10 Greatest Athletes of All Time From Philadelphia

By Jacob Kornhauser

The City of Brotherly Love is a hotbed for athletic talent across a wide range of sports. That’s what makes these 10 athletes even more impressive. They’re the greatest athletes to ever come from Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs.

10 Greatest Athletes of All Time From Philadelphia
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10. Rasheed Wallace

Rasheed Wallace Credit: Getty Images
A very polarizing figure during his NBA playing days, Rasheed Wallace was a force in the middle of the court for over a decade. He is best known for his time with the Detroit Pistons, when the team won the NBA Finals in 2004. He is also well known for his short temper. Every year, fans could count on him to collect a handful of technical fouls.

10. Rasheed Wallace

A very polarizing figure during his NBA playing days, Rasheed Wallace was a force in the middle of the court for over a decade. He is best known for his time with the Detroit Pistons, when the team won the NBA Finals in 2004. He is also well known for his short temper. Every year, fans could count on him to collect a handful of technical fouls.

9. Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza Credit: Getty Images
Born in nearby Norristown, Piazza went on to have one of the best careers of any catcher in baseball history. He was one of the top offensive backstops in the game's history, hitting 427 home runs while maintaining a .308 average over the course of his 16-year career. While playing for the Mets and Dodgers for the majority of his career, he was always a key cog in his teams' system.

9. Mike Piazza

Born in nearby Norristown, Piazza went on to have one of the best careers of any catcher in baseball history. He was one of the top offensive backstops in the game's history, hitting 427 home runs while maintaining a .308 average over the course of his 16-year career. While playing for the Mets and Dodgers for the majority of his career, he was always a key cog in his teams' system.

8. Eddie George

Eddie George Credit: Getty Images
Eddie George was one of the best running backs of his time with the Titans (including their final year as the Oilers). He rushed for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns in his career, which he actually ended in Dallas as a member of the Cowboys. His stellar nine-year career will be remembered by Titans fans for a very long time.

8. Eddie George

Eddie George was one of the best running backs of his time with the Titans (including their final year as the Oilers). He rushed for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns in his career, which he actually ended in Dallas as a member of the Cowboys. His stellar nine-year career will be remembered by Titans fans for a very long time.

7. Marvin Harrison

Marvin Harrison Credit: Getty Images
From one of the best running backs of an era to one of the best receivers of an era, Marvin Harrison also hails from Philly. He was Peyton Manning's favorite target when both were in Indianapolis, which means one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time always trusted him. It makes sense that Manning did; Harrison caught 1,102 balls for a total of 14,580 yards during his 13-year career. While he hasn't yet been voted into the Hall of Fame yet, he was a finalist in 2014 and 2015.

7. Marvin Harrison

From one of the best running backs of an era to one of the best receivers of an era, Marvin Harrison also hails from Philly. He was Peyton Manning's favorite target when both were in Indianapolis, which means one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time always trusted him. It makes sense that Manning did; Harrison caught 1,102 balls for a total of 14,580 yards during his 13-year career. While he hasn't yet been voted into the Hall of Fame yet, he was a finalist in 2014 and 2015.

6. Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson Credit: Getty Images
Before Mr. October was smashing balls for the New York Yankees, he was in the state next door, in Philadelphia. He was one of the best playoff performers in baseball history and carried his team on his back for long stretches during October. He won two World Series MVP awards, one with the Athletics in 1973 and one with the Yankees in 1977. In total, he was a part of four World Series championship teams. Jackson wasn't just good in the postseason either; he hit 563 career homers. He was voted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

6. Reggie Jackson

Before Mr. October was smashing balls for the New York Yankees, he was in the state next door, in Philadelphia. He was one of the best playoff performers in baseball history and carried his team on his back for long stretches during October. He won two World Series MVP awards, one with the Athletics in 1973 and one with the Yankees in 1977. In total, he was a part of four World Series championship teams. Jackson wasn't just good in the postseason either; he hit 563 career homers. He was voted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

