4 athletes who went on to change sports

They are game-changers in every sense of the word; athletes who have changed the face of their sport both on and off the field of play. Their achievements, influence and incredible will to win have meant that their respective sports will never be the same again – here are four of the very best. 

1. Hank Aaron 

One of the great names in the history of baseball, Hank Aaron was invited into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame after a career that saw him hit the most home runs in the history of the game, with 755. It was a record later surpassed by Barry Bonds. The only other player to have struck more than 700 home runs is Babe Ruth. Baseballs may only last for up to seven pitches (fun fact!), but Aaron’s home run record lasted significantly longer – some 33 years. Aaron was one of the first black players to hit the big time in baseball, winning 3 golden gloves and becoming an all-star an incredible 25 times. Aaron was also selected for Major League Baseball’s team of the century. 

2. Tiger Woods 

One of the most famous athletes in the world, and a name that transcends his sport of golf, Tiger Woods has won it all. Despite some high-profile issues off the course he continues to win at the very highest level. Woods not only pushed the boundaries with his performances on the course – he has won an incredible 15 major championships – but he has changed the game for all athletes with his commercial success. Woods was the original brand success story, with countless endorsements and sponsorships earning him more than $1 billion since he turned professional in 1996. His victory at the 2019 Masters was widely seen as one of the greatest comebacks in sport, after a series of chronic back problems had ruled him out for a number of years. 

3. Venus & Serena Williams

Few could have predicted that two girls from a relatively poor background in south central Los Angeles would go on to change the face of tennis and women’s sport forever. With guidance from their dogmatic father, Richard, the sisters became the two best players and two biggest names in women’s tennis. Both have been world No. 1 and both have won Wimbledon and the US Open. Serena remains the dominant force in the women’s game, having won an extraordinary 23 Grand Slam titles. Between them, they have earned more than $100m in prize money alone. 

4. Wayne Gretzky

Nicknamed ‘the great one’, Gretzky remains the very best to have ever played the sport of ice hockey. With the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers, Gretzky broke almost every record in the book and remains the leading scorer and assist maker in the National Hockey League. Despite having retired in 1999, Gretzky holds more than 60 NHL records. His contribution changed the way hockey was played, and despite having extraordinary individual gifts, it was his ability to make the team play better that marked him out as such a special player.

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