released his first album named “Oscar De La Hoya” in 2000 which was later nominated for the Grammy award. His CD featured 13 Latin pop tracks in English and Spanish which were written by Diane Warren and the Bee Gees. Oscar is also the founder of “Golden Boy Promotions” firm.

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6. Lionel Rose

SD-LionelRose-1 — 10 Athletes who are also Famous Musicians

Former Australian bantamweight boxer Lionel Edmund Rose was the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title, and is the sixth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. He first won the Australian amateur flyweight title at the age of 15, and compiled a record of 42 wins, out of which 12 wins came by knockout, and 11 losses as a professional boxer. It was rumored that Lionel Rose’s singing career didn’t give him enough time to get boxing training, for which he lost bouts against so many unknown fighters while being better than them in all aspects. He sang “I Thank You” and “Please Remember Me” which became hits in Australia in 1970. Rose’s “I Thank You” was produced and written by Johnny Young and was a nationwide hit. Lionel Rose sang “Jackson Track” and “I Thank You” in the “Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music” album.

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5. John McEnroe

SD-JohnMcEnroe-1 — 10 Athletes who are also Amazing Musicians

Former World No. 1 tennis player John Patrick McEnroe was widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He achieved seven Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and a Grand Slam mixed doubles title in his active sports career. He won Grand Prix Super Series titles 19 times and is the fifth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. John McEnroe met rock star Patty Smyth while pursuing his goal of becoming a working musician after his retirement and married her in April 1997. He learned to play guitar under famous musicians like Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton. John McEnroe formed a band called “The Johnny Smyth Band” and became the lead singer and guitarist. The band toured for two years but suddenly in 1997, he quit just before finishing their first album.

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4. Brett Lee

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Australian international cricketer and legendary fast-bowler Brett Lee was recognized as one of the fastest bowlers in the cricket world during his career. He was a member of the Australian team that won the ICC World Cups in 2003 and 2007. Lee delivered a ball at 160.8 km/hour speed in 2005 against New Zealand, and later delivered a ball at 161.8 km/hour in a friendly against West Indies. Besides his active sports career, he is also a part of the rock band Six & Out, and is the fourth place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. The band consists former New South Wales cricketers Brad McNamara, Gavin Robertson and Richard Chee Quee along with Lee’s his brother Shane. He wrote the lyrics for “You’re the One For Me” during his visit to India in 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, and recorded it with Indian singer Asha Bhosle.

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3. Wayman Tisdale

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Former American professional basketball player Wayman Lawrence Tisdale spent 12 seasons of his professional basketball career with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He was a three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma, and averaged 15 points and six rebounds per game as a renowned power forward in the NBA. Tisdale started his musical career in 1995 and launched his first album Power Forward under the Motown Label and is the third place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. He recorded a total of eight albums out of which “Face to Face” climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart in 2001. Tisdale received the Legacy Tribute Award from the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2002. He regarded the funk bands of the 1970s as his musical influences in an ESPN internet chat show.

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2. Mike Reid

SD-MikeReid-1 — 10 Superior Athletes who are Musicians

Retired American football player Michael Barry “Mike” Reid was a defensive lineman and spent five seasons of his football career with the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Mike Reid started performing for the Utah Symphony Orchestra after he completed his BA in music from Pennsylvania State University. He then also worked for Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as a pianist. Mike, after his retirement from active sports, formed a band and started playing at the Holiday Inn in Cincinnati. He had co-written Ronnie Milsap’s “Stranger in My House” which received the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1984. Mike later released two studio albums for Columbia Records and is the second place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians.

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1. Bernie Williams

SD-BernieWilliams-1 — 10 Sports Stars who are Musicians

Retired Puerto Rican baseball player Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr., played his entire 16 seasons for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball from 1991 to 2006. He achieved four Gold Glove Awards and was included in the MLB All-Star five times in his career. Besides being a sportsman, Bernie is also a classically trained guitarist, and is the top place inductee in our list of 10 Athletes who are also Musicians. His major label debut called “The Journey Within” was released by Paul McCartney’s publishing company on June 22, 2003. Bernie Williams released his second album “Moving Forward” under the Reform Records label on April 14, 2009, and was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for the album. He also participated in the World Rhythms Tour with Basia in 2010.

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There are many other athletes who treat music very seriously. Retire footballer Alexi Lalas, American footballer Trevor Pryce, baseball player Denny McLain, ice hockey player Darren McCarty, tennis twins Bob and Matt Bryan, and several other athletes have shown great interest in music, and even shone in the area.

