Greatest Sports Photos of All Time

A picture is worth a thousand words. But in sports, a picture also can be worth a thousand emotions.

Greatest Sports Photos of All Time

Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston — Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston in May 1965.

A picture is worth a thousand words. But in sports, a picture also can be worth a thousand emotions.

From happiness or sadness to awe or disbelief, sports photos have given fans a spectrum of emotions over the years. And every photo strikes a person in a different way. Some of the most famous sports photos have captured the best moments while others grab our attention for their sheer aesthetics.

These are the greatest sports photo ever.

50. Erving vs. Bird

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics

Date: Nov. 9, 1984

Location: Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Photographer: Ted Gartland

Original source: Boston Globe

Bottom line: This photo is interesting on a few levels. First, Dr. J and Larry Bird posed side by side for the video game "One-on-One" in 1983, so many people thought the two stars were friends like Bird and Magic. But they were bitter Eastern Conference enemies.

In this particular game, Dr. J had six points, compared to Bird’s 42, and got tired of being trampled on by the Celtics. After an offensive foul on Bird, he and Erving squared off with Erving putting his hand around Bird’s throat and Larry Legend returning the favor.

Both players were ejected, and it’s still uncanny to see two of the most popular players of the era in the sport engaging in a fight.

49. Don Denkinger’s Missed Call

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: 1985 World Series, Game 6, Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Oct. 26, 1985

Location: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Photographer: Patrick Sullivan

Original source: The Kansas City Star

Bottom line: If there was a wing in the Hall of Fame for missed calls, Don Denkinger’s blown call in the 1985 World Series would be on the first ballot.

He was in the perfect position to make the call but claimed that crowd noise affected the sound of the ball landing in Todd Worrell’s glove. However, even the naked eye could see that the throw beat the runner. Denkinger felt otherwise and ruled the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Kansas City was trailing 3-2 in the series and down 1-0 in the game, but the blown call kept the Royals alive. They went on to win Game 6 and Game 7 to steal a World Series championship from the Cardinals, and Denkinger would have to deal with death threats for years.

48. Tyson Takes a Bite Out of Holyfield

Sport: Boxing

Event: Heavyweight championship fight, Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield

Date: June 28, 1997

Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada

Photographer: V.J. Lovero

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: What many people forget about "The Bite Fight" is that Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield twice during the contest.

This image is from the first bite, which was the most serious and occurred on Holyfield’s right ear. Tyson took out a one-inch piece of cartilage from Holyfield’s ear and spit it onto the ring canvas.

The referee deducted two points from Tyson but allowed the match to continue until Tyson bit Holyfield’s other ear just minutes later, resulting in his disqualification.

47. Tiger Stays Alive

Sport: Golf

Event: 2008 U.S. Open

Date: June 15, 2008

Location: Torrey Pines, South Course, San Diego, California

Photographer: Robyn Beck

Original source: Getty Images

Bottom line: Tiger Woods rushed back to participate in the US Open following knee surgery two months earlier. Playing in pain throughout the tournament, he was left with a 12-foot putt on the 72nd hole to either force a playoff or concede the championship to Rocco Mediate.

Tiger did what Tiger does, and he sunk the putt with his reaction being photographed. Woods has had many demonstrative moments over the years, but none were as memorable as this one.

He then won the playoff and his third U.S. Open before having knee surgery two days later.

Related:The Legend of Tiger Woods

46. Football Is a Game of Inches

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Super Bowl XXXIV, St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans

Date: Jan. 30, 2000

Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Photographer: Tom Hauck

Original source: NFL

Bottom line: There was "The Catch" with Dwight Clark and "The Fumble" with Earnest Byner, but NFL defenses longed for their own signature play. Enter "The Tackle" by Mike Jones, who delivered a textbook wrap-up of Kevin Dyson to preserve the Rams' 23-16 win over the Titans.

Photographer Tom Hauch did a great job of depicting just how hard Dyson stretched for the end zone but still came up one yard short. The only thing better would have been a shot from a photographer even with the goal line.

But since this play started on the 10-yard-line, most photographers were either positioned within the five or in the end zone in the event of a touchdown.

