Hispanic Americans have been leaving their prints in the world of sports for decades. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring 10 famous athletes who had a big impact on the sports world.
Juan Marichal (1927-present)
Juan Marichal made his major league debut for the San Francisco Giants against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 19, 1960. Arguably the greatest pitcher of all time, there’s not much Marichal hasn’t accomplished in his career. He pitched a no-hitter, made the Hall of Fame in 1983 and pitched one of the greatest games in Major League Baseball history. Marichal is remembered for his distinctive, high-leg kick and winning the most games of any pitcher in the 1960s. Marichal is, to this day, the only Dominican-born player in the Hall of Fame.
Lorena Ochoa (1981-present)
This Mexican pro became famous in the world of golf last decade with wins in the Kraft Nabisco Championship and Women’s British Open. Ochoa is widely regarded as the best Mexican golfer—male or female. The Mexican pro left the world of golf in 2010 and took on the full-time job of motherhood. Since her parents were the most important people in her life, she wanted to be the same for her children. In addition to her two children, Ochoa is a godmother to 355 children through Lorena Ochoa Foundation, which devotes most of its resources to helping less fortunate children.
Roberto Clemente (1934-1972)
Clemente is arguably the greatest player in baseball history, with 3,000 career hits, 15 All Star awards, 12 Gold Glove awards, four batting champion awards, an MVP Award and two World Series titles. The Puerto Rican hitter accomplished great things on the field, but his contributions were even greater off the field. Aside from his prolific professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente was an exemplary philanthropist. He spent much of his time contributing to relief efforts in many Latin American nations. Unfortunately, in 1972, his plane crashed while bringing aid to Nicaragua and his body was never found.
Diego Maradona (1960-present)
Soccer is by far the most popular sport in the Latino community, and if you ask any Argentinian who’s the best soccer player ever, they’ll probably say Maradona. The FIFA Player of the 20th Century brought a World Cup to his country in 1986. But the championship didn’t come without controversy; during a quarterfinal match against hated rival England, Maradona scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal, which Maradona scored by using his hand.
Julio Caesar Chavez (1962-present)
Considered by many boxing fans as the best fighter to ever come from Mexico, Chavez accumulated 108 wins in his career. For his performance in the boxing arena, Chavez was regarded as one of the best boxers in the world. He won six world championship belts in three different weight classes, and for 13 years in a row, he did not lose a single match. After his 25-year boxing career, Chavez serves as an integral part of his sons’, Omar and Julio Cesar Jr., boxing careers.
Nancy Lopez (1957-present)
The Mexican-American golfer graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and was the LPGA Rookie of the Year, LPGA Player of the Year and the AP Female Athlete of the Year. In 1978, she became the first Latina ever to win the LPGA tournament. Lopez was named player of the year four times during her career and was the first woman to be awarded the Frances Ouimet Award.
El Santo (1917-1984)
Rodolfo Huerta, A.K.A. El Santo, popularized Mexican wrestling and became a national hero by never removing his mask. Somehow, El Santo made sure all the fans were always entertained.
During a wrestling career that spanned nearly five decades, El Santo became the father of ten children, the youngest being Jorge, who also became a famous wrestler known as El Hijo del Santo. El Santo wasn’t just a wrestler; he was a movie star, a comic book superhero and a brand unto himself.
Alberto Juantorena (1950-present)
Alberto Juantorena, known as El Caballo or The Horse, began as a basketball player, but he became a sprinter and competed at the 1972 Olympics, making the semi-finals of the 400 meters. In the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Juantorena became the first athlete to win the gold medal in both the 400 and 800-meter races in the same Olympics. He was World Ranked #1 in the 400 in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978 and in the 800 in 1976-77, and he was voted World Athlete of the Year in 1976 and 1977. After retiring from competition, he became the Vice-Minister of Sports in Cuba.
Lionel Messi (1987-present)
Following in Maradona’s steep footsteps, Messi is largely regarded as the world’s best soccer player. Even though he hasn’t lead his Argentinean national team to a World Cup, Messi has won every soccer trophy imaginable, such as FIFA Player of the Year and the European league. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentinian to play in a World Cup at age 18.
Caramelo Anthony (1984-present)
The Puerto Rican NBA All Star is one of the league’s biggest ambassadors. Following a NCAA championship with Syracuse in 2003, Anthony started his stellar pro career with the Denver Nuggets. As the star forward of the New York Knicks, he led the team to its first Atlantic Division title in almost 20 years. With a lifetime average of 25.0 points per game, Melo is the best Latino basketball player to ever suit up for the NBA.