10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums

March 25, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums

Stadiums always played a role in our development starting from the medieval era when the grounds were often used as the venue for popular recreation, till the modern day when the exclusive grounds maintained by huge organized are decorated with giant screens and state-of-the-art technology. Football or association football or soccer is the most widely played sport in the world, with over 200 countries playing football on international or national stages. There are also famous clubs who has their heritage attached with their home grounds. Home grounds always played a key role in the success of a football club as the teams practice, play and achieve victory on the home ground. Moreover, the home grounds also hold the record crowd for any club. There are so many new stadiums built, as the old stadiums were not able to handle the vast number of audience. It is certainly sad to see any club neglecting its ground after it moved to the new home, but there are many clubs which also maintain their heritage at the ground. So here is the list of 10 old and defunct football stadiums.

10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums

10. Milton Road Ground – Cambridge City

Milton Road Ground was the home ground of Southern League Premier Division club Cambridge City F.C from 29th April 1922 to 27th April 2013. The stadium was located in Cambridge, England and was one of the largest outside the Football League, and is inducted in the tenth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The ground was also used for greyhound racing during the late 1960s and attracted more crowd than football match. After a legal dispute with Cambridge city, High Court ordered that the club will stay at the City ground till 2013 and will share in 50% of future profits from development of the site. As the consequence of the City Ground’s failed FA ground inspection in April 2008, the Cambridge City football club was automatically demoted to the Southern League Premier Division from the Conference South.

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9. Manor Ground – Oxford United

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Manor Ground was the home ground of Oxford United football club since 1925 until 2001 and was located in Oxford, England. It was built and opened in 1876 Oxford United which was previously known as Headington United, and is inducted in the ninth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. Oxford United used the Manor Ground stadium until they moved to the Kassam Stadium, which they share with London Welsh Rugby Football Club as the home ground. The stadium in an FA Cup 6th Round match on 29 February 1964 hosted Oxford United’s record crowd of 22,750 against Preston North End. For its poor maintenance, it started to be known as one of the more dilapidated stadiums in Britain according to 1990 Taylor Report. Manor Ground was demolished in 2001 and is now the site of a private hospital.

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8. Roker Park – Sunderland

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Roker Park was the home ground of English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 and was located in Roker, Sunderland, and is inducted in the eighth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. It has the record crowd of 75,118 before the Sunderland club moved to the Stadium of Light. Roker Park was officially opened on 10 September 1898 by Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry, and hosted Liverpool vs Sunderland friendly match as the inaugural football event. The last competitive football match at the Roker Park ground was a 3–0 Sunderland victory over Everton. Roker Park was demolished in 1998 and a housing estate was built on the site of the stadium after the final farewell game between Liverpool and Sunderland football club.

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7. The Dell – Southampton

SD-TheDell-1 — 10 Defunct Football Stadiums

The Dell was the home ground of Southampton football club from 1898 and 2001 and was located in Milton Road, Southampton, Englan, and is inducted in the seventh place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The site of The Dell was described before the construction of the stadium as “a lovely dell with a gurgling stream and lofty aspens” in Philip Brannon’s Picture of Southampton published in 1850. After the construction of the stadium, several names were suggested such as “the Fitzhugh Dell”, “Milton Park” and “The Archer’s Ground” but later named as The Dell. The stadium’s demolition work started 26 May 2001, and the Southampton football club moved to the new St Mary’s Stadium. A housing estate was built on the site of The Dell while blocks on the new site bear the names of former Southampton players.

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6. Filbert Street – Leicester City

SD-FilbertStreet-1 — List of Old and Defunct Football Grounds

Filbert Street was the home ground of Leicester City football club from 1891 until 2002, and is inducted in the sixth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The stadium was located in in Leicester, England, and was officially named “The City Business Stadium” in the early 1990s. For higher attendance and to provide better facilities after the success of the club under Martin O’Neill during the late 1990s, an expanded stadium was required by Leicester City and they moved to their new home ground King Power Stadium. Filbert Street stadium was sold for £3.75 million to a development company in March 2002 and the demolition of the stadium begun in March 2003. It is now the part of ‘Filbert Village‘ development as accommodation for students of the University of Leicester and De Montfort University.