45. Charlie Hustle Goes Head First

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs

Date: Aug. 27, 1975

Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Photographer: Heinz Kluetmeier

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Back in the day, many baseball players would intentionally wear batting helmets too big for their heads so that when they were running around the bases, the helmet would fly off. Call it a bit of showmanship, but it provided great images like this one of Pete Rose.

During the "Big Red Machine" era, Rose was often photographed sans helmet and with his hair blowing in the wind as he dove headfirst into third base.

Rose was safe more times than not on these head-first plays, which were the embodiment of his "Charlie Hustle" nickname.

44. The Cleveland Summit

Sporting event: N/A

Date: June 4, 1967

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Photographer: Tony Tomsic

Original source: Unknown

Bottom line: This wasn’t a sporting event, but the iconic photo features four all-time greats: Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It’s known as the Cleveland Summit and was organized by Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown.

The athletes came together to support Ali, who was stripped of the heavyweight title after refusing to be drafted into the Army.

The four legends were seated and got the most attention, but men standing behind them were other prominent black athletes, including Pro Football Hall of Famers Bobby Mitchell and Willie Davis.

43. LeBron James Reverse Windmill

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, shoots as Houston Rockets guard James Harden, right rear, watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, in Los Angeles. The Rockets won 121-111.

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Date: Feb. 6, 2020

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

Photographer: Andrew Bernstein

Original source: NBA Photos

Bottom line: This is the newest iconic photo, so it gets the honor of being part of the social media generation unlike most of the others on this list.

For this classic moment, LeBron James had an open-court dunk attempt, and the 35-year-old didn’t disappoint, executing a beautiful reverse windmill slam. The dunk came just 11 days after the untimely death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who had a similar reverse windmill in 2001.

James was unaware of Bryant’s dunk, but it still ended up being the perfect tribute to the man who many consider to be the greatest Laker of all time.

42. Len Dawson Takes a Smoke Break

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Super Bowl I, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers

Date: Jan. 15, 1967

, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Photographer: Billy Ray

Original source: Time magazine

Bottom line: It would be one thing if Len Dawson was captured smoking in a locker room after a game. But this was the first Super Bowl, and he didn’t wait until after the game. He lit up during halftime.

The Kansas City Chiefs were trailing 14-10 to the Green Packers at the time, so it wasn’t a victory cigar but a relaxation cigarette.

Perhaps it made Dawson a little bit too relaxed. The Chiefs didn't score in the second half, and the Packers rolled to a 35-10 victory.

41. Michigan Fan’s Surrender Cobra

Sport: Football (college)

Event: Michigan State vs. Michigan

Date: Oct. 17, 2015

Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Photographer: N/A

Original source: ESPN

Bottom line: There have been many pictures of stunned fans with their hands placed on their heads, aka "The Surrender Cobra." But Chris Baldwin of Michigan took it to a new level during a shocking Wolverines loss to Michigan State in football.

This image is considered the godfather of all Surrender Cobras, and it went viral on social media.

Because of it, Baldwin got his 15 minutes of fame and did dozens in addition to taking numerous requests from people to replicate the pose.

40. The Fail Mary

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Date: Sep. 24, 2012

Location: CenturyLink, Seattle, Washington

Photographer: N/A

Original source: ESPN

Bottom line: Some call it the "Fail Mary" while others call it the "Inaccurate Reception," but this error saved the 2012 NFL season.

Prior to this game, the NFL referees began a lockout, and the league used replacement refs, an obvious downgrade. On a Monday night game between the Seahawks and Packers, everything came down to the final play, which included a missed offensive pass interference followed by the photographed simultaneous catch.

However, the replacement refs weren’t on the same page. One signaled touchdown while the other signaled touchback. The controversy forced the NFL’s hand, and two days after this game, the replacement refs were dumped as the league and the NFL Referees Association announced they reached a deal to end the lockout.

39. Athletes Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Washington Bullets Media Day

Date: 1987

Location: Washington, D.C.

Photographer: Unknown

Original source: Unknown

Bottom line: We could make a list of 50 amazing photos of just Manute Bol, such as this, but this single one with Muggsy Bogues will suffice.

