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Biography Early life Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest child and only son of Joe and Pam Bryant.[2] When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA, moved his family to Italy, and started playing professional basketball there.[7] Bryant became accustomed to the lifestyle there and learned to speak fluent Italian.[7] At an early age, he learned to play soccer and at first his favorite team was AC Milan.[8] He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player, and that his favorite team is FC Barcelona. Bryant is a big fan of former FC Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and their star player Ronaldinho.[9] In 1991, the Bryants moved back to the United States. Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion.[10] His SAT score of 1080[11] would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges. Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA. Bryant has stated that had he decided to go to college after high school, he would have attended Duke University.[12] 1996 NBA Draft Before Bryant was chosen as the 13th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996, he refused to play for anyone but the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Bryant's agent Arn Tellum at the time, Bryant playing for the Charlotte Hornets was "an impossibility".[13] Nevertheless, the Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant, seeing that there was a chance to trade with the Lakers.[13] On July 1, 1996, then L.A. general manager Jerry West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac, to the Hornets in exchange for Bryant's draft rights.[14] First three seasons (1997-1999) During his first season, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.[15] Initially, Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see some more playing time. He earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan-favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.[16] In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award[17], and through fan voting, he also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter.[17] The 1998-99 season marked Bryant's emergence as starting guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones were traded. The results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals.[18] Championship years (2000-2002) Bryant's fortunes would soon change when Phil Jackson became coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999.[19] After years of steady improvement, Bryant had become one of the premier shooting guards in the league, a fact that was evidenced by his annual presence in the league's All-NBA, All-Star, and All-Defensive teams.[20] The Los Angeles Lakers became premier championship contenders under Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who formed an outstanding center-guard combination.[21] Jackson utilized the triangle offense he used to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls, which helped both Bryant and O'Neal rise to the elite class of the NBA. Their NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002 proved such a fact.[22] Post-Championship years (2002-04) In the 2002-03 NBA season, Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career highs up to that point. For the first time in his career Bryant was voted on to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams.[2] After finishing 50-32 in the regular season, the Lakers floundered in the playoffs and lost in the Western Conference semi-finals to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs in six games.[23] In the following 2003-04 NBA season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All Stars Karl Malone, and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA Championship.[24] Before the season began, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault.[25] However, with a starting lineup of four future Hall of Famer, O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals.[26] In the Finals, they were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists. He shot a mere 35.1% from the field.[27] Phil Jackson resigned as coach, with Rudy Tomjanovich taking over.[28] Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant.[29] The following day, Bryant declined an offer to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed with the Lakers on a seven-year contract.[30] Departure of Shaquille O'Neal (2004-2007) Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 2004-05 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. This first season without O'Neal would prove to be a rocky one.[3] A particularly damaging salvo came from Phil Jackson in The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003-04 season and has a number of criticisms of Bryant. In the book Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable".[31] Then, midway through the season, Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion. Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen.[31] Despite the fact that Bryant was the league's second leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, the Lakers floundered and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. This year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA, as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was also demoted to the All-NBA Third Team.[32] Kobe Bryant defending Michael Redd in December 2005.The 2005-06 NBA season would mark a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to coach the Lakers.[33] Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. The team posted a 45-37 record, an eleven-game improvement over the previous season, and the entire squad seemed to be clicking.[34] In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough (3-1 series lead) to come within six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Phoenix Suns. The Lakers lost that game 107 to 96.[35] Despite Bryant's 27.8 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games.[35] In the 2006 off-season, Bryant had knee surgery, preventing him from participating in the 2006 FIBA World Championship tournament.[36] Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant had, by himself, outscored the entire Mavericks team 62-61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the advent of the 24-second shot clock.[37] When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying the end of the feud that had festered between the two players since O'Neal's departure from Los Angeles.[3] A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two laughed and joked together on several occasions.[3] On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in a 122-104 victory against the Toronto Raptors.[38][4] In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, his point total in that game was the second highest in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.[39] In that same month, Bryant also became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players ever to do so.[40] For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game,[41] the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain.[3] By the end of the season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832).[42] He won the league's scoring title for the first time, posting a scoring average of (35.4). Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes — second only to winner Steve Nash.[43] Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006-07 NBA season. Bryant's first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33.[44] After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers.[45] During the 2006-07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy.[46] Bryant scored 50 points or more in four consecutive games in 2007.Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents. On January 28 while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in the face with his elbow.[47] Following a league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards.[48] Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jaric.[47] On March 7, the NBA handed Bryant his second one-game suspension.[49] In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retrospectively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul.[47] On March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which helped end the Lakers 7-game losing streak. This was the second best scoring performance of his 11-year career.[50] The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves,[51] after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies - becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Michael Jordan last did it in 1987.[52] The only other Laker to do so was Elgin Baylor, who also scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December of 1962[53]. In the following day, in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Bryant scored 50 points, making him the second player in NBA history to have 4 straight 50 point games behind Wilt Chamberlain, who is the all-time leader with seven consecutive 50 point games twice.[54] Bryant finished the year with a total of ten 50-plus point games,[55] becoming the only player beside Wilt Chamberlain in 1961-62 and 1962-63 to do so in one season. He also won his second straight scoring title that season. [56] During the 2006-07 season, Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China.[57] A number of journalists have attributed the improved sales to Bryant's new jersey number, as well as his continuing All-Star performance on the court.[58][59] In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers were once again eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns.[60] MVP year (2007-present) Kobe Bryant being defended by Baron DavisOn May 27, 2007, ESPN reported that Bryant stated that he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority.[61] Bryant later confirmed his desire for West's return to the franchise, but denied stating that he would want to be traded if that does not occur.[62] However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed that Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and publicly stated, "I want to be traded." Three hours after making that statement, Bryant stated in another interview that after having a conversation with head coach Phil Jackson, he has reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request.[63] On December 23 2007, Bryant became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points, in a game against the New York Knicks, in Madison Square Garden.[64] Despite an injury, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" of his shooting hand's small finger, that occurred in a game against the New Jersey Nets on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Regarding his injury, he stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that myself and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis."[65] Leading his team to a West best 57-25 record, they swept the Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, Bryant was officially announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first for his career.[66] He said, "It's been a long ride. I'm very proud to represent this organization, to represent this city."[67] Jerry West, who was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers was on hand at the press conference to observe Bryant receive his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. He stated, "Kobe deserved it. He's had just another great season. Doesn't surprise me one bit."[68] In addition to winning his MVP award, Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team on May 8, 2008 for the third straight season and sixth time in his career.