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5. Don Valley Stadium – Rotherham United

SD-DonValleyStadium-1 — 10 Old and Defunct Football Grounds

Don Valley Stadium was the home ground of Rotherham United from 2008 till they moved to the New York Stadium at the start of the 2012–13 football season. The stadium was named after the nearby flowing river the River Don, and is located in in Sheffield, England. The Don Valley Stadium complex was opened in 1990, and first hosted the 1991 World Student Games, and is inducted in the fifth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. Besides football, the stadium also hosted games by rugby league side Sheffield Eagles, and was also the former home ground of the Parramore Sports football team. Don Valley was the second largest stadium in United Kingdom at the time of its closure with a seated capacity of 25,000. The stadium was demolished since 21 November 2013 till May 2014.

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4. Vetch Field – Swansea City

SD-VetchField-1 — Top 10 Defunct Football Stadiums

Vetch Field was the home ground of Swansea City F.C since it was opened in 1912 till the club moved to the newly built Liberty Stadium in 2005, and was located in Swansea, Wales. Vetch Field also hosted many matches for the Wales national football team besides being as the home ground of Swansea City, and is inducted in the fourth place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The last ever football match was held at the Vetch Field was the 2005 FAW Premier Cup final where Swansea defeated Wrexham with 2–1 score. Besides football, the stadium also hosted 8 rugby league matches between 1990 and 1999, and also hosted the music tour of The Who in 1976. Demolition of the Vetch Field stadium was started on 31 January 2011, but the center circle of the stadium will remain.

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3. Maine Road – Manchester City

SD-MaineRoad-1 — Top 10 Old Football Stadiums

Maine Road was the home ground of Manchester City F.C from its construction in 1923 till the final match on 11 May 2003, and was located in Moss Side, Manchester. It was nicknamed Wembley of the North because of its high capacity and is inducted in the third place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The stadium hosted many important events such as FA Cup semi-finals, a League Cup final and Charity Shield matches. For the attendance in 1934 FA Cup Sixth Round match between Manchester City and Stoke City, Maine Road holds the record for the highest home attendance in English football. Manchester City’s final goal was scored at the stadium by Marc-Vivien Foé on 21 April 2003 during the 3–0 final victory over Sunderland. The Maine Road Football ground was demolished in 2004.

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2. Bank Street – Manchester United

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Bank Street or Bank Lane was the home ground of Manchester United from 1898 to 1910 and located on Bank Street in the Manchester suburb of Clayton, and is inducted in the second place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The club owner John Henry Davies believed he could not sufficiently expand the Bank Street ground, and for that, moved to Old Trafford in 1910. The main stand at Bank Street was blown down in a storm after Manchester moved out from Bank Street. The stadium is now occupied for the car parking of the Manchester Velodrome. Manchester United won their first league title in 1908 and the FA Cup in 1909 on this ground as their home ground of that time. The site of the Bank Street stadium is very close to the Manchester City’s Home ground the Etihad Stadium.

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1. Highbury – Arsenal F.C.

SD-HighburyArsenal-1 — Top 10 Old and Defunct Football Grounds

Highbury was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club from 6 September 1913 to 7 May 2006 and called with the name for its location in Highbury, North London. Highbury was nicknamed “The Home of Football” by Arsenal F.C, and is inducted in the top place in our list of 10 Old and Defunct Football Stadiums. The club moved to their new stadium Emirates Stadium in nearly Islington after the 2005-06 EPL season. Highbury was redeveloped as a residential development known as Highbury Square after Arsenal moved from the ground, but parts of the East and West Stands of the Highbury stadium still remain. The stadium hosted 1948 Summer Olympics and FA Cup semi-finals during its time. Besides football, it also hosted international matches of various sports such as boxing, baseball and cricket.

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There are also stadiums like Nevill Ground that was used for football, but is now used for its original purpose of cricket. Trent Bridge is also a stadium which was used by Notts County in 1910, but now used as a cricket stadium. Withdean Stadium was also used by Brighton & Hove Albion F.C as their home ground from 1999 to 2011 but now use as an athletic stadium.

10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career

March 23, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career

We often make the mistake of judging people and their talents and intentions, especially when these people are from the world of entertainment. It is a common notion that sports stars, in particular, are shallow people who care about nothing but their fitness and skills, and their virtue on the basis of their sense of allegiance is often questioned, since players are often seen changing teams. However, some players have proven that they deserve more than criticism as money-minded athletes who have their sense of loyalty only to clubs that pay well, and their talent is only used for kicking or throwing balls. Here is a list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. Let’s take a look at their devotion for their country and their passion for sports.