The photo was turned into the poster after the tallest player in NBA history (the 7-foot-7 Bol) teamed with the shortest player in NBA history (the 5-foot-3 Bogues). This image just details the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to NBA players.

Side note: When Manute’s son Bol Bol was drafted by the Nuggets in 2019, a photoshopped image was created of the 7-foot-2 younger Bol alongside 5-foot-8 guard Isaiah Thomas, his then Denver teammate.

38. The Worm Stretches Out

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls

Date: March 7, 1997

Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois

Photographer: Sam Forencich

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Two days before this photo was captured, Dennis Rodman was suspended for hitting another player in the groin. That was his third suspension of that season alone, and they cost "The Worm" a combined 14 games.

The tumultuous season made many question Rodman’s commitment to basketball, but all it took was this one photo to reaffirm in everyone’s minds how much Rodman cared about the game. Guys trying to earn more playing time are the ones usually diving for loose balls, but Rodman was a 35-year-old with two Defensive Player of the Year awards on his resume when he stretched all the way out for this ball.

He was unable to keep the ball in play, but no photo better exemplifies Rodman's Hall of Fame effort than this one.

37. Secretariat Makes History

Sport: Horse racing

Event: Belmont Stakes

Date: June 9, 1973

Location: Belmont Park, Elmont, New York

Photographer: Bob Coglianese

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Very often in races – whether they're in track or in swimming – the margin of victory is slim. The victor often wins in under a second, so when there’s a big difference between first and second place in a race, the world takes notice.

Secretariat blew away the competition in his successful quest for a Triple Crown and won by an astonishing 31 lengths. Jockey Ron Turcotte was pictured looking back, in part because it’s a habit but also because he was wondering where everyone else was.

36. Myles Garrett Takes a Swing

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns

Date: Nov. 14, 2019

Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Photographer: Jason Miller

Original source: NFL

Bottom line: Not since Juan Marichal used his baseball bat as a weapon in 1965 have we seen an athlete take a swing with such ill intent.

What was said or not said beforehand by Mason Rudolph is up for debate, but there’s no debating that Myles Garrett, the NFL's No. 1 overall pick in 2017, absolutely lost his mind.

In the picture, it almost looks like Garrett is trying to put Rudolph’s helmet back onto his head in the most violent way possible.

But Garrett’s swing was just a glancing blow. If it was more than that, Garrett’s NFL career likely would be over.

35. Mantle’s Helmet Toss

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees

Date: June 20, 1965

Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Photographer: John Dominis

Original source: Life magazine

Bottom line: Mickey Mantle could do no wrong in his first 14 seasons. He was a three-time MVP and won seven World Series championships.

Then Father Time hit in 1965 as the career .309 hitter managed just a .255 average, and the Yankees finished under .500 for the first time in 40 years.

This photo epitomized Mantle’s disgust with not only his previous at-bat but the entire season. It’s representative of the aging athlete who knows that the end is near and Mantle would never again achieve anything close to the success he once had.

34. Hogan vs. Andre

Sport: Wrestling (WWF)

Event: WrestleMania III

Date: March 29, 1987

Location: Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

Photographer: Unknown

Original source: WWF

Bottom line: WrestleMania III was the pinnacle of the 1980s wrestling boom, and the main event pitted Andre the Giant vs. WWF champion Hulk Hogan.

This photo is from the beginning of the match and part of a legendary staredown between the irresistible force (Hogan) and the immovable object (Andre).

Hogan defeated Andre in front of over 93,000 fans, which would be the largest attendance for an indoor event until a Mass by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

33. The Wizard of Oz

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: 1985 World Series, Game 5, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals

Date: Oct. 24, 1985

Location: Busch Stadium II, St. Louis, Missouri

Photographer: Ronald C. Modra

Original source: Getty Images

Bottom line: Photographer Ronald Modra had perfect timing on this photo to capture Smith at the apex of his patented running handstand followed by a backflip.

Smith started doing flips as a kid and first did one in the major leagues at the urging of the Padres’ PR director during a Fan Appreciation Game in 1978.