5. Roy Campanella

Roy Campanella Credit: Getty Images
Jackie Robinson did a ton for black players in major league baseball by breaking the color barrier, but Campanella did nearly as much. He came up to the Dodgers' organization shortly after Robinson did and became one of the finest hitting catchers of all time. He batted .276 over the course of his career while hitting 242 home runs and driving in 856. His social impact as well as his three MVP awards helped earn him enshrinement in the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

5. Roy Campanella

Jackie Robinson did a ton for black players in major league baseball by breaking the color barrier, but Campanella did nearly as much. He came up to the Dodgers' organization shortly after Robinson did and became one of the finest hitting catchers of all time. He batted .276 over the course of his career while hitting 242 home runs and driving in 856. His social impact as well as his three MVP awards helped earn him enshrinement in the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

4. Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins Credit: Getty Images
Two of the greatest boxers of all time came from Philadelphia and somehow, Hopkins is the lesser of the two. Despite that, he went 55-7-2 with two no-constests in his career while emerging as one of the best boxers of his time. Involved in some of the most famous fights of his era, he became one of the most well-known boxers ever. Incredibly, at the age of 50, he still hasn't formerly retired and won matches at the age of 48 and 49.

4. Bernard Hopkins

Two of the greatest boxers of all time came from Philadelphia and somehow, Hopkins is the lesser of the two. Despite that, he went 55-7-2 with two no-constests in his career while emerging as one of the best boxers of his time. Involved in some of the most famous fights of his era, he became one of the most well-known boxers ever. Incredibly, at the age of 50, he still hasn't formerly retired and won matches at the age of 48 and 49.

3. Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier Credit: Getty Images
The better boxer of the pair of Philly fighters, Joe Frazier was involved in one of the most famous boxing matches ever. On March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, Frazier took on Muhammad Ali, who was just coming off of a three-year absence from the sport. In what was called "The Fight of the Century," Frazier battled the greatest boxer of all time and lived to talk about it. More than that, he actually won by unanimous decision after 15 rounds. His rivalry with Ali would help keep boxing in the national spotlight.

3. Joe Frazier

The better boxer of the pair of Philly fighters, Joe Frazier was involved in one of the most famous boxing matches ever. On March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, Frazier took on Muhammad Ali, who was just coming off of a three-year absence from the sport. In what was called "The Fight of the Century," Frazier battled the greatest boxer of all time and lived to talk about it. More than that, he actually won by unanimous decision after 15 rounds. His rivalry with Ali would help keep boxing in the national spotlight.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant Credit: Twitter
Coming from Lower Merion High School in the Philly suburbs, Bryant went straight to the Lakers after being traded by the Hornets and became a star. Modeling his winning pedigree after Michael Jordan, he is probably the closest thing to M.J. the league has seen from a winning standpoint. He has won five NBA titles, and even in the twilight of his career, he continues to play with the competitive drive that made him so successful.

2. Kobe Bryant

Coming from Lower Merion High School in the Philly suburbs, Bryant went straight to the Lakers after being traded by the Hornets and became a star. Modeling his winning pedigree after Michael Jordan, he is probably the closest thing to M.J. the league has seen from a winning standpoint. He has won five NBA titles, and even in the twilight of his career, he continues to play with the competitive drive that made him so successful.

1. Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain Credit: Getty Images
'Wilt the Stilt' was one of the most dominant players in NBA history in a number of ways. The 7-foot center famously scored 100 points in a single game, a record that will likely never be broken. Beyond that, he poured in 31,419 points in 1,045 games. That 30.1 points per game average over the course of his career is something only Jordan has done in the last 30 years. In 1979, he was recognized for his many accomplishments by being enshrined in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.

1. Wilt Chamberlain

'Wilt the Stilt' was one of the most dominant players in NBA history in a number of ways. The 7-foot center famously scored 100 points in a single game, a record that will likely never be broken. Beyond that, he poured in 31,419 points in 1,045 games. That 30.1 points per game average over the course of his career is something only Jordan has done in the last 30 years. In 1979, he was recognized for his many accomplishments by being enshrined in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.

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