10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career

10. Rocky Bleier

Rocky Bleier, born on May 25, 1926, is a former professional American player who later became a successful coach. He played in the National Football League as a halfback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for one season in the year 1968, and then continued from 1971 to 1980. After playing for University of Notre Dame, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. After his rookie year, he joined the US Army and volunteered duty during the Vietnam War in 1969. He received grenade and gunshot injuries, and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service and is the tenth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. After his recover, he returned to the Steelers, and went on to win four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is one of the most noted athletes who served in military during pro career.

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9. Ted Williams

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Ted Williams, born on August 30, 1918, was a professional American baseball player who later became a manager. He played for 19 years at the Major League Baseball as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox in 1939-1942 and 1946-1960. He is one of the greatest hitters in the sport and is the ninth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He joined the Red Sox in 1939 and immediately became a sensation. His career was interrupted in 1943, when he went to serve three years in the US Navy as a certified Aviator and Marine Corps during World War II. He returned to MLB in 1946, and proved himself. He returned to active military duty for parts of 1952 and 1963 for the Korean War in the Marine. He also played, in 1957-58, and retired in 1960. He is one of the most respected of all athletes who served in military during pro career.

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8. Yogi Berra

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Yogi Berra, born on May 12, 1925, is a former American baseball player who later became a manager and coach. He played for most of his 19 year career as a catcher at the Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees during 1946-1965. He is one of just 4 players who has been named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times and is the eighth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. Assuming different roles as a player, manager or coach, he has appeared in 21 World Series. He played from a young age, but he served in the US Navy during World War II, where he served as the mate of a gunner on the USS Bayfield. This was during the D-Day invasion. To serve his duty, Yogi kept his baseball career halted from 1944 to 1945. He is one of the greatest of the athletes who served in military during pro career.

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7. Bob Feller

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Bob Feller, born on November 3, 1918, was an American baseball player. He played as a pitcher in the Major League Baseball for 18 seasons for the Cleveland Indians. He pitched during 1936-1941 and again during 1945-1956, during which he played 570 games, with a win-loss record of 266-162, having pitched in 3827 innings and is now the seventh place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He was a prodigy bypassing the minor leagues, and played for the Indians at the age of just 17, and was the first pitcher to win 24 games in a season before 21 years of age. Feller has several other records. His career was interrupted for four years, when he served as Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Alabama in World War II. He returned to baseball in 1946 and pitched for 11 seasons. He was one of the top athletes who served in military during pro career.

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6. Whitey Ford

SD-WhiteyFord-1 — Superior Athletes who served in Army

Whitey Ford, born on October 21, 1928, is a former American baseball player. He spent his 16 year career playing at the Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the New York Yankees. He was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and is the sixth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He was one of the best baseball players of all time. He was signed in by the New York Yankees in 1947 as an amateur free agent whom he represented throughout his career. He started playing professionally at the Major League Baseball since 1950. After a successful rookie year when which he got voted the AL Rookie of the Year, he served his duty in the Army. This was during the Korean War, and his career was halted for 1951-52, after which he rejoined the Yankees to become one of the best athletes who served in military during pro career.

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5. Roger Staubach

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Roger Staubach, born on February 5, 1942, is a former American football players who later became the executive chairman if Jones Lang LaSalle. He was a star player for the National Football League, who played as a quarterback. He played for the Dallas Cowboys and played for the club for five seasons, during which he appeared for Super Bowl, leading them to victory twice. Before he joined professional football, he attended the US Naval Academy where he won the Heisman Trophy and is now the fifth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. After his graduation, he served in the Navy Supply Corps in 1964-68, and went to serve his duty in Vietnam. After that, he rejoined the Cowboys and established himself as a celebrated player. He is one of the most accomplished among athletes who served in military before pro career.

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4. Bill Sharman

SD-BillSharman-1 — Amazing Athletes who served in Army

Bill Sharman, born on May 25, 1926, was an American professional basketball player who later became a successful coach. He was famous for his tenure with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s and is the fourth place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He was a 10-time NBA Champion, as he remained a part of the winning teams of Celtics and as coach or executive of the Los Angeles Lakers. He is credited with the introduction of the morning shootout. He was also the 12 time World Champion, including ABL and ABA titles. He was also famous as a coach. Before his basketball career, he served in the US Navy during the World War II, between 1944 and 1946. During 1950-55, he played minor league baseball as a professional, and played basketball for several seasons. He is one of the noted athletes who served in military before pro career.