This pictured flip came during the middle of the 1985 World Series, when the Cardinals had a 3-1 series lead. But the flip wouldn’t bring the Cards any more good fortune as they lost the last three games of the series to the Kansas City Royals.

32. The Bush Push

Sport: Football (college)

Event: USC vs. Notre Dame

Date: Oct. 15, 2005

Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

Photographer: Andy Altenburger

Original source: Unknown

Bottom line: USC rolled into South Bend on a 27-game winning streak but were down four points with time for just one play from Notre Dame’s 1-yard line.

Quarterback Matt Leinart tried to sneak into the end zone for the win but was met by multiple Irish defenders. Then Reggie Bush charged from the backfield to lend a helping hand as he pushed Leinart – who was spun around by the defense – into the end zone.

The photo clearly depicts Bush (No. 5) pushing in Leinart (No. 11) even though that is a violation of the rulebook. However, nothing was called, and the Trojans’ winning streak extended all the way to 34 games before losing to Texas in the Rose Bowl for the national championship.

31. Jerry West Becomes the NBA’s Logo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Unknown

Date: Unknown

Photographer: Wen Roberts

Original source: Sport magazine

Bottom line: On first glance, this picture may look like an ordinary photo of Jerry West dribbling the ball. But when you see that West’s silhouette from the photo was then transformed into the NBA’s logo, it all makes sense.

It’s unknown when and where this photo was taken, but it was found by designer Alan Siegel in 1969. Siegel had supervised the creation of MLB’s logo one year prior and was then hired by the NBA to do the same for their logo.

West’s silhouette stuck out to him, and he would model the league’s logo after West, although the NBA still won’t admit it. That keeps the league from paying West royalties for his likeness, and while West is flattered he was chosen to represent the league, he also freely admits he wishes that he wasn’t chosen as the logo.

30. The Helmet Catch

David Tyree and Rodney Harrison — New York Giants receiver David Tyree (85) catches a 32 yard pass while in the clutches of New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison (37) and James Sanders (36) during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl XLII football game at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz.

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Super Bowl XLII, New England Patriots vs. New York Giants

Date: Feb. 3, 2008

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Photographer: Damian Strohmeyer

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: The "Helmet Catch" will always live on in live action thanks to video. But this iconic picture almost never happened as photographer Damian Strohmeyer was partially blocked by a security guard when snapping the camera.

Fortunately, he did get the shot just as David Tyree got the catch that is one of the most famous in NFL history. It led to the Giants' game-winning touchdown and robbed the New England Patriots of perfection.

It also turned out to be the final catch of Tyree’s career.

29. Wade Celebrates LeBron’s Dunkwill

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Date: Dec. 6, 2010

Photographer: Morry Gash

Original source: NBA Photos

Bottom line: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade can thank social media for this photo becoming as popular as it did as it became the source of many a meme. But what many don’t remember about it is that while it appears to be an alley-oop from Wade to LeBron, it actually was not.

It was a transition play with Wade dribbling and Lebron trailing. Wade then dropped off a bounce pass and continued running under the hoop before spreading his arms.

LeBron caught the pass and went for the tomahawk dunk, and Morry Gash was in the perfect position to catch both players in frame.

28. The Hand of God

Sport: Soccer

Event: 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, Argentina vs. England

Date: June 22, 1986

Location: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

Photographer: Alejandro Ojeda Carbajal

Original source: El Heraldo

Bottom line: The most famous play in soccer history has been labeled "The Goal of the Century" despite its blatant cheating. Argentinian legend Diego Maradona and English goalkeeper Peter Shilton met in the box for what was essentially a jump ball in soccer … at least Maradona took it as such.

With a six-inch height deficit, Maradona leaped with his left hand raised and hit the ball before Shilton could punch it out. The ball ended up going right into the net to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. They won the game 2-1 and went on to win the World Cup.

It wouldn’t be until 2005 – 19 years later – that Maradona admitted the goal was scored with his hand and not his head.

27. Namath Relaxes by the Pool

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Super Bowl III, New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts

Date: Jan. 10, 1969

Photographer: Walter Iooss Jr.