[69] He would then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points overall including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection.[70] The Lakers concluded the 2007–08 regular season with a 57–25 record, finishing first in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Nuggets. In Game 1, Bryant, who said he made himself a decoy through most of the game, scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead.[71] That made Denver the first 50-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs since the Memphis Grizzlies fell in four to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004.[72] In the first game of the next round against the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1.[73] The Lakers won the next game as well, but dropped Games 3 and 4, even with Bryant putting up 33.5 points per game.[74] The Lakers then won the next two games to win the semifinals in 6.[74] This set up a Western Conference Finals berth against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in 5 games, sending them to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. This marked the fifth time in Bryant's career and the first time without Shaquille O'Neal to go to the NBA Finals.[75] The Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.[76] International career Bryant's senior international career with the United States national team began in 2006. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men’s Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10-0, won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. He started in all 10 of the USA’s FIBA Americas Championship games. He is ranked third on the team for made and attempted free throws, ranked fourth for made field goals, made 3-pointers. Among all FIBA Americas Championship competitors, Bryant is ranked 15th in scoring, 14th in assists, and eighth in steals. Scored in double-digits in eight of 10 games. He drained the game winner on a 14 feet (4.3 m) jumper above the foul line with second left in the game. He currently averages a .530 shooting percentage, with 16.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.[77] As a part of his international expansion, he is also featured in a Chinese reality TV show, called the Kobe Mentu show, which documents Chinese basketball players on different teams going through drills, preparing to play each other while Bryant gives advice and words of encouragement to the players while they practice.[78] On June 23, 2008, he was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[79] This will be his first time going to the Olympics. Player profile Bryant is a shooting guard who is capable of playing the small forward position. He is considered one of the most complete players in NBA history,[80] has been elected to every All-NBA Team since 1999, and has been featured in the last ten NBA All-Star games.[2] He is a prolific scorer, averaging 25.0 points per game for his career, along with 4.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.[81] He is known for his ability to create shots for himself, and is an adept outside shooter, sharing the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with twelve.[82] He has exceptional ballhandling skills and utilizes his speed and athletic ability to elude defenders to finish at the basket. Aside from this, he is also a standout defender, having made the All-Defensive 1st or 2nd Team 8 of the last 9 seasons.[2]

Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was a baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first African-American major league baseball player of the modern era in 1947.[1] Although not the first African American professional baseball player in United States history, Robinson's Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers ended approximately sixty years of baseball segregation, also known as the baseball color line, or color barrier. In the United States at this time, many white people believed that blacks and whites should be segregated or kept apart in many aspects of life, including sports. The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Robinson in 1962 and he played for six World Series teams. Robinson earned six consecutive All-Star Game nominations and won several awards during his career. In 1947, he won The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award and the first Rookie of the Year Award. Two years later, he won the National League MVP Award—the first black player to do so.[2] In addition to Robinson's accomplishments on the field, he supported the early Civil Rights Movement. In the 1960s, he helped to establish the Freedom National Bank, an African-American owned and controlled entity based in Harlem, New York.[3] Robinson also wrote a syndicated newspaper column for several years that he used to support Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.[4] Robinson campaigned for several politicians, including the Democrat Hubert Humphrey and the Republican Richard Nixon. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[4] On April 15, 1997, the 50 year anniversary of his debut, Major League Baseball retired Robinson's jersey number 42 across all MLB teams in recognition of his accomplishments both on and off the field in a ceremony at Shea Stadium.[5] In 1950 Robinson played himself in the biographical film The Jackie Robinson Story.[6] He became a political activist in his post-playing days. In 1946, Robinson married Rachel Annetta Isum, and in 1973, after Robinson died, she founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Musial was the first son born to Mary and Lukasz Musial, entering the world at the family's home on Sixth Street in Donora, Pennsylvania.[3] His father was a Polish immigrant who was born on a farm near Warsaw.[4] In 1910 Lukasz was employed by the American Steel and Wire Company, moving hundred-pound bales of wire around the company's shipping department. His mother Mary, herself the daughter of Czech immigrants, sorted nails at the factory, which was how she met Lukasz.[5] Musial grew up in the Pittsburgh-area industrial town, where he played ball on his high school team along with the father of future major leaguer Ken Griffey, Sr., in turn the father of Ken Griffey, Jr.[6] On his 19th birthday, he married Lillian Labash, and they have four children.[citation needed] [edit] Career Statue of Stan Musial outside Busch StadiumMusial started his career as a pitcher. but after a shoulder injury he moved to the outfield in 1940. Musial played 1,890 games in the outfield and 1,016 games at first base, but was primarily known for his consistent hitting. The left-hander led the National League in batting average seven times and in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and hits six times each. He won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1943, 1946, and 1948, and in 1957, received Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award. He is one of only two players to hit five home runs in one day—Musial did it in a doubleheader against the New York Giants in 1954 (Nate Colbert of the San Diego Padres accomplished the same feat in 1972). In addition to his three MVP awards (currently only nine players have won three or more), Musial also finished second in MVP voting four times, including three years in a row (from 1949-51), and finished among the top ten of NL MVP voting fourteen times between 1943 and 1962. Remarkably, Musial only struck out more than forty times in a season three times, two of them his final two years active, and only once (during his last active year) struck out more times than he walked. His 3,630 career hits made him the NL's all-time leader on that list at the time he retired, and second in the major leagues to Ty Cobb. He still ranks fourth all-time, behind Pete Rose, Cobb and Hank Aaron. Musial's 3,630th and final hit was a single beyond the reach of Rose, then a rookie second baseman. Musial's career was perhaps most notable for its consistency. His .331 career batting average ranks 30th; he batted .336 at home and .326 on the road. Amazingly, Musial had 1,815 hits at home, and 1,815 on the road. He batted .340 in day games and .320 at night. In his September 1941 debut, Musial had two hits; after he got two hits in his final game, 22 years later, a sportswriter jokingly wrote, "He hasn't improved at all." Musial once said, "I consciously memorized the speed at which every pitcher in the league threw his fastball, curve, and slider; then, I'd pick up the speed of the ball in the first thirty feet of its flight and knew how it would move once it had crossed the plate." Former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine once described his strategy of pitching to Musial: "I've had pretty good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third."[7] Erskine's teammate, Preacher Roe, shared a similar sentiment. He summarized his strategy of pitching to Musial as "I throw him four wide ones and try to pick him off at first."[7] "Once Musial timed your fastball," observed Warren Spahn, "your infielders were in jeopardy." In another story, Willie Mays, then playing for the New York Giants, was receiving instruction from his manager Leo Durocher about how he should prepare defensively in center field for each of the hitters in the Cardinals' lineup. He described the weaknesses and tendencies of the first two hitters, then moved on to the cleanup (fourth) hitter. Mays interrupted to ask about the man in the third slot. Durocher replied, "The third hitter is Stan Musial. There is no advice I can give you about him." It was fans of the Dodgers who gave him his nickname. Musial loved to hit in Ebbets Field and after several amazing hitting performances there, Brooklyn fans would see him come to bat, and say, "Uh-oh, here comes the man again. The man is back!" St. Louis sportswriter Bob Broeg picked up on this and said to the fans, "You mean THAT man?" and they said, "No, THE Man." Musial was "Stan the Man" from that point on. Typically, respectful Brooklyn fans did not boo him at Ebbets Field. Like many American baseball players of his era, Musial spent part of his career serving in World War II, missing the 1945 season to serve as a seaman first class in the United States Navy from January 1945 to March 1946. Musial played in 24 All-Star games[8] tying him with Henry Aaron for most all-time. The Cardinals retired his uniform number '6' at the end of the 1963 season. He was a fan favorite for his reputation, both on the field and off, as a gentleman. In Musial's 3,026 ML games, he was never once ejected from a game. Umpire Tom Gorman said, "The bigger the guy, the less he argues. You never heard a word out of Stan Musial...." At the time of his retirement, Musial was among the all-time leaders in many offensive categories—first in Total Bases and Extra-Base Hits, second in Hits, Doubles, Runs Created, Games Played and At Bats, fourth in Runs and Runs Batted In, fifth in Walks, sixth in Home Runs, and eighth in Slugging Percentage and On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage (OPS). The rise of Bill James and the extensive use of sabermetrics has enhanced Musial's credentials as not only one of the greatest of his generation, but of all baseball history. At Baseball-Reference.com, Musial is consistent among the various test leaders: He ranks fifth all-time among hitters according to the Black Ink Test (behind Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Ted Williams), third all-time on the Gray Ink Test (behind Cobb and Hank Aaron), tied with Barry Bonds for second in the Hall of Fame Career Standards Test, behind only Ruth, and ranks first among all hitters and pitchers on the Hall of Fame Monitor Test. Surprisingly, despite his towering reputation with statistic-based aficionados of the game, many common fans are unaware of his achievements, leading ESPN and other organizations to list him as the most underrated athlete of all-time.