Aspire to Inspire

Paige Trahan| Sports Editor

Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson is one of only a few athletes to ever excel in two professional sports. Jackson is an all-star in the MLB and the NFL playing for the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and the California Angels. Jackson was the first pick in the NFL draft in 1986 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but he opted out of his contract to play baseball for the Royals. Jackson spent most of that baseball season playing in the minor leagues but when he got called to action in 1987 he shocked the league by putting up 22 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases as an outfielder. Because Bo opted out of the 1986 draft he was able to go into the 1987 draft where he was picked as a running back for the Oakland Raiders. He and Al Davis worked out a contract where Bo would not join the Raiders until his baseball season was over. When Jackson joined the raiders he put up ridiculous numbers on ofense averaging 5.4 yards per carry, 2,782 total rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and had 40 passing catches for 352 yards.

Wilma Rudolph

At just 6 years old Rudolph was told she would never walk again because of spouts of polio and scarlet fever she experienced as a child that required her to wear a bulky brace on her leg. Little by little Rudolph got stronger until one day her mother found her outside playing basketball. Basketball quickly became her calling. She played basketball all through high school but once she got to college she turned to track and field. Rudolph competed in the 1960 Olympics in Rome and won gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and the 4×100 relay making her the first American woman to ever win 3 gold medals in track & field in the same Olympic game. Wilma passed away of a brain tumor in 1994.

Bill Russell

“Defensive juggernaut” Bill Russell is one of the greatest baseball players of all time having won 11 championships in his 13 seasons with the Celtics. Russell played in the NBA All-Star game 12 times, won All-Star MVP in 1963, and was 3-time NBA first team player. In 1956 Russell used his talent to represent the U.S. in the Olympics as captain. Russell averaged 14 points per game and the team dominated by beating their opponents by an average of 54 points. This made Russell one of only seven athletes to ever win a NCAA Championship, NBA Championship, and a Gold Medal. After retirement Russell Became the first African American Coach in the NBA and the first ever Player-Coach.

Serena Williams

23 Grand Slam titles, 12 doubles titles, 2 mixed doubles titles, and 8-time No.1 ranked Pro-Tennis player. That’s just a fraction of Serena Williams’ accomplishments. At just 14 (1995) Williams was a nationally ranked tennis player and four years later she won the U.S. Open, the Grand Slam Cup, and three other Women’s Tennis Association Titles. In 2003 Williams’ career came to a screeching halt after a knee injury that would take her four years to recover from. In 2007 she won the Australian Open and had many victories at the U.S. Open only to be sidelined again by a life-threatening Pulmonary Embolism. In that time Williams focussed on being an activist for many organizations includ- ing the Owl Foundation, UNICEF, and she built a school in Kenya.

Kobe Bryant

Bryant began his career with the lakers in 1996 at only 18 years of age, the youngest player in NBA history. During that time he won League MVP (2007-2008), Finals MVP (2009-2010), won 5 NBA Championships, and was named the highest-paid player in the NBA (2010). With his fame Bryant became a philanthropist, advocating for many organizations such as the After School All-Stars (ASAS) funding after school activities for children all over the U.S., the Pediatric Aids Foundation, the Center of Abused Children, Make-a-Wish, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights, and Plaza De La Raza A Latino Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant was an amazing basketball player but an even better person. He passed away in a helicopter accident on January 26, 2020.