I have various athletes that I have the most respect for are Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan. First is Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 was the first African-American to play for an American major baseball team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, in spite of all the racial taunts and humiliation he received while performing at his best no matter what and winning a World Series with the team in the 1955-56 season.
Second all time athlete to me is Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay), who went to become what he declared himself as “The Greatest”, defeating opponent after opponent in the boxing ring, with his most memorable fight against Sonny Liston on February 25th, 1964, beating the so called “establishment fighter” that was expected to win but failed. Ali would go on to be a fighter for peace and show a strong stance against the war in Vietnam by not volunteering for combat. His strength and wisdom is enough for me to admire someone who is not afraid to go toe to toe with the hierarchy of racism and desolate, discriminative control that he faced in America.
And last but not least, Michael Jordan of the 6-time championship winning Chicago Bulls, who went on to be successful in clinching 6 NBA titles (1991, ’92 and ’93, plus a SECOND three-peat in 1996, ’97 and ’98). Jordan’s skills on the court was astronomical beyond reach and he is still considered the greatest basketball player that ever participated in the sport. I admire Jordan because of his attitude of not wanting to take any defeat whatsoever and push and strive for the very success he has to this date and not give up or give in to the so-called “try until you cannot try no more. These three mean personify the meaning of the quote “winner takes all” and have never had any regards of quitting.
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