[9] [edit] Retirement Stan Musial's number 6 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963 At the time of his retirement in 1963, Musial held 17 major league, 29 National League, and 9 All-Star game records. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1969. A statue of Musial was erected outside of Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri in 1968, and was dedicated after a Sunday afternoon loss to the Cubs on August 4, 1968. The statue was moved from its original location outside the old Busch Stadium (1966–2005) to the front of the new Busch Stadium for the first season in 2006. The statue has always been a popular place to meet friends at the stadium, and a small tradition among fans has been to climb the statue after the Cards' World Series wins in 1982 and 2006. It is inscribed with a quote from former baseball commissioner Ford Frick: "Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight." Musial also served one year as general manager of the Cardinals. After the 1966 season, Musial succeeded Bob Howsam as GM and the 1967 Cardinals promptly won 101 games, the NL pennant, and the 1967 World Series title. Musial then stepped down at the end of the season and was succeeded by Bing Devine. Following his retirement Musial has been a successful businessman and restaurateur, and remains a popular figure in the St. Louis area. When asked why he always seemed so happy, he remarked, "If you had a .331 lifetime batting average, you'd be happy all the time, too!" In 1985, he opened and operated Inn at Grand Glaize at the Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. In 1989, he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 1999, he ranked tenth on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. Some fans suggested that being placed so high on the list was a "hometown pick," as TSN is published in St. Louis. Musial did less well in fan voting for that year's Major League Baseball All-Century Team, but was added by a special committee along with Honus Wagner, one of only 30 players to be honored for his great success. The surprise at his high esteem among baseball critics and omission from fan-voted all-time teams are a reflection of his rather understated demeanor. Indeed, it was Musial's characteristic modesty, in addition to the fact that he played his entire career for a midwestern ballclub, that allowed his legacy to fall behind those of his contemporaries such as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. More recently, Musial threw out the first pitch in the 5th (and final) game of the 2006 World Series at Busch Stadium to the loud cheers of Cardinal fans. On May 18, 2008, Stan was honored with the "Stan the Man" day at Busch Stadium, with Mike Shannon acting as emcee, Stan was honored for his contributions to the St. Louis Cardinals. Included during the ceremony was a proclamation from the Mayor, a street renamed after him, and a standing ovation. [10]

Wagner was born to German immigrants Peter and Katheryn Wagner in the Chartiers neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which is now a part of the borough of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.[3] Wagner was one of nine children, although only five lived past childhood. As a child, he was called Hans by his mother, which would later evolve into Honus. "Hans" was also an alternate nickname during his major league career. Wagner dropped out of school at age 12 to help his father and brothers in the coal mines. In their free time, he and his brothers played sandlot baseball and developed their skills to such an extent that three of his brothers would go on to become professionals, as well.[citation needed] Wagner's older brother, Albert "Butts" Wagner, who had a brief major league career himself, is often credited for getting Honus his first tryout. Following after his brother, Honus trained to be a barber before becoming successful in baseball.[citation needed] In 1916, Wagner married Bessie Baine Smith, and the couple went on to have three daughters, Elva Katrina (born 1918), Betty Baine (born 1919), and Virginia Mae (born 1922).[citation needed] [edit] Professional career [edit] Career before Major League Baseball Honus' brother Albert "Butts" Wagner was considered the ballplayer of the family. Albert suggested Honus in 1895 when his Inter-State League team was in need of help. In his first year, Honus played for five teams. Edward Barrow of the Atlantic League liked what he saw in Wagner, and, in 1896, he signed him. In 1896, Wagner hit .313. The next year, Honus hit .375 in 74 games played. Edward Barrow would become Honus' bridge to the Major Leagues. [edit] Louisville Colonels Recognizing his talent, Barrow recommended Wagner to the Louisville Colonels. After some hesitation about his awkward figure, Wagner was signed by the Colonels, where he hit .338 in 61 games. By his second season, Wagner was already one of the best hitters in the National League although he would come up short a percentage point from finishing the season at .300. After the 1899 season, the NL contracted from twelve to eight teams, with the Colonels one of four teams eliminated. Along with Wagner, owner Barney Dreyfuss took many of his other top players with him to Pittsburgh. [edit] Pittsburgh Pirates The move to the Pittsburgh Pirates would signify Wagner's emergence as a hitter. In 1900, Wagner won his first batting championship with a .381 mark and also led the league in doubles (45), triples (22), and slugging percentage (.573), all of which were career highs. For the next couple of seasons, Wagner's average did not fall below .330. Honus Wagner in 1911In 1901, the American League began to sign National League players, creating a bidding war, decimating the league. Wagner was offered a $20,000 contract by the Chicago White Sox, but instead turned it down and continued to play with the Pirates. In 1903, the Pirates played the Boston Americans in Major League Baseball's inaugural World Series. Wagner, by this point, was an established star and much was expected of him, especially since the Pirates' starting rotation was decimated by injury. Wagner himself was not at full strength and hit only .222 for the series. The Americans, meanwhile, had some particularly rowdy fans, called the "Royal Rooters" who, whenever Wagner came to bat, would sing "Honus, Honus, why do you hit so badly?" to the tune of "Tessie," a popular song of the day. The Rooters, led by Boston bartender Michael "Nuf Ced" McGreevy, even travelled to Pittsburgh to continue their heckling. Pittsburgh lost in the best-of-nine series, five games to three, to a team led by pitchers Cy Young and Bill Dinneen and third baseman-manager Jimmy Collins. Christy Mathewson, in his book "Pitching in a Pinch" wrote: "For some time after "Hans" Wagner's poor showing in the world's series of 1903... it was reported that he was "yellow" (poor in the clutch). This grieved the Dutchman deeply, for I don't know a ball player in either league who would assay less quit to the ton than Wagner... This was the real tragedy in Wagner's career. Notwithstanding his stolid appearance, he is a sensitive player, and this has hurt him more than anything else in his life ever has."[4] In 1904, a major change occurred in Wagner's life. That season would be the first in which he primarily played shortstop. In prior years, Wagner had played several positions, never really having a permanent home. After the 1907 season, Wagner retired. Starting to panic, Barney Dreyfuss offered him 10,000 dollars, making him the highest paid players for many years. It is debatable whether Wagner actually meant to retire, or if he just wanted a raise in salary. Honus Wagner's locker on display at the Hall of FameWagner and the Pirates were given a chance to prove that they were not "yellow" in 1909. The Pirates faced off against Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers, which would be the only meeting of the two superior batsmen of the day. Wagner was by this time 35 years old, while Cobb a mere 22. This time Wagner would not be stiffled as he would outhit Cobb, .333 to .231, and stole six bases, which established a new Series record. The speed demon Cobb only managed two steals, one of which Cobb himself admitted was a botched call. Wagner recounted: "We had him out at second. We put up a squawk, but Silk O'Loughlin, the umpire, overruled it. We kept the squawk going for a minute or so, making no headway of course, and then Cobb spoke up. He turned to O'Loughlin, an American League umpire, by the way, and said, 'Of course I was out. They had me by a foot. You just booted the play, so come on, let's play ball.' ."[5] There was also a story that was widely circulated over the years, that at one point Cobb was on first; he bragged to Wagner that he was going to steal second; Wagner placed an especially rough tag to Cobb's mouth; and the two exchanged choice words. Cobb denied it in his autobiography, and the play-by-play of the 1909 World Series confirms that the event could not have happened as stated: Cobb was never tagged out by Wagner in a caught-stealing. The Pirates won the series 4 games to 3 behind the pitching of Babe Adams, thereby vindicating Wagner and the Pittsburgh team. The following year, however, would not be as great as 1909. Honus' average fell to .320, his lowest average since 1898. On June 14th, 1914, at age 40, Wagner recorded his 3,000th hit. Besides that highlight, Wagner and Pirates were on a decline. Wagner only hit .252 in 1914. It proved to be Wagner's lowest batting average for a season. In 1917, Wagner returned for his final season. He hit .265, and was given the role of interim manager, but after going 1–4, Wagner told Dreyfuss the job wasn't for him. Wagner has been considered one of the very best all-around players to ever play baseball since the day he retired in 1917. Famed "sabermatician" Bill James rates him as the second best player of all-time, right behind Babe Ruth.[6] Statisticians John Thorn and Pete Palmer rate Wagner as ninth all-time in their "Total Player Ranking".[7] Many of the greats who played or managed against Wagner, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Walter Johnson, list him at shortstop on their All-Time teams.[8] [edit] Life after baseball Wagner served as the Pirates' manager briefly in 1917, but resigned the position after only 5 games. He returned to the Pirates as a coach, most notably as a hitting instructor from 1933 to 1952. Arky Vaughan, Kiki Cuyler, Ralph Kiner, and player-manager from 1934–1939 Pie Traynor, all future Hall of Famers, were notable "pupils" of Wagner. During this time, he wore uniform number 14, but later changed it to his more famous 33, which was later retired for him. His entire playing career was in the days before uniform numbers were worn. His appearances at National League stadiums during his coaching years were always well received and Hans remained a beloved ambassador of baseball. Wagner also coached baseball and basketball at what is now Carnegie Mellon University. In 1928, Wagner ran for sheriff of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania but lost. He was made deputy county sheriff in 1942. He also ran a well-known sporting goods company. In fact, a sporting goods store bearing the name "Honus Wagner" still operates in downtown Pittsburgh. Wagner lived out the remainder of his life in Pittsburgh, where he was well-known as a friendly figure around town. He died on December 6, 1955 at the age of 81, and he is buried at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh.

