Top 10 Greatest American Sports Moments

America recently celebrated the 250th anniversary of its declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. Throughout the last 250 years, several sports moments have defined our country and had a significant cultural impact.

Here are some of the greatest and most iconic American sports moments from the last 250 years that have shown what it means to be an American athlete.

1. 1980 U.S. Men’s Hockey Team “Miracle On Ice”

   

   DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? You want to talk about the greatest sports moments in American history? Nothing can top the Miracle on Ice. It's hard to really describe just how monumental this moment was. America had a team of young college kids who were around 21 years old on average. They were going up against seasoned professionals from the Soviet Union. The Soviets had won gold in the previous four Olympic Games and were largely considered invincible. It was really a David-versus-Goliath battle. The Soviets also crushed the American team several weeks before the Olympics, further proving how seemingly impossible the Miracle on Ice really was.

   On top of that, this was happening in the midst of the Cold War, when tensions between the two sides had risen. This moment served as the morale booster that the United States and the West really needed, and it kind of increased national unity among Americans.

2. Jesse Owens Wins 4 Gold Medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics

   

   The 1936 Olympics were notorious for taking place shortly before World War II and just so happened to be held in Berlin. Hitler believed that Aryans were racially superior to everyone else. He wanted to use the 1936 Olympics as a way to prove to the world that his Nazi regime was racially superior. He had spent tons of money investing in and building venues to host these games. This was also significant, as the Olympics were televised for the first time. The U.S. nearly boycotted the 1936 Games altogether because of Hitler and the Nazis' actions. They knew things were questionable, but they didn't know how bad they were for a few more years.

   Ultimately, this Nazi propaganda was quickly shattered as Owens dominated and won gold in all four events he participated in. He set Olympic records in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and long jump, while his relay team set a world record in the 4-by-100-meter relay. Owens's performance was a huge blow to Nazi ideology and a win for African Americans as a whole, proving that athletic ability has nothing to do with race.

3. Jackie Robinson Makes His MLB Debut (1947)

   

   Jackie Robinson forever changed the landscape of professional baseball. Up to this point, baseball was essentially for white people exclusively. That all changed when Jackie Robinson made the biggest impact on America's pastime. On April 15, 1947, history was made as he officially became the first African American to play in an MLB game in the modern era, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

   During his career, he won Rookie of the Year in 1947, was named NL MVP in 1949, and won a World Series in 1955. MLB honors his legacy today by recognizing April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day and officially retiring number 42 across the league in his honor.

4. Michael Jordan Hits "The Last Shot" in the 1998 NBA Finals

   

   Michael Jordan is truly one of the best athletes we have ever seen. He was so legendary that he has his own brand. Everyone has heard of the Jordan Brand and the iconic Jumpman logo.

   There are countless moments throughout the Chicago Bulls dynasty that could've made this list, but to me, none are more iconic than his last shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. It feels like the cinematic conclusion of "The Last Dance," as the Bulls won their sixth championship in eight years. Michael Jordan's legacy was truly remarkable. Looking back, he defined an era and was truly must-see TV for literally everyone. It was really a "you had to be there" kind of moment. I'm honestly so jealous of everyone who was alive at the time to witness his greatness firsthand.

5. Michael Phelps Wins 8 Gold Medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics

   

   When you think of legendary U.S. Olympic athletes, one name that comes to mind is Michael Phelps, and for good reason. He was a legendary Olympic swimmer, but the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing were special. He won eight gold medals at the Games, beating Mark Spitz's previous record of seven gold medals in 1972. Phelps had to show a serious amount of perseverance and determination while participating in 17 races over the span of nine days. His dominant performance really sparked an interest in competitive swimming across the country.

6. Boston Red Sox Come Back from Down 3-0 in the 2004 ALCS

   

   It's no secret that the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees despise each other. It's one of the greatest and most iconic rivalries in American sports. In 2004, the Red Sox and Yankees met in the American League Championship Series for the right to advance to the World Series. At this point, the Red Sox were seen as "lovable losers" in a sense. They had not won a World Series in 86 years. It was often called the "Curse of the Bambino" after they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

   But first, they had to do the unthinkable against a hated rival. Usually, in a best-of-seven series, if you're behind three games to none, it's essentially a death sentence. However, Boston did the unprecedented and rattled off four consecutive victories with their backs against the wall to complete the historic comeback. They are still the only MLB team to accomplish a 3-0 series comeback. They capped it off by breaking their 86-year curse and winning the World Series for the first time since 1918.

7. New York Giants Upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII

   

   America loves a good underdog story, since the original 13 colonies were massive underdogs in the Revolutionary War. The New York Giants pulled off one of the greatest underdog performances in professional sports history. Entering this game, the Patriots were undefeated and chasing an incredibly rare feat. They were just one win away from achieving immortality at 19-0 and joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated champions in modern NFL history. However, Eli Manning and the Giants had other plans and played spoiler instead, highlighted by an insane helmet catch made by David Tyree on a critical fourth-quarter drive that ultimately led to the winning touchdown for the Giants.

8. Tiger Woods Wins the 1997 Masters

   

   Tiger Woods has had several iconic moments in his golf career, but none can really top the 1997 Masters. This was what really put Tiger Woods' name on the map to begin with, and he really revolutionized the game of golf forever. He was the youngest player to ever win the Masters at just 21 years old and the first Black player to win a major championship. He shattered a racial barrier in the sport of golf, which up to that point had primarily been dominated by rich white men.

   He also unleashed an unprecedented era of dominance, winning the Masters by a margin of 12 shots. His dominance in the early 2000s really had a lasting impact on the sport and got more people playing because he made it "cool."

9. New England Patriots Come Back from Down 28-3 in the 2017 Super Bowl LI

   

   As far as iconic comebacks go in American sports, it's hard to find one more iconic than this one. The Atlanta Falcons had completely stunned the Patriots and had this game all but won late in the third quarter. Everyone thought this was their moment to claim the first Super Bowl victory in their franchise's history.

   However, Tom Brady had other plans. He led the Patriots with a string of clutch plays that included an insane catch from Julian Edelman on the Patriots' game-tying drive. The Patriots came storming back to tie the game and force overtime, where they won with a touchdown on the opening possession. To this day, it remains one of the most memorable and iconic Super Bowls of all time and ultimately cemented Tom Brady's legacy as the greatest NFL quarterback ever.

10. Hank Aaron Beats Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record (1974)

    

    Up until this point in baseball history, Babe Ruth's home run record was basically the pinnacle of baseball records. At the time, it was really one of the greatest accomplishments in American sports history, but Hank Aaron eventually broke the record after it had stood for a very long time. He would hold the record himself for 33 years until Barry Bonds eventually broke it in 2007.

    Hank Aaron is still considered one of the all-time greatest baseball players to this day. He played in an era when racism was unfortunately all too common. He had to deal with countless racist threats during the civil rights era, yet he showed resilience and athletic excellence throughout his 23-year MLB career and really helped shape society when he finally broke baseball's most sacred record.