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Before Super Bowl III, Joe Namath guaranteed that the 18-point underdog Jets would upset the Colts.

The day after that guarantee, "Broadway Joe" was lounging by the pool and surrounded by reporters when this photo was captured.

To the left of the picture in the black is legendary broadcaster Brent Musberger, who was very early in his career and working for CBS.

According to photographer Walter Iooss Jr., the two women in the picture were from Alabama, which is where Namath went to college and had seen every single one of Namath’s games since then.

26. Marichal Takes a Swing

Juan Marichal, John Roseboro, Sandy Koufax — In this Aug. 22, 1965, file photo, San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal (27) swings a bat at Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro as Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, rear right, tries to break it up in the third inning at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Violence is part of the game in many sports. But when the Cleveland’s Myles Garrett ripped the helmet off Mason Rudolph and hit the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback in the head with it, the Browns’ defender crossed a line _ one that attracts the attention of authorities sometimes from within their sport and in other cases from criminal prosecutors.

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants

Date: Aug. 22, 1965

Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Photographer: Neil Leifer

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Perhaps the scariest on-field brawl in sports history took place on this date as Juan Marichal struck catcher John Roseboro in the head with his bat.

Roseboro had removed his mask as he confronted Marichal who thought that the catcher was going to hit him with the mask. So Marichal swung first, and second, and third with the bat at Roseboro’s head.

It opened up a two-inch gash that required 14 stitches, but Roseboro returned to the lineup three days later.

Marichal was suspended just eight games, and a lawsuit filed by Roseboro against Marichal was settled with Marichal having to pay $7,500.

25. The Bat Flip Heard ‘Round the World

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: 2015 ALDS, Game 5, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers

Date: Oct. 14, 2015

Photographer: Chris Young

Original source: Canadian Press

Bottom line: Another Jose Bautista photo could have made this list, but without the bat flip photo, Rougned Odor has no reason to sock "Joey Bats."

With Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS tied in the seventh inning, Bautista launched a three-run homer, admired it for a second and then executed the most famous bat flip in baseball history. Afterward, it became a part of pop culture and was used in a variety of memes, placed on Christmas sweaters and even etched into a jack-o'-lantern.

Some seven months later, the Rangers extracted their version of revenge as Bautista was intentionally hit by a pitch before an aggressive slide by him started the brawl with Odor.

24. Odell Beckham Jr.’s One-Handed Catch

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

Date: Nov. 23, 2014

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Photographer: Al Bello

Original source: NFL

Bottom line: The play that many call the greatest catch in NFL history was captured from many angles. But this one depicts not just the acrobatics of the grab but also Beckham snatching it – not with his hand – but with just three fingers. Only his thumb, index finger and middle finger were on the ball and even with the use of gloves, it’s still a phenomenal play.

Let’s not also forget that Beckham was interfered with on the play by Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr, who had the best view of the catch of anyone.

You can even purchase an OBJ Catch T-shirt with Beckham’s silhouette on it from Al Bello’s photo.

23. The Flu Game

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: NBA Finals, Game 5, Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz

Date: June 11, 1997

Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

Photographer: Andy Hayt

Original source: NBAE

Bottom line: Just hours before this photo was taken, Michael Jordan needed a different kind of hug as he was laying in the fetal position and sweating profusely on his hotel room floor. Jordan had gotten the flu or some version of food poisoning from – what many consider tampered – room-service pizza.

Trainers didn’t expect Jordan to play, but the NBA Finals were knotted at 2-2, and the Jazz had momentum with two straight wins. Jordan indeed played and dropped 38 points in 44 minutes as the Bulls won 90-88.

In the closing seconds of the game and with the Bulls on the way to the victory, Jordan collapsed into Scottie Pippen’s arms, and Pippen helped carry Jordan. Just as Jordan had carried the Bulls.

22. Tom Landry’s Silhouette

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys

Date: Dec. 18, 1988

Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Photographer: Paul Moseley

Original source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Bottom line: This was legendary Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry’s last game on the sideline. Just weeks later, Jerry Jones purchasedd the team and immediately firedd Landry.