Derek Jeter was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, at Chilton Hospital, to an African-American father, Dr. Sanderson Charles Jeter; his mother Dorothy is of Irish/German descent. The family lived in North Arlington, New Jersey, before moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was 4. He also has a sister named Sharlee.As a child Derek's grandmother made him a passionate fan of his future team, the New York Yankees[2] High school Jeter was inspired to play baseball by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.[3] In high school, Jeter was a star baseball player at Kalamazoo Central High School, where he also played basketball, earning an All-State honorable mention. After batting .557 as a sophomore, Jeter hit .508 (30-59) with 7 HR, 23 RBIs 21 BB, and 1 strikeout his junior year. His on base percentage was .637. Jeter collected many awards at season's end, including the Kalamazoo Area B'nai B'rith Award for Scholar Athlete, the 1992 High School Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the year award, and USA Today's High School Player of the Year. In December 2007, Jeter was inducted into the Kalamazoo Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Draft Although Jeter received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, he was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 6th overall pick of the 1992 amateur draft and chose to go pro. Jeter has said, however, that he will eventually go back to college and earn a degree.[2] Minor league career Jeter spent four years in the minor leagues, beginning in the Rookie League before advancing to Class A. He spent 2 years there, collecting various awards, including Most Outstanding Major League Prospect of the South Atlantic League in 1993.[4] In 1994 he was honored with the Minor League Player of the Year Award by Baseball America, The Sporting News, USA Today, and Topps/NAPBL after hitting .344 with five home runs, 68 RBIs and 50 stolen bases combined at Triple-A Columbus, Double-A Albany, and Class-A Tampa. He was also named the MVP of the Florida State League. Major League career Jeter connects for a hit against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Early Years (1995–1998) On May 29, 1995, Jeter made his debut in the Major Leagues against the Seattle Mariners in the Kingdome. He got his first major league hit the following day off veteran pitcher Tim Belcher, and started 13 games before being sent back down to the minors. He returned on Opening Day of the 1996 season as the starting shortstop (the first Yankee rookie since Tom Tresh in 1962 to do so) and hit his first major-league home run on that day. Jeter played his way to a successful rookie season, hitting for a .314 batting average, 10 home runs, and 78 runs batted in and subsequently earning Rookie of the Year honors.[5] During the 1996 American League Championship Series, Jeter was involved in what has become a memorable moment in postseason history. During game one, with the Yankees trailing the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 in the 8th inning, Jeter hit a fly ball to right field. As right fielder Tony Tarasco moved to make a play on the ball near the fence, appearing to have a chance to catch the ball, 12 year old Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall and caught the ball, pulling it back into the stands. Despite Tarasco's protest, the umpires convened and ruled the ball a home run. Replays conclusively showed that had Maier not interfered, the ball would have fallen in front of the fence and potentially into Tarasco's glove for an out. The Yankees would go on to win in 11 innings, and eventually the series, 4 games to 1. The ruling made for the first home run of Jeter's postseason career.[6] Jeter making one of his trademark plays against the Tampa Bay Rays. 100 Runs Batted In and Mr. November (1999–2003) In the year 1999 Jeter led the AL in hits (219), and was 2nd in the league in batting average (.349) and runs (134). Jeter (who batted 3rd in the lineup part of the year) also drove in 102 runs, becoming only the 2nd Yankee shortstop ever to do so (Lyn Lary had driven in 107 runs in 1931).[5] In 2000, Jeter became the first player ever to win the All-Star Game MVP award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. Jeter became the first Yankee since Yogi Berra, in 1959, to hit a home run in the All Star Game (Alfonso Soriano then hit one in 2001).[5] Jeter has made a series of plays both in the field, especially in the 2001 postseason. Perhaps the most memorable took place in Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series vs. the Oakland Athletics. With Jeremy Giambi on first base, Oakland right fielder Terrence Long hit a double off Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina into the right-field corner. As Giambi rounded third and headed for home, Yankees right fielder Shane Spencer retrieved the ball and made a wild throw intended for Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Instead, the errant throw missed cutoff man Tino Martinez and dribbled up the first base line. Jeter came out of nowhere to grab the ball and flip it to Posada, who tagged Giambi on the leg just before he crossed home plate for the out. Facing elimination, the Yankees went on to win the game, as well as the series. FOX announcer Thom Brennaman's call of the play is as follows: "That is fair, down the right field line. Giambi on his way to third, and they're gonna wave him around! The throw misses the cutoff man—shovel to the plate! Out at the plate! Derek Jeter with one of the most unbelievable plays you will ever see by a shortstop![7] The play was later voted #7 in Baseball Weekly's 10 Most Amazing Plays of all time.[8] After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the baseball season was put on hold. Because of this, the playoffs started later, and Game 4 of the 2001 World Series was played on October 31. The game went into the tenth inning tied at 3–3. At midnight, the scoreboard in center field read "Attention Fans, Welcome to NOVEMBER BASEBALL." This was the first time that any non-exhibition baseball game had been played in the month of November.[9] Moments after this message was displayed on the board, Jeter sent a 3–2 pitch from Byung-Hyun Kim over the right field stands. A fan in the stands held up a sign with the words "Mr. November." Michael Kay, who called the walkoff home run, called Jeter by this name, referencing the sign. Despite the nickname, Jeter was 3 for 12 (.250) in November baseball that season, as the Yankees lost the World Series in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Captain of the Yankees (2003–present) In 2003, Jeter started the season by dislocating his left shoulder on opening day at the SkyDome in Toronto. With Jeter on first base and Jason Giambi at bat, Toronto used an extreme shift that left third base uncovered. Giambi hit a soft grounder to the pitcher, Roy Halladay, who threw to first baseman Carlos Delgado for an out. Jeter, seeing Toronto out of position, rounded second and ran to third. Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby ran up the line to cover third and fielded Delgado's throw. Jeter dived headfirst into the bag, while Huckaby attempted to catch the baseball and block Jeter from reaching third. In doing so, Huckaby fell onto Jeter, his shin guard driving into his shoulder.[10] Jeter's shoulder popped out the front of the socket, and Yankee trainers and Blue Jay doctors tried to pop it back. After unsuccessfully attempting to reset his shoulder in the socket, Jeter was taken to the Yankees' clubhouse, where his shoulder was put back in place. Jeter, who had never played fewer than 148 games in the prior seven full seasons, was subsequently on the disabled list for six weeks, missing 36 games.[11] However, he still led the major leagues in batting average on balls in play that year (.380).[12] Reaction of Yankee players, including Jeter, were highly critical of Huckaby's play, believing that Huckaby, a marginal player, had foolishly jeopardized the All-star shortstop's season. Willie Randolph, who was the Yankees' third-base coach, called Huckaby's play "unnecessary," while Enrique Wilson described it as a "dirty play."[13] Jeter was unsupportive of Huckaby, demurring when asked whether the play was dirty by ambiguously saying, "I don't know, it's tough." Jeter's perception of Huckaby's play became clear when Huckaby reported that Jeter was unresponsive to his apology. "He stonefaced me," Huckaby said. "He just stared at me. He didn't say one word."[14] On June 3 in Cincinnati, Jeter was named the 10th Captain in Yankees history.[15] Jeter waiting on deck in the 2008 season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1, 2008The New York Yankees named Jeter the 11th recognized captain in Yankees history on June 3, 2003, after 8 years without one (Dispute over the true count was noted in a lengthy article in the New York Times on March 25, 2007, by Vincent M. Mallozzi).