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3. Jackie Robinson

SD-JackieRobinson-1 — Amazing Athletes who served in Army

Jackie Robinson, born on January 31, 1919, was an American baseball player. He was the first African-American to play in the Major League Baseball of the modern era, breaking the baseball colour line. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, starting in 1947. He and his team helped in putting an end to the racial segregation that downgraded coloured players to the Negro league. Robinson upheld a great example by the use of non-violence and great talent and is the third place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He played for 10 seasons, and led the Dodgers to their 1955 World Series win. Before joining pro baseball, he served in the military, where he was subjected to several racial discriminations and segregations, too. He was honourably discharged in 1944, and was one of the top athletes who served in military before pro career.

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2. Ahmard Hall

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Ahmard Hall, born on November 13, 1979, is an American football player. Originally, he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans whom he joined as an undrafted free agent in the year 2006. He had a rather unconventional start of his career, as, after graduating from Angleton High School where he was not much of a prominent football figure, he attended the University of Texas after a gap and is the second place achiever place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. In his college years, he played for the Longhorns team, after which he joined the Titans. In his rookie year, he played 14 games. In his six year career, he has also played for special teams. During the gap years from 1998 to 2002, he joined the Marine Corps, rising to the rank of sergeant, and served in Kosovo and Afghanistan. He is one of the most talented athletes who served in military before pro career.

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1. David Robinson

SD-DavidRobinson-1 — Top 10 Athletes who served in Army

David Robinson, born on August 6, 1965, is a retired American basketball player. He played at the National Basketball League for the San Antonio Spurs as the center for his entire career. He was a 10 time NBA All-Star, 2-time Olympic gold winner, 2-time NBA Champion and the NBA MVP in 1995, aside from being the inductee in many honourable lists as well as in the top place in our list of 10 Athletes who served in Military during Pro Career. He was also a prominent player in college football, noticed for winning college football’s highest honours as he starred at the Naval Academy. Though he was drafted by the Spurs, he first had to complete two years of active duty service. He became a civil engineering officer at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, after graduating. He was among athletes who served in military before pro career and had an illustrious NBA career.

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There are many other athletes who have served in the military. Many of them, like the athletes mentioned above, served the country before joining their favourite sport or even interrupted their lucrative sports careers to fight for their country, and returned. Some of them were not so fortunate, and gave their lives for their country, as well. But, those who were lucky enough to get out of the wars alive used the opportunity to follow their dreams, and make their country proud, in more ways than one.

10 Athletes with Other Professions

March 19, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

10 Athletes with Other Professions

Athletes are a set of talented people who have everything: fame, wealth, glamour. They need not ask for more. Yet, some athletes are not satisfied with being in sports alone. They wish to get a little more from life, perhaps to push themselves a little further and cross the boundary of their own capabilities, and explore some new side of themselves, venturing into a new profession. Some take up business from the contacts they establish during their career, while some take up acting to present themselves in a whole new way to the fans. Many find their passion and take up music or painting, while some decide to serve the country. There are many professions that the athletes have chosen to be in beside sports, be it during their career as an athlete, or after it. Let us take a look at 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

10 Athletes with Other Professions

10. Whitey Ford

Whitey Ford is a former American Major League Baseball player, and he spent 16 seasons playing as a pitcher with the New York Yankees. Apart from being a player, he also served in the military. He is noted as one of the most successful athletes with other professions. He was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947, and he began his Major League career in 1950 with the Yankees, and had a spectacular debut that soon translated into an excellent season. After the first season in which he finished second in the voting of Rookie of the Year, he missed the next two seasons in 1951 and 1952, because he was service in the US Army during the Korean War. After that, he returned to baseball, and was able to pick up where he had left off with the Yankees. He went on to win 6 World Series, the 1961 Cy Young, and make 10 All-Star games. He is inducted on the 10th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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9. Ernie Barnes

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1938 born Ernie Barnes, considered among the most well-known of athletes with other professions, was an African-American professional football player who was better known as a painter. He was also an author and actor. As a professional football player, he played for the Baltimore Colts, Titans of New York, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. He also played at the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was an excellent painter since his college days, and his first painting sale was in 1959. He was particularly famous for his unique style of elongation and movement. His work has inspired numerous artists. One of his most famous paintings was the Sugar Shack. His work also appears on several album covers. He is also noted for his sports art, and he was appointed as the Official Sports Artist for the Games of the XXIII Olympiad. He is inducted on the 9th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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8. George Foreman

