25 Best Sports Moments of All Time

By Brian Kalchik

The 25 Best Sports Moments of All Time

1980 U.S. Hockey Team — Whether you were watching on television, listening on the radio, or attending the game, everyone has their own sports moment they remember forever. Some of these moments were life-changing, while others simply altered the sports landscape. Here now are the 25 best moments in sports history.

25. Pete Rose becomes all-time hits leader

Pete Rose Reds

25. Pete Rose becomes all-time hits leader

Pete Rose Reds — On September 11, 1985, Rose broke Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record with his 4,192nd hit. With a single to left-center field off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show, Rose entered MLB history and the legend of "Charlie Hustle" only grew.

24. Lorenzo Charles' game-winner defeats Houston in 1983 Men's National Championship Game

Jim Valvano North Carolina State

24. Lorenzo Charles' game-winner defeats Houston in 1983 Men's National Championship Game

Jim Valvano North Carolina State — Thanks to Lorenzo Charles' dunk at the buzzer off a Dereck Whittenburg air ball, the North Carolina State Wolfpack pulled off one of the greatest upsets in college sports history with a 54-52 victory in the national championship game over the Houston Cougars. After the game, Jimmy Valvano ran around the court looking for someone to hug.

23. Tigers Woods wins the 2008 U.S. Open on one leg

Tiger Woods

23. Tigers Woods wins the 2008 U.S. Open on one leg

Tiger Woods — Playing with a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee at the 2008 U.S. Open Championship, Tiger Woods captured his third U.S. Open championship and 14th major title after defeating Rocco Mediate on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. This is Woods' last major title to date.

22. Emmitt Smith tops Walter Payton's career rushing mark

Emmitt Smith Cowboys

22. Emmitt Smith tops Walter Payton's career rushing mark

Emmitt Smith Cowboys — On Sunday, October 27, 2002, Emmitt Smith was just 93 yards away from breaking Walter Payton's career rushing record. With the Cowboys hosting a Seattle team that didn't want to give up the record, Smith rushed for 109 yards, breaking a record that Payton held for 15 seasons.

21. Brandi Chastain's penalty kick wins World Cup

Brandi Chastain U.S. Soccer

21. Brandi Chastain's penalty kick wins World Cup

Brandi Chastain U.S. Soccer — On July 10, 1999, Team USA faced off against China in the 1998 Women's World Cup, which was held in Pasadena, California. After a scoreless regulation and overtime, the two teams went to penalty kicks. With a 4-3 advantage and down to their last kicker, Brandi Chastain sent home the game-winner, and the Americans won the title on their home soil.

20. Don Larsen's Perfect Game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series

Don Larsen Yankees

20. Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series

Don Larsen Yankees — On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Only one Dodgers batter (Pee Wee Reese in the first inning) was able to get to a three-ball count. Larsen's perfect game was the only no-hitter of any type in postseason history until Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in 2010.

19. Secretariat wins the Preakness by 12 strokes

Secretariat

19. Secretariat wins the Preakness by 12 strokes

Secretariat — In the 1973 Belmont Stakes, Secretariat won by an astonishing 31 lengths en route to the fastest 1.5 miles in history at 2:24. The horse broke the Belmont Stakes record by more than two seconds and became the ninth horse in racing history to win the Triple Crown.

18. Jack Nicklaus wins the 1986 Masters at 46

Jack Nicklaus

18. Jack Nicklaus wins the 1986 Masters at 46

Jack Nicklaus — Jack Nicklaus was not supposed to be anywhere near the leaderboard at the 1986 Masters, especially since he was 46, However, Nicklaus saved his best for the final day when he ended with a final round 65.

17. Kerri Strug overcomes severe pain to win gold for U.S.

Kerri Strug

17. Kerri Strug overcomes severe pain to win gold for U.S.

Kerri Strug — Before the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta, the U.S. women's gymnastics team had never won an Olympic team gold medal. With a badly damaged ankle and needing a perfect score in the vault to clinch the gold, Strug struck her landing perfectly, capturing an unforgettable moment in U.S. Olympic history.

16. Cal Ripken Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played

Cal Ripken Jr. Orioles

16. Cal Ripken, Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played

Cal Ripken, Jr. Orioles — On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr. surpassed Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record when he played in his 2,131st consecutive game. He ended up with a record of 2,632 consecutive games spanned over 17 seasons. Ripken, Jr. was given a 12-minute ovation in his home stadium.

15. Boston comes back from 3-0 series defecit to defeat New York in 2004 ALCS

Boston Red Sox

15. Boston comes back from 3-0 series defecit to defeat New York in 2004 ALCS

Boston Red Sox — The New York Yankees took a 3-0 series lead in the 2004 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox. Boston, however, went on to win four games in a row, and became the first team in MLB history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-0. The Red Sox would sweep the Cardinals in the World Series, winning their first championship since 1918.

14. Michael Phelps beats Milorad Cavic by 0.01 seconds to win Gold in 2008 Olympics

Michael Phelps

14. Michael Phelps beats Milorad Cavic by 0.01 seconds to win Gold in 2008 Olympics

Michael Phelps — In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps surpassed Mark Spitz by winning eight gold medals, the record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics. However, he came close to losing in the 100 meter butterfly. In one of the greatest races in Olympic history, Phelps edged out Milorad Cavic by 0.01 seconds.