[16] Jeter became the first official captain of the team since Don Mattingly retired in 1995. His contract, which has a total value of $189,000,000 is the 3rd largest contract in baseball history, behind two contracts of Alex Rodriguez. The beginning of the 2004 season saw Jeter mired in a slump; on May 25, he was hitting only .189. This included a personal career record 0-for-32 skid in April. In June, however, Jeter broke out of his slump. He hit nearly .400 for the month and set a personal best with 9 home runs. He finished the season with a .292 average and 23 home runs, the 2nd most of his career, as well as 44 doubles.[5] During a July 1, 2004, game against the rival Boston Red Sox, Jeter made a play which has helped perpetuate the perception of him as a clutch player. In the top of the 12th inning, with the score tied at 3, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with 2 outs and right fielder Trot Nixon up at bat. Nixon hit a pop fly down the left field line. Jeter ran from his position at shortshop and made an over-the-shoulder catch. In dramatic fashion he launched himself over the third base side railing, landing three rows into the left field seats, and lacerating his chin and bruising his face in the process. Jeter was later taken out of the game. This catch ended the inning and later the Yankees went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th inning.[17] The "Dive" was awarded Play Of The Year in the This Year In Baseball awards competition, as voted on by fans at MLB.com. The play is also currently seen during the introduction of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. The question surrounding this play is whether the ball would have landed in fair territory. If the ball was fair and not caught, Nixon would have driven in two runs to put the Red Sox up 5-3. If the ball had landed foul, it simply would have been a strike. Either way, the play ended the inning, and helped the Yankees win. The third base umpire, Fieldin Culbreth, called it a fair ball. Derek Jeter against the Colorado RockiesIn 2005 he was 2nd in the AL in runs (122) and batting average on balls in play (.394),[18] and 3rd in the league in at bats (654) and hits (202). In 2006 Jeter led the major leagues in highest groundball/flyball ratio (3.23; 313/97) and batting average on balls in play (.394),[19] and tied for the American League lead in steals of third base (12). He was 2nd in the league in batting average (.343) and runs scored (118), 3rd in hits (214), SB success % (87.2), and batting average with runners in scoring position (.381), and 5th in infield hits (26).[20] He finished 2nd in American League MVP voting to Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins (320 points to 306 points). Jeter has finished in the top 10 in the MVP balloting 6 times in his 11 full seasons through 2006 (including also a 3rd place finish in 1998). As of August 25, 2007, Derek was named the Face of the Yankees by staff and fan voters on ESPN.com. One day before the Yankees completed what was thought of as an improbable comeback by winning a playoff spot on September 26, Jeter reached 200 hits for the 6th season, and the third consecutive, tying former Yankee great Lou Gehrig. In 2007, Jeter was 3rd in the AL in hits (203), 4th in at bats (639) and plate appearances (714), 6th in times on base (276), 7th in hit by pitch (14), and 9th in batting average (.322).[5] He also was involved in a career-high 104 double plays, and his 4.02 range factor was the lowest of all AL shortstops, and his .765 zone rating was the lowest among all major league shortstops. 2008 was a sub-par offensive year for Jeter. His slugging percentage was .410, his lowest since 1997. Some theorized that one possible cause for the slump was a May 20 game that saw Jeter get hit by a pitch on his wrist.[21] Before the injury, Jeter was hitting .324 with a .774 OPS. After the injury, his batting average dipped as low as .269 by the end of the month. His offense took an upward turn after May as he hit .322 with a .824 OPS after June 1. Jeter was elected to his ninth All-Star game as the starting shortstop, batting in the 2-hole and going 1-for-3. Derek tied the "Iron Horse" Lou Gehrig for the most hits at Yankee Stadium (1,269) with a home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price on September 14, 2008. On September 16 he went on to break the record off of the Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd.

Darren McFadden (born August 27, 1987 in North Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Raiders fourth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft after playing college football at Arkansas. McFadden, known by his friends as D-Dawg, was a two-time All-American[1][2] tailback for the University of Arkansas. McFadden became the first sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award in 2006[3], and joined Ricky Williams as only the second two-time winner after taking home the award again in 2007.[4] McFadden also won the 2007 Walter Camp Award[5] as the nation's best player and was also the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy two years in a row in 2006 and 2007 and is the only two time runner up in history. Pre-draft At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on February 24, 2008, McFadden ran an official 4.33 40-yard dash, which was second among all running backs at the combine.[20] McFadden also reportedly scored a 17 on the Wonderlic exam.[21] McFadden's selection number in the draft was subject to varying speculation. He has been criticized for possible character concerns that stem from two nightclub altercations and the hiring of a lawyer to handle his paternity problems. McFadden is expecting a potential child later this year, as one of two paternity tests came back negative, with the other test results due sometime in mid-April.[21] Oakland Raiders McFadden was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Raiders signed McFadden to a six-year, $60 million contract which includes $26 million in guarantees. Negotiation was completed quickly by the team in fear of a contract holdout as occurred with quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007.[22] At training camp, McFadden impressed Raiders coach Lane Kiffin with his ability to take instructions once and seamlessly incorporating them into his game. Media observers consider McFadden the most complete Raiders rookie at this stage since Marcus Allen.[23] McFadden scored his first professional touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 14, 2008, his second NFL game, in which he gained 164 yards on 21 carries.[24]

Barry also helped bring forth and revolutionize the spin move used by most running backs in college and pro. In the 1989 NFL draft, he was selected in the 1st round (3rd overall) by the Detroit Lions. As a receiver, Sanders had 352 receptions for 2,921 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Detroit Lions. Sanders led the NFL in rushing four times. 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997. He rushed for over 1,500 yards in a season for an NFL record five times. In 1997, he set an NFL record by rushing for at least 100 yards in 14 consecutive games and became only the third player to reach 2,000 yards in a single season. He shared the NFL MVP award with Brett Favre. During the final 14 games of the 1997 season Sanders rushed for exactly 2000 yards on 310 carries (6.5 yd./carry), a figure which bears comparison with O.J. Simpson's 14-game mark of 2003 yards on 332 carries (6.0 yd./carry). Each of his 10 years from 1989 through 1998 he was first- or second-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl. Over his professional football career, he rushed for at least 100 yards in 76 games, just short of Walter Payton's 77 games and Emmitt Smith's 78 games (although Barry accomplished the feat in fewer games). NFL record 25 games in which Sanders gained 150 yards or more. Brown is second with 22 game(S). 15 career touchdown runs of 50 yards or more, most in NFL history. Brown is second with 12. At the time of his retirement, Sanders' 15,269 career rushing yards placed him second behind Walter Payton's 16,726 yards. At Sanders' then-current yearly yardage pace, he would have eclipsed Payton within one or two years. Payton died from liver cancer at age 45 just months after Sanders' sudden retirement. If Sanders had gained an additional 31 yards over the course of his 153 games, he would have been only the 2nd NFL runner to average 100 yards per game. (See Jim Brown) His 18,190 career yards from scrimmage place him fourth on the all-time list. In 1999, he was ranked number 12 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranking Lions player and the third highest ranked running back, behind Jim Brown and Walter Payton. On January 31, 2004, he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On August 8, 2004, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame along with Bob Brown, Carl Eller, and John Elway. Along with Gale Sayers, Sanders is one of the only members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to be inducted while still in his 30's. On November 25, 2004, his jersey number #20 was retired before the Lions' annual Thanksgiving Day game. (It should be noted that the number was shared with former running back Billy Sims and Hall of Fame defensive back Lem Barney, who also attended the event.) Sanders also holds the NFL record for the most carries for negative yardage. According to the SI Book of Football, these numbers totaled 336 carries for -952 Yards.