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George Foreman is a retired American professional boxer who has been a two-time World Heavyweight Champion and an Olympic gold medallist. He is also an entrepreneur and an author, and one of the greatest among athletes with other professions. Foreman took up boxing to deal with his troubled childhood, and became quite successful, as he went on to win a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics, and beat then-undefeated Joe Frazier in the World Heavyweight Championship. His first retirement was in 1977. In 1994, he returned to become the oldest Heavyweight Champion. He retired again in 1997. He claimed that it was healthy eating that helped him return from retirement. He became the spokesperson for the fat-reducing grill of Russell Hobbs Inc., and as a result of Foreman’s design, the George Foreman Grill became a success. He is inducted on the 8th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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7. Wayman Tisdale

Wayman Tisdale was an American basketball player who played in the NBA. He was also a smooth jazz bass guitar player, and was thus one of the most well-known athletes with other professions. During his earlier years, he was not interested in the sport of basketball, and had no plans to take it up as a career. He was more interested in music, and even when he started playing basketball since the eighth standard, he continued to play bass guitar at his father’s church, and even after being recruited to the University of Oklahoma, and for him, the practice schedule had to be changed to make room for music. As a part of the winning team of the US, he won an Olympic gold in 1984. He played for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns at the NBA. As a musician, he launched an album Power Forward. His Face to Face was the No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. He is inducted on the 7th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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6. Ted Williams

One of the greatest of athletes with other professions, Ted Williams, born in 1918, was an American professional baseball player. He also served in the US military. As a baseball player, he played for 19 season in the Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox as a left fielder. He was noted for his stunning hitting capability, and had earned various nicknames. His achievements and honours include being named two-time American League Most Valuable Player, six-time batting champion, 17-time All-Star and two-time Triple Crown winner. He entered active duty with the US Navy in 1943 for World War II, a year after winning the AL Triple Crown, and served three years. In 1944 he was certified as a Naval Aviator. After 8 years, during the Korean War, he was recalled to active duty and he flew 39 combat missions. He is inducted on the 6th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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5. Patrick Dempsey

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Patrick Dempsey is an American race car driver. He is one of those who actively maintains two separate careers, making him one of the most successful of athletes with other professions, though he started with acting first and is more known for his role, he was noted mentioning in an interview that auto racing is not just a hobby but something he takes very seriously. He started acting with a stage production of Torch Song Trilogy, and his first major feature film was In The Mood at the age of 21. His most famous films are Sweet Home Alabama and Enchanted, and he gained major attention with his role as a doctor in the ABC TV series, Grey’s Anatomy starting 2005. His first Pro class race was the 2006 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race and was 2nd. He has competed in various prestigious pro-am events, like 24 Hours of Le Mans and many more. He is inducted on the 5th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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4. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams is an American professional tennis player. She is a former World No. 1 and is currently ranked World No. 11 in singles. She is also an entrepreneur, and one of those successful athletes who could not wait for her retirement to enter a business venture. She became the first African-American woman to become a World No. 1 in Tennis, and has been given the honour three times. She has a total of 22 Grand Slam titles. She has several feathers in her hat, and is credited for changing the face of the game for women. As a business owner, she is the CEO of an interior design firm, V Starr. She teamed with Steve & Barry’s to launch her fashion line, EleVen. She and her sister, Serena, are part-owners of football team Miami Dolphins. Venus co-wrote Come to Win; on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession in 2010. She is one of the most successful among athletes with other professions. She is inducted on the 4th spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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3. Jim Thorpe

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Jim Thorpe, born in 1888, is considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, as he chose to play a number of sports simultaneously as alternate careers, which makes his inclusion in the list of the most famous athletes with other professions a must. He won the Olympic gold medals in 1912 for pentathlon and decathlon, though he lost his medals after He was found to have been paid for playing semi-professional baseball for two seasons, before competing in the Olympics, and had thus violated the rules regarding amateurism that was in place at that time. He played collegiate and professional level American football. He also played professional basketball and baseball. He participated in various sports at a professional level until the age of 41, and ended his career with the start of Great Depression. He had to do odd jobs to earn his living. He is inducted on the 3rd spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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2. Maria Sharapova