13. Barry Bonds hits home run No. 71

Barry Bonds Giants

13. Barry Bonds hits home run No. 71

Barry Bonds Giants — On October 5, 2001, Barry Bonds became the new regular season home run champion by hitting his 71st home run of the year off Arizona's Chan Ho Park. Bonds would finish the 2001 season with 73 home runs.

12. Mark McGwire hits home run No. 62

Mark McGwire Cardinals

12. Mark McGwire hits home run No. 62

Mark McGwire Cardinals — With the 1994 MLB strike still in the minds of most die-hard baseball fans, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire went out and made the sport popular again. Needing just one home run to dethrone Roger Maris as the single-season home run king, McGwire sent a Steve Trachsel pitch over the fences, clinching No. 62 with his rival, Sammy Sosa, celebrating his accomplishment at home plate.

11. David Tyree's helmet catch helps Giants upset 18-0 New England Patriots

Eli Manning Giants

11. David Tyree's helmet catch helps Giants upset 18-0 New England Patriots

Eli Manning — Although the New England Patriots finished the 2007 regular season with a perfect 16-0 record, the Pats ended their campaign with a blemish in the biggest game of them all. The New York Giants stayed with the Patriots all game, and in a desperation heave, Eli Manning completed a pass to David Tyree, who caught the ball off the side of his helmet. The Giants would then score the go-ahead touchdown, sealing the upset victory.

10. Lance Armstrong wins first Tour de France

Lance Armstrong

10. Lance Armstrong wins first Tour de France

Lance Armstrong — In July of 1999, Lance Armstrong not only conquered cancer,which gave him only a 50 percent chance of living, but he conquered the toughest race in sports, the Tour de France. Armstrong's victory in 1999 would lead to him winning the next six in a row from 2000-05.

9. Christian Laettner's buzzer-beater sinks Kentucky

Mike Krzyzewski Duke

9. Christian Laettner's buzzer-beater sinks Kentucky

Mike Krzyzewski Duke — Before Mike Krzyzewski could hoist his second consecutive national championship in the 1992-93 season, the Blue Devils needed a miracle against Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Down by one with just 2.1 seconds left, Grant Hill threw a full-court pass to Christian Laettner, who caught the ball at the foul line, took one dribble, and fired off the most incredible game-winner in college basketball history.

8. AFL's New York Jets upset NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III

Joe Namath Jets

8. AFL's New York Jets upset NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III

Joe Namath Jets — Super Bowl III, which took place on January 12, 1969, was not only one the greatest moments in New York Jets history, but one of the greatest moments in sports history. Leading up to the game, Joe Namath guaranteed the Jets would beat the 18-point favorite and 13-1 Baltimore Colts, and Namath did. New York's 16-7 win legitimized the NFL, and helped merge both leagues into what is now known as the National Football League.

7. Roger Bannister breaks the first four-minute mile

Roger Bannister

7. Roger Bannister breaks the first four-minute mile

Roger Bannister — On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first human to break the four-minute mile barrier, which was considered to be an untouchable feat back then. Now, the "four-minute barrier" has been broken by many athletes, and is now the standard of all professional middle distance runners.

6. Hank Aaron hits career home run No. 715, breaking Babe Ruth's mark

Hank Aaron Braves

6. Hank Aaron hits career home run No. 715, breaking Babe Ruth's mark

Hank Aaron Braves — Hank Aaron entered the 1974 season just one home run shy of Babe Ruth's all-time home run record of 714 career home runs. On April 8, 1974, during the fourth inning of the Atlanta Braves' home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Aaron cemented his place in history by sending an Al Downing pitch over the fences for No. 715.

5. Michael Jordan's jumper secures 6th NBA title

Michael Jordan Bulls

5. Michael Jordan's jumper secures 6th NBA title

Michael Jordan Bulls — The Chicago Bulls trailed the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals with 10 seconds remaining. And as we've seen many times before, Michael Jordan came up big in the clutch. Jordan released a jumper over Jazz defender Bryon Russell, and it hit nothing but net. Jordan would win his last championship in his NBA career after making that shot.

4. Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at 1936 Belrin Olypmics with Hitler in attendance

Jesse Owens

4. Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at 1936 Belrin Olypmics with Hitler in attendance

Jesse Owens — Jesse Owens became an American icon forever for his performance at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. In front of the Third Reich, who hoped to use the games as a source of propaganda for Aryan nationalism, Owens claimed four gold medals and shattered Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy.

3. Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single game

Wilt Chamberlain 76ers

3. Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single game

Wilt Chamberlain 76ers — On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain became the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a game. Some 50-plus years later, his record has still not been seriously challenged. Chamberlain secured his 100-point game by shooting 36-of-63 from the field and made 28-of-32 free throws.

2. Jackie Robinson integrates baseball

Jackie Robinson

2. Jackie Robinson integrates baseball

Jackie Robinson — On October 30, 1945, Jackie Robinson signed a major league contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African-American athlete to play in the major leagues. Robinson forever changed the game of baseball and sports altogether, creating a path for fellow African-Americans in other sports to follow.

1. USA upsets vaunted Soviets in 1980 Olympics

United States Olympic Hockey Team

1. USA upsets vaunted Soviets in 1980 Olympics

United States Olympic Hockey Team — After being spanked by the Soviets in an Olympic exhibition game, Team USA stunned the heavily favored USSR team 4-3 in the semifinal round of the 1980 Olympics. The Americans would then go on to win the gold medal a few nights later against Finland, capping off the biggest Cinderella story in U.S. Olympic history.

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