Dwyane Wade was born in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois to Dwayne Sr. and Jolinda Wade. He cites one of his older sisters, Tragil, as the individual most responsible for his childhood upbringing for steering him in the proper direction.[1] His parents divorced and he lived with his father and stepmother in Robbins, Illinois during his childhood.[2] As a child growing up in the Chicago area Wade idolized former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan,[3][4] and has said he patterns his game after him. Wade attended Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn.[1] He did not see a lot of playing time his sophomore year as his stepbrother, Demetris McDaniel, was the star of the team.[5] Wade grew four inches in the summer before his junior year and proceeded to average 20.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.[6] Wade then averaged 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds his senior year, and led his team to a 24–5 record.[6] They advanced to the title game of the Class AA Eisenhower Sectional,[6] during the season he set school records for points (676) and steals (106) in a season.[6] Wade was recruited by only three schools (Marquette University, Illinois State, and DePaul University) as a result of academic problems.[7][8] [edit] College Wade played college basketball for Marquette University in Milwaukee. In Wade's freshman year at Marquette he did not play because of academic problems.[9] When Wade became eligible his sophomore year (2001–2002) he led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 17.8 ppg, led the conference in steals at 2.47 per game and also contributed averages of 6.6 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game.[10] Marquette finished with a 26–7 record,[6] the school's best record since the 1993–94 season.[6] In 2002–03, Wade led Marquette in scoring again with 21.5 ppg,[10] and Marquette won the school's first and only Conference USA championship with a 27–6 record. Wade then led the Golden Eagles to the Final Four, the school's first appearance in the Final Four since winning the 1977 national championship. After the season Wade was named First Team All-America by the Associated Press, becoming the first Marquette player since 1978 to do so.[6] One of Wade's more memorable collegiate moments came in the 2003 Midwest Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis. Against heavily favored, top-ranked and top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats, Wade recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.[11] His triple double was just the third ever in NCAA Tournament history.[11] Wade's accomplishment helped lead Marquette over the Wildcats 83–69 and into the Final Four, and Wade was named MVP of the Midwest Regional. Marquette finished the season ranked #6 in the AP poll, the school's highest ranking since the 1976–77 season. Wade's strong play in the tournament caused his draft stock to increase significantly.[12] As a result, he elected to enter the 2003 NBA draft and forgo his senior year at Marquette. On February 3, 2007, nearly three and a half years after his final collegiate game, Marquette retired Wade's jersey at halftime of their game against Providence. Although Marquette requires student-athletes to graduate prior to receiving jersey retirement honors, the University has made special exception for Wade based on his accomplishments since leaving Marquette.[13] [edit] NBA career [edit] 2003–04 Selected 5th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Wade quickly emerged as a productive player on a relatively young Miami Heat team and averaged 16.2 points on 46.5% shooting to go along with averages of 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in his rookie season. Wade is one of only four Marquette University players to be drafted in the first round, and his draft selection is the highest in school history.[14][10] After a slow 5–15 start,[15] the Heat would gradually improve to finish 42–40 and make the playoffs.[16] He further distinguished himself with outstanding performances in the playoffs,[11] particularly against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. In the end, however, Wade's successful rookie season was somewhat overshadowed by the hype surrounding fellow rookies Carmelo Anthony and, in particular, LeBron James. Wade did earn unanimous selection to the 2004 NBA All-Rookie Team,[11] and also finished third in rookie of the year voting (behind James and Anthony).[11] He was ranked in the top five among rookies in several major statistical categories, including second in field goal percentage, second in steals, third in scoring, fourth in assists, and fourth in minutes played.[11] In the playoffs Wade hit a game winning shot in Game 1 of the Heat's first round series against the New Orleans Hornets. The Heat won the series 4–3 and advanced to the second round to face the top-seeded and best record team in the NBA Indiana Pacers in a very entertaining series that almost pushed the 61 win Pacers to the edge, though Miami would eventually lose the series in six games. He became the fourth rookie since the shot clock era began to lead his team in scoring and assist average in the postseason.[11] Wade with the ball versus the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005 [edit] 2004–05 Before the 2004–05 season Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Heat. Compared to the previous year, the Wade and O'Neal-led Heat improved by 17 games, from a 42–40 record in the 2003–04 season, to an Eastern Conference-best 59–23 record in the 2004–05 season.[16] He was selected as a reserve by the coaches around the league in the 2005 All-Star Game. He scored 14 points in 24 minutes of play. Wade at the free throw lineIn the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs, Wade averaged 26.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.0 rebounds at 50% field-goal shooting,[11] as the Heat swept the New Jersey Nets.[17] Wade performed extremely well in the second round as well by averaging 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists,[11] as the Heat swept the Washington Wizards.[17] The Heat would go on to lose against the defending champion Detroit Pistons in 7 games during the Eastern Conference Finals. Wade scored 42 and 36 points in Games 2 and 3 respectively, despite playing with sinusitis, the flu,and a knee strain. He also suffered a strained rib muscle in Game 5 of the Conference Finals that kept him out of Game 6,[18] and limited him in Game 7. The Heat lost the series 4–3 after giving up a 3–2 lead,[19] and a lead in the final three minutes of Game 7. [edit] 2005–06 In the 2005–06 season, Wade was elected to his second All-Star Game. In the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, Wade made the game winning put-back off of the Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson's missed shot, to lead the East to a 122–120 victory over the West. He scored 20 points on 9/11 field goals in 30 minutes of play. [20] He finished the 2005–06 regular season averaging 27.2 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.95 steals per game.[10] Against the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Wade shook off a few injuries that scared Heat fans, including a severely bruised hip in Game 5.[21] Returning late in the half, Wade resurrected his team by scoring 15 of his 28 points while suffering from intense pain, leading the Heat to the much-needed 3–2 series lead. After this, Wade successfully led his team to the 2006 NBA Finals, despite suffering from flu-like symptoms in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons.[22] He put up a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists in that game, including an 8-point flurry to close out the third quarter that put the game out of reach.[22] [edit] 2006 NBA Finals In his first trip to the NBA Finals, in which Miami faced off against the Dallas Mavericks, Wade had some especially memorable moments. His performance in games three, four, and five, in which he scored 42, 36, and 43 points,[23][24] respectively, helped bring the Heat back from a 0–2 deficit to lead the series at 3 games to 2. In Game 3 Wade tied his career playoff high with 42 points and grabbed a career high 13 rebounds.[25] 15 of his 42 points came in the fourth quarter, in which the Heat erased a 13 point deficit over the final 6:34 with a 22–7 run which included a go-ahead jumper by NBA veteran Gary Payton that sealed the win.[26] The Heat went on to win Game 6, taking the series 4–2, and Wade was presented with the Finals MVP trophy. He became the fifth youngest player in NBA history to capture NBA Finals MVP honors and recorded the third highest scoring average by a player in his first NBA Finals with 34.7 points per game.[11][27] His PER in the NBA finals was ranked by ESPN's John Hollinger as the greatest performance in NBA Finals history.[28] [edit] 2006–07 In the 2006–07 season, Wade missed a total of 31 games due to injury. He was elected to his third straight All-Star Game and received All-NBA honors. He became the first guard to earn All-NBA honors after missing at least 31 games in a season since Pete Maravich of the New Orleans Jazz earned Second Team honors during the 1977–78 season.[11] Despite Wade's play, the Heat struggled early in the season with injuries and were 20–25 on February 1, 2007.[29] But with Shaquille O'Neal healthy and Pat Riley returning to the bench after undergoing hip and knee surgeries,[30] the Heat seemed poised to surge into the second half of the season.[31] However, during a game against the Houston Rockets on February 21, 2007, while attempting to steal the ball from Shane Battier, Wade dislocated his left shoulder and was assisted off the court in a wheelchair.[32] After the injury he was left with the decision to either rehabilitate the shoulder or undergo season-ending surgery.[33] Wade later announced that he would put off the surgery and rehabilitate his shoulder with the intention of rejoining the team in time for the playoffs.[34] After missing 23 games to recover from the injury, Wade returned to the active roster in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Sporting a black sleeve to help protect his dislocated left shoulder, Wade played 27 minutes and recorded 12 points and 8 assists, in a 111–103 overtime loss.[35] For the season, Wade averaged 27.4 points, 7.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game shooting 50% from the field, and finished the season as the NBA's leader in PER (Player rating).[36] In the playoffs, Wade averaged 23.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, as the Heat were swept in the first round by the Chicago Bulls.[37] Following the playoffs, Wade underwent a pair of successful surgeries to repair his dislocated left shoulder and left knee. The knee ailment, commonly called "jumper's knee," prevented Wade from joining USA Basketball in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament over the summer.