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Maria Sharapova is a Russian professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and a current World No. 2. She also owns her own candy line, in collaboration with candy veteran Jeff Rubin, making her one of the most successful athletes with other professions. Sharapova has been named World No. 1 on five different occasions. She is the reigning champion in the French Open in singles. She has a total of 34 singles titles and five Grand Slam titles. She won a silver medal at the London Games for Russia. She is noted for a rare longevity of women in tennis, with at least one singles title a year from 2003 to 2015. She has many other achievements in tennis. She is also known for being featured in a number of modelling assignments. Her business venture is a candy line named Sugarpova, which is described on the company website as “…a premium candy line that reflects the fun, fashionable, sweet side of international tennis sensation Maria Sharapova.” She is inducted on the second spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Arnold Schwarzenegger is perhaps one of the most famous of athletes with other professions. The Austrian-born American is a former professional bodybuilder, as well as an actor, model, producer, director, entrepreneur, writer and politician. After winning the Mr. Universe title at 20, he went on to win the Mr. Olympia title 7 times, the last being in 1980, and remained a prominent figure in the industry. He has writer several articles and books on this sport. His acting career took off with the 1970 film Hercules in New York. He has worked in several other films, the most famous being The Terminator. As a Republican, he was elected in 2003 in a special election. In 2011, he finished his 2nd term as a governor of California. He is various business ventures, like real estate, restaurant, etc. He is inducted on the top spot in the list of our 10 Athletes with Other Professions.

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These players, and many more, have shown their prowess in not just sports but other fields as well. While some of them have taken up two or more professions simultaneously, other have waited for their retirement to follow their passion or dream. For some, sports is not even the full time profession. Be it by taking up business ventures, following the heart to do something more artistic like acting, painting or dabbling in music, by serving the country, or just by playing other sports, these players have shown that they are more than just one thing.

Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men

March 18, 2015 by Khabir Uddin Mughal

Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men

Women have been taking on the world of sports for a long time now. Most sports have separate events for men and women. It is hardly seen that a woman competes in a man’s game against male competitors, except in some rare sports like car racing. However, down the history of sports, it has been seen that many women have dared to challenge men. Many of such players have done so in the earlier times because at that time, women were not even considered eligible to participate in sports, and to prove themselves they had to compete with men. Now, since the men’s teams often get more attention than the female teams, and it is kind of a subtle idea that the men’s teams are much stronger than the women’s, some female athletes have proven themselves strong enough to be at par with men. Let’s take a look at the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men.

Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men

10. Katie Hnida

Katharine Anne Hnida, popular by her nickname, Katie, is a football player who is noted as one of the famous female athletes who competed against men in football. Born on May 17, 1981, This American footballer is an accomplished placekicker, who competed in an NCAA Division I-A game, which is the highest level of college football. Though she is not the first woman to play in one, she is the first to score points in it and is one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. She kicked 2 extra points for the University of New Mexico Lobos in 2003. She was the third woman to score in college football. She was also the second woman to dress for a Division I-A game and the first to do so for a bowl game. She also played for the University of Colorado, before she transferred to the University of New Mexico. After her success in college football, she was invited to join the Colorado Buffaloes football team as a walk-on freshman placekicker, and she suited up for the games, but due to health issues, she could not compete for a roster spot.

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9. Julie Krone

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Julieann Louise Krone, known by her nickname Julie, is a retired jockey, and is reputed as one of the top female athlete who competed against men. Born on July 24, 1963, in Michigan, US, she became the first ever woman to achieve the Triple Crown race, as she bagged the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair which was her biggest win. She had grown up as a show horse rider, after which she made her debut as a professional thoroughbred jockey in the year 1981, and captured her first victory just 2 week later. Throughout her career as a jockey, during which she achieved 3704 wins, she retired and un-retired several times. After her first retirement in 2000, she was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for her performances while being one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men.

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8. Manon Rhéaume

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Manon Rhéaume is an ice hockey player who is noted as the first and only female player to play in the National Hockey League, as she appeared in the 1992 preseason exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lighning as it marked the first appearance of a woman in a professional sporting event for men in any major league. Born on February 24, 1972 in Canada, she plays as a goaltender, and has clinched a number of historic firsts in her ice hockey career and is also one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. For Trois-Rivières Draveurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, she became the first woman to play in the Junior A hockey game for men in 1991-92 season. In 1992, she was the first woman to appear in a regular season professional game in the International Hockey League for the Atlanta Knights.

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7. Jackie Tonawanda

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Jackie Tonawanda, who was born as Jackie Garrett, is often dubbed as the Female Ali, and is one of the greatest female boxer of all time. Born on September 4, 1933 in the New York, USA, she is one of the most famous female athletes who competed against men. She was a pioneer heavyweight boxer in the 1970s and 1980s. As a child, she grew up watching the sport of boxing, but at that domain, there were no women boxers in the scenario and eventually became one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. In 1975, she sued the New York State Athletic Commission over their refusal to allow women to fight. She won the case, and is thus responsible for women’s boxing event. Her notable match was in 1975 at Madison Square as she took on kickboxer Larry Rodania and knocked him out. She has had several other achievements in this sport.

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6. Billy Jean King

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Billie Jean King is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player, and one of the most famous female athletes who competed against men. Born on November 22, 1943 in California, USA, she is noted for her iconic competition which is often dubbed as the Battle of the Sexes. She was not looking to fight men, and she only looked to earn respect by playing tennis, but as a response to Bobby Riggs’ challenging comments towards female tennis players, she accepted the invitation to play against him in 1973. In front of 30,000 people, she defeated Riggs in straight sets of 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3. Her achievements include 39 Grand Slam titles which helped her to become one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. She won the singles title at the inaugural WTA Tour Championships. She is still considered one of the best among tennis players, male and female alike.

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5. Lottie Dod

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Charlotte Dod, known by her nickname Lottie, was most successful in tennis, though she was also accomplished in other sports like field hockey, archery, golf and winter sports. Born on 23 September, 1871, she is one of the earliest women to challenge male athletes in many different sports, and win many against them. In 1896, she took the St. Moritz Men’s Skating Test, and became the second woman ever to pass it. She was known for winning matches against male tennis players which lead her to become one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. But her biggest accomplishments are her five Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Championship wins. Her first win came when she was only 15, in the year 1887. She also won the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, and the achieved a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

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4. Jackie Mitchell

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Virne Beatrice Mitchell Gilbert, known by her nickname, Jackie, was a baseball player, and one of the first female pitchers in the history of professional baseball. Born on August 29, 1913 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she is one of the most notable of female athletes to compete against men and occupies the 4th place in our list of Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. In an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, she pitched for the Chattanooga Lookouts Class AA minor league baseball team, and caught attention as she struck out the famous Babe Ruth, followed by Lou Gehrig. This came as a big surprise as from the point of view of the team, she was just a publicity stunt. Her contract was soon voided, and women were declared unfit to compete with men. She played, often donning a false beard, for a men’s team, House of David, till she was 23.

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3. Madge Syers

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Florence Madeline Syers, known by her nickname, Madge, was a figure skater, noted for bringing about a change in the sports. Born on 16 September 1881 in the UK, she is considered one of the most successful female athletes who competed against men. She became the first woman to ever compete in the World Figure Skating Championships in the year 1902, and she managed to clinch a silver medal in the competition against men in an all-male event. Her success led the International Skating Union to create a separate ladies’ championship and she became one of the Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men. Syers emerged victorious in the first two ladies’ events in 1906 and 07, as well as the 1908 Summer Olympics, the first one to include figure skating. As a pair-skater with her husband, Edgar, she won bronze at the 1908 Olympics.

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2. Danica Patrick

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Danica Sue Patrick, commonly known as just Danica Patrick, is an auto race driver, though she is also a model and advertising spokeswoman. Born on March 25, 1982, in Wisconsin, US, she is known to routinely compete against men directly, because car racing is the only major sport where men and women compete against each other, and Patrick is the most visible racer right now. In fact, she is noted to confidently compete against beau and fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. She is considered the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing as the only woman to win in the IndyCar eries, with her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300. She has several other feathers to her hat, making her one of the most famous female athletes in the list of Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men.

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1. Babe Zaharias

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Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias, known by her nickname, Babe, was most successful in golf, basketball and track and field, though she also played other sports like baseball, softball, etc. Born on June 26, 1911, in Texas, US, she is noted as one of the earliest women to compete against men and leave a mark. In 1938, she competed in a Professional Golfers’ Association tournament called the Los Angeles Open, though she missed the cut. In 1945, she became the first woman to make a cut as she competed against men. But, competing against men was not her only achievement. Besides 48 golf titles, she had a gold medal in the Olympics in hurdles and javelin throw and a silver medal in high jump. She led her team to an AAU Basketball Championship win in 1931 and is one the top spot in our list of Top 10 Female Athletes who Competed against Men.

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In an age when gender equality is on the agenda of all sports associations all over the world, it is likely that the demarcations between male and female teams will soon go away. Whether or not men and women should compete on the same standards against each other is a subject of nuanced discussions. For the time being, we salute the women who have broken all barriers and dared to challenge their male counterparts.