[38] [edit] 2007–08 After missing the Tournament of Americas Olympic Qualifiers over the summer, Miami's eight pre-season games and first seven regular season games to recover from off-season left knee and left shoulder surgeries, Wade made his first appearance of the 2007-08 season on November 14, 2007.[39] Battling pain in his left knee throughout the season,[40] Wade was elected to his fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance.[41] However, with the Heat holding the worst record in the NBA and Wade still experiencing problems in his left knee, Heat coach Pat Riley announced Wade would miss the final 21 games of the season to undergo OssaTron treatment on his left knee.[42] Wade averaged 24.6 points, 6.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game for the season.[36] [edit] United States national team Medal record Competitor for United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team competition Bronze 2004 Athens Team competition FIBA World Championship Bronze 2006 Japan Team competition Wade was a member of the 2004 US Olympics team with fellow NBA All-Stars LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. The team competed in the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, in which Wade averaged 19.3 points per game.[43] The team won a bronze medal, which disappointed many USA fans who had hoped for a return to the days of the original "Dream Team".[44][45] Wade was named to the USA Men's Basketball National Team from 2006–2008. He was named co-captain of the 2006 team, along with James and Anthony.[46] In 2007, due to injury, Wade was unable to compete at the Tournament of Americas Olympic Qualifiers, where the United States compiled a 10–0 record and qualified for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.[47] He competed at the 2008 Olympics where the United States went unbeaten on their way to the gold medal, defeating 2006 World Champion Spain in the final. Wade tallied a game high 27 points and led the team in scoring throughout the tournament, as the United States lived up to their Redeem Team moniker and captured gold medal honors for the first time since 2000. [48] [edit] Player profile Wade plays the shooting guard position, but is also capable of playing point guard. On offense, he has established himself as one of the quickest and most difficult players to guard in the NBA.[49] Wade is able to get to the free throw line seemingly at will; he ranked first in free-throw attempts per 48 minutes in 2004–05 and again in the 2006–07 season. He has proven himself an unselfish player, averaging 6.4 assists per game throughout his career.[10] After winning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2006, Wade developed a reputation as one of the premier clutch players in the NBA.[50] David Thorpe, an athletic trainer who runs a training center for NBA players in the offseason, also cites Wade's developing post up game as one of his strengths.[51] "Watching Wade operate on the left block is literally like watching old footage of MJ (Michael Jordan)," comments Thorpe.[51] Thorpe goes on to say that Wade's best moves from the post are his turnaround jump shot,[51] double pivot,[51] and what Thorpe terms as a "freeze fake",[52] a pump fake Wade uses to get his opponent to jump, so that he can then drive around him to the basket.[52] The main weakness cited in Wade's ability is his lack of three-point range; he has averaged .261 on three-point field goal attempts for his career.[10] He is best known for his ability to convert difficult lay-ups, even after hard mid-air collisions with larger defenders.[49] As crowd pleasing as his high-flying style of basketball may be, some have expressed concerns over the dangers of playing in this manner,[49] as Wade has already hurt his knees and wrists after mid-air collisions with larger players. [edit] Personal life Wade is a devout Christian and chose the number 3 because it represents the Holy Trinity.[53][54] He tithes 10% of his salary to a church in Chicago.[4] Wade is married to his high school sweetheart Siohvaughn Funches who was his first and only serious girlfriend. Wade and his wife also have two sons: Zaire Blessing Dwyane Wade (February 4, 2002) and Zion Malachi Airamis Wade (May 29, 2007).[2][55] The pair were able to maintain their relationship despite Funches, who is a year older than Wade, leaving to enroll at Eastern Illinois University during Wade's senior year of high school.[2] In February 2002, the couple were married, and at the beginning of Wade's final year of college (Fall 2002), Funches transferred to Marquette.[2] In September 2007, it was rumored that Wade had split with Funches after five years of marriage.[56] On May 1, 2008, during an appearance on Inside the NBA, TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith asked Wade about his rumored involvement with Star Jones. Wade responded, stating, "We're good friends...that's all, just friends."[57] In 2008, Wade purchased a church for his mother, a Baptist pastor in Chicago.[58] Wade's mother, Jolinda, is a former drug user but has since abandoned that lifestyle and devoted her life to spreading the word of God. She is currently the co-pastor at the Temple of Praise, a ministry conceived while she was still incarcerated.[58] The Heat's 2005 NBA Playoff run and Wade's performances with Shaquille O'Neal hampered by injury, led to an explosion of media attention and rapid increase in Wade's popularity. During those playoffs, Wade's jersey became the top selling jersey in the league and remained so for nearly two years.[59] After the Heat's success and Wade's memorable performances during the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Wade was further elevated into the public's eye and appeared on several talk shows, including Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Regis and Kelly.[60] Wade has been featured in a number of magazine articles and publications. In 2005, he was featured on People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People,[61] and in 2006 he was named the NBA's best dressed player by GQ Magazine.[62] In 2007, Esquire named him to their 4th annual Best Dressed Men in the World list for the second straight year.[63] Wade has proven himself a popular endorser and has a number of endorsement deals with companies such as Gatorade, Lincoln, Staples, Sean John, T-Mobile, and Topps.[64] He has his own line of shoes with Converse named "The Wade" and a series of Sidekick phones known as the D-Wade Edition with T-Mobile.[65][66] His nicknames include D-Wade and Flash, which was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal who would sing, "He's the greatest in the Universe," in reference to the Queen song of the same name from the 1980 film Flash Gordon.[67][68]

No one will wear No. 10 for the Longhorns again. The University of Texas retired Vince Young's football jersey before the first game of the season Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium. The ceremony included a video montage of the former quarterback's feats at Texas from 2003-05 and the presentation of a framed jersey to the Tennessee Titans' quarterback. "I want to thank God. I want to thank my coach. And I definitely want to thank our University of Texas fans," Young said. On the field, Young slapped hands with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, flashed a symbol of affection to strength coach Jeff Madden at midfield and lifted head coach Mack Brown off the ground. Many of the 98,053 fans in attendance for the first game with the new, 10,000-seat north end zone arrived early for the ceremony and howled with gratitude when Young arrived in a burnt orange Texas shirt. "I'm going to keep representing the University of Texas till I die," Young told them. Eight members of Young's family from Houston, including his mother, watched from the south end zone. Felicia Young looked across the field and above Section 14 of the stadium's newly expanded north end zone. There she saw her only son's name and the number he's worn throughout his years in football, a number he chose because her birthday is June 10. "I can see it for a long time yet," Felicia Young said. A lean, coltish Vince Young came to Austin in 2002 from Madison High School in Houston. He spent his first season as a redshirt understudy and threw his first pass as a Longhorn — a high, long and spiraling toss down the right side of the field to tight end David Thomas — on Aug. 31, 2003. It was complete. He became an All-America quarterback at Texas, where he won 30 games as a starter and lost only two. With Young, UT beat Michigan in the 2005 Rose Bowl and, a year later, won the national championship with a 41-38 Rose Bowl victory over Southern California. Young's 8-yard touchdown run on fourth down late in the fourth quarter at the 2006 Rose Bowl sealed his status as a hero among Texas fans and, in many ways, predicated the charged jersey-retirement ceremony Saturday evening. The ceremony came in the presence of the largest crowd to see a football game in the history of the state. Chris Barton and his brother, Jim, bought season tickets in the new north end zone section. They sat opposite the huge video monitor towering over the south end of the stadium and watched the jersey ceremony on it. "I was really touched by how much he reached out to his fans," Barton said of Young. "We mean a lot to him." On the other side of the field, Young's uncle, Keith Young, recalled a conversation he had with his nephew in the driveway of his home before the young quarterback made his official recruiting visit to Austin. Keith Young said he told his nephew that Texas needed him as much as he needed Texas. Keith Young cast his eyes to the five names whose jersey numbers have been retired at Texas. Bobby Layne (22), Tommy Nobis (60), Earl Campbell (20), Ricky Williams (34). Vince Young. "Look at it," Keith Young said. "That's exactly what happened

Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is an American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic. Ewing was named as the 16th greatest college player of all time by ESPN.[1] In a 1997 poll celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NBA, Ewing was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time. On April 7, 2008 he was elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in September 2008 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Ewing excelled at cricket and soccer. He was 13 years old when he arrived in the United States with his family, settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He learned to play basketball at Cambridge Rindge and Latin. He went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.. [edit] College career See also: List of college men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds Ewing, one of the most highly touted freshmen ever, signed a letter of intent to accept a scholarship to play for Coach John Thompson at Georgetown University. As a freshman during the 1981-1982 season, Ewing became one of the first college players to start and star on the varsity team as a freshman. In the 1982 NCAA final against the University of North Carolina, Ewing was called for goal-tending several times in the first half, setting the tone for the Hoyas and making his presence felt. The Hoyas had a shot at winning the game until Fred Brown threw an infamous bad pass to James Worthy at the tail end of the game. In the 1983-84 season, Ewing and Georgetown took the NCAA title with an 84-75 win over the University of Houston. In Ewing's senior year of 1985, Georgetown was ranked number one in the nation and was heavily favored to beat unranked Villanova in the title game, but the Wildcats shot a record 78.6 percent from the floor (22 for 28) to upset the Hoyas 64-62. Ewing was one of the best college basketball players of his era, as Georgetown reached the championship game of the NCAA tournament three out of four years. He was a first-team All-American. [edit] NBA career In 1985, the NBA instituted the first ever Draft Lottery to prevent teams from deliberately losing games to secure a better chance of obtaining the ultimate prize, Patrick Ewing. The Lottery gave the lowest seeded team more chances of winning the first choice pick. The New York Knicks won the Draft Lottery of 1985, and selected Ewing first overall. Although injuries marred his first year in the league, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, averaging 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Soon after he was considered one of the premier centers in the league. Ewing enjoyed a successful career; eleven times named a NBA All-Star, once named to the All-NBA First Team, six times a member of the All-NBA Second Team, and named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times. He was a member of the original Dream Team at the 1992 Olympic Games, winning a second gold medal. In 1996, he was also given the honor of being named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. The Knicks played the defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan in the 1992 Eastern Conference semifinals. Ewing was unstoppable in game one, finishing with 34 points, 16 rebounds, and six blocks, and the Knicks defeated the Bulls 94-89. With his team facing elimination, game six is regarded as one of the greatest of Ewing's career. The Knicks trailed 3-games-to-2 in the series and Ewing was limited physically by a bad ankle sprain,[2] but he helped beat the Bulls by scoring 27 points. NBC Announcer Marv Albert called it a "Willis Reed-type performance" but the Knicks ultimately were eliminated in game 7. In a 1993 game[3] between the Knicks and the Charlotte Hornets, the 7 ft (2.13 m) Ewing suffered a moment of embarrassment when guard Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues, who stands a mere 5'3" (1.60 m), managed to block his shot.[4] In 1993, it seemed the Knicks were finally on their way to the NBA Finals when they took a 2-0 lead over Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Both teams battled well, each winning on its home court. However, the Bulls stunned the Ewing-led Knicks, winning Game 5 of the series in New York after Ewing's teammate, Charles Smith, was repeatedly denied a basket down low by Bull defenders on the game's final possession. The Bulls would go on to win Game 6 and then claim their third straight NBA title. This would be one more season in which Ewing had to deal with no championships, despite the fact that the Knicks had the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22. With Jordan out of the league, 1993-1994 was considered a wide open year in the NBA, and Ewing had declared that 1994 would be the Knicks' year. He was a key contributor to the Knicks' run to the Finals in 1994, in which the Knicks - in the Finals for the first time since 1973 - lost in the final seconds of games 6 and 7 to Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets. The Knicks, with Ewing leading them, had to survive a grueling trek through the playoffs simply to reach the Finals. They defeated Scottie Pippen's Bulls in seven games in the 1994 Eastern Conference semi-Finals, and defeated Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, which also took seven games to decide. In the Finals, the Knicks stole Game 2 in Houston, but couldn't hold court at home, dropping Game 3 at the Garden. They won the next two games to return to Houston ahead 3-2. However, a great game by John Starks in Game 6 (26 pts) went for naught as Ewing brought out the defensive player of the year that year, Olajuwon, on a high screen meant to free Starks for the last shot of the game but was blocked as Olajuwon didn't follow Ewing thru the screen and instead stepped out to challenge Starks shot. Ewing was denied the championship when Starks then capped off the ignominy of that play by posting one of the poorest shooting performances ever in game 7. It was too much for the Knicks to overcome, and they lost the series. Ewing made the most of his playoff run by setting a record for most blocked shots in a Finals series (only later to be broken by Shaquille O'Neal). The following year, a potentially game-tying three-foot finger roll attempt by Ewing rimmed out of the basket in the dwindling seconds of game 7, resulting in a loss against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the 1997-98 season, Ewing suffered a potentially career-ending wrist injury in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but tried to make a return during the playoffs. Ewing missed most of the regular season but returned just in time to see the Knicks, who entered the playoffs as the #7 seed in the East, advance past the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs (and avenge a controversial series defeat in the 1996-97 playoffs). Ewing could not lead the Knicks any further, however, and they fell to the Indiana Pacers in the next round. The following season, Ewing and the Knicks qualified as the East's #8 seed in a lockout-shortened campaign. Although battling an Achilles tendon injury, Ewing helped lead the Knicks to another victory over the Heat in the first round of the playoffs. They followed that up with a sweep over Atlanta, and defeated the Pacers in the conference finals despite Ewing's injury finally forcing him out of action. The Knicks went on to lose in the finals to the San Antonio Spurs. In Ewing's final season as a Knick (99-00), the team finished as the #3 seed in the East behind the Pacers and Heat. The team advanced to the conference finals again, defeating the Toronto Raptors and the Heat for a third straight year, but could not defeat the Pacers and fell in 6 games. In 2000, he left the Knicks as part of a trade to the Seattle SuperSonics. In the trade, the Knicks sent Ewing to Seattle and Chris Dudley to Phoenix, and received Glen Rice, Luc Longley, Travis Knight, Vladimir Stepania, Lazaro Borrell, Vernon Maxwell, two first-round draft picks (from the Los Angeles Lakers and Seattle) and two second-round draft picks from Seattle. Many would later consider the trade a significant part of the Knicks' disintegration from a former NBA powerhouse to perennial loser. After a year with the Sonics and another with the Orlando Magic, he announced his retirement on September 18, 2002. That season, he took a job as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards. In 2001, Ewing testified in part of the Atlanta's Gold Club prostitution and fraud federal trial. The owner Thomas Sicignano, testified that he arranged for dancers to have sex with professional athletes. Ewing admitted he went to the club and received oral sex twice in the club. Ewing was never charged with any criminal wrongdoing.[5] Ewing seated on the Orlando Magic's bench, where he currently is an assistant coachOn February 28, 2003 Ewing's jersey number 33 was retired in a large ceremony at Madison Square Garden. He continues to be considered one of the greatest players in the Knicks' storied history, as well as one of the greatest in NBA history. Many consider the Knicks' rivalries against the Bulls, Pacers, and Heat - all of which featured Ewing as the centerpiece during his time in New York - as some of the most intense of the decade. In his last year with the Knicks, Ewing had a game winning slam dunk over Alonzo Mourning in game 7 of the second round of the playoffs to lead the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a great finish to the Knicks-Heat rivalry during the Ewing years. On August 29, 2006, Ewing resigned as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets because he wanted to spend more time with his family. As an NBA player, Ewing was renowned for his shot-blocking ability, rebounding skills, thunderous dunks, and accurate mid-range jumpshot. On July 3, 2007, Ewing was one of four assistants hired to serve under first-year Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy[6] for the 2007-08 season. On April 7, 2008, it was announced that Ewing will be enshrined into the basketball hall of fame as part of the class of 2008. [edit] NBA statistics In 1999, Ewing became the 10th player in NBA history to record 22,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. In 1993 he led the NBA with 789 defensive rebounds. He was top ten in field goal percentage 8 times, top ten in rebounds per game as well as total rebounds 8 times, top ten in points, as well as points per game 8 times, and top ten in blocks per game for 13 years.[7] [edit] Other work Ewing was in the 1996 movie Space Jam as himself, one of five NBA players whose talent was stolen (along with Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson and Muggsy Bogues). Ewing played the Angel of Death in the film Exorcist III. Ewing also had a brief appearance in the movie Senseless. Ewing made cameos as himself in the sitcoms Spin City, Herman's Head, Mad About You and Webster. [edit] Personal life Ewing follows a vegetarian diet.[8] After friend and rival NBA center Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with a kidney ailment in 2000, Patrick Ewing made a promise that he would donate one of his kidneys to Mourning if he ever needed one.[9] In 2003, Ewing was tested for kidney compatibility with Alonzo Mourning but Mourning's cousin was found to be the best match.[10] Ewing's son, Patrick Ewing, Jr., attended his father's alma mater, Georgetown University after two years at Indiana University. Ewing, Jr. wore the same jersey number that his father wore, #33. He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round with the 43rd pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. Ewing claimed to a Sports Illustrated journalist that he was not 7'0" but 6'9".[11] [edit] Honors Rookie of the Year (1986) All-NBA First Team (1990) All-NBA Second Team (1988, '89, '91, '92, '93, '97) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1988, '89, '92) 11-time All-Star; One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996) 2-time Olympic gold medalist (1984, '92) NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1984) Naismith College Player of the Year in (1985). Number 33 Retired for the New York Knicks Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2008.