The photographer wasn’t sure if he even got a good picture as the old Texas Stadium either had bright sunlight in areas or was "dark, dark, dark" in others. This picture was the perfect combination of both as he was positioned in a shadow of the stadium and shooting toward the sunlight.

Still, though, it took hours for him to even see the picture since he had to wait to return to the Star-Telegram’s office to develop the film. But he was pleased with the result.

21. Kaepernick Takes a Knee

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers (preseason)

Date: Sep. 1, 2016

Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Photographer: Chris Carlson

Original source: NFL

Bottom line: This was the first game that Colin Kaepernick took a knee while everyone else stood for the national anthem. The person to Kaepernick’s left played a big role in that.

He is Nate Boyer, a Green Beret and former NFL long snapper. Boyer recommended kneeling instead of sitting as it would be more respectful, but Boyer remained standing with his hand over his heart.

San Francisco teammate Eric Reid later joined Kaepernick, and the kneeling 49ers moved closer to the field during their demonstration.

Kaepernick's kneeling was the first domino. One year later over, 200 NFL players either sat or kneeled during the anthem to protest police brutality and call for social justice.

20. Kawhi’s Shot and Squat

Sport: Basketball (NBA

Event: Eastern Conference semifinals, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors

Date: May 12, 2019

Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

Photographer: Rick Madonik

Original source: Toronto Star

Bottom line: It’s not too often that you take a basketball shot and then get to squat while waiting to see if it goes in or not. But it’s not too often you get a quadruple-doink off the rim.

The looks of anticipation from the four people in the photo are a microcosm of everyone in the arena and everyone who watched the game on TV.

But while Kawhi hit the shot, the star of the photo is the Raptors’ Jordan Loyd who squatted down alongside and can’t wait to explode with excitement.

Many people didn’t know who he was – and still don’t – but he milked his exposure by wearing a hilarious "Random Guy In A Suit" shirt during the Raptors’ victory parade.

19. Y.A. Tittle Sans Helmet

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Date: September 20, 1964

Location: Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Photographer: Morris Berman

Original source: Life magazine

Bottom line: Nothing says a defeated aging warrior quite like this picture after the 37-year-old Y.A. Tittle had his helmet knocked off during a pick-six that he threw.

He was bloodied and beaten both physically and mentally and suffered a broken rib and concussion on the play.

Photographer Morris Berman worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but they never published the photo since they preferred action shots.

Life ended up picking up the photo and publishing it 12 days later, and now a copy of the photo hangs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

18. Bobby Orr’s Famous Dive

Sport: Hockey (NHL)

Event: Stanley Cup Final, Game 4, Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues

Date: May 10, 1970

Location: Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Photographer: Ray Lussier

Original source: Boston Record-American

Bottom line: Photographer Ray Lussier originally was on the opposite end of the rink but moved closer to the goal that the Bruins were shooting at before overtime of this game. He thought the Bruins would be the ones to score for the sudden-death victory, and he thought right.

Bobby Orr scored the goal to give the Bruins their first Stanley Cup win in 29 years, and his iconic celebration came partly from him being tripped and partly just him jumping in exultation.

It’s considered the greatest hockey photo of all time.

17. Jesse Owens’ Salute

Sport: Track and field

Event: 1936 Olympics, long Jump

Date: Aug. 8, 1936

Location: Berlin, Germany

Photographer: Heinrich Hoffmann

Original source: Unknown

Bottom line: Before the 1936 Olympics in Germany – and during the games themselves – Adolf Hitler promoted the superiority of the Aryan race. But Jesse Owens, a black track and field star for the United States, struck a mighty blow to Hitler by winning four gold medals, including in the long jump.

This photo was taken by Hitler’s personal photographer during the medal presentation for the long jump. As the silver medalist, German Luz Long, and several other German officials gave the Nazi salute, while Owens proudly gave a military-style salute.

Although it might appear that Owens and Long were enemies, Long was the first to congratulate Owens after his victory, and Owens praised him for doing that in front of Hitler.

16. Iverson Steps Over Lue

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: 2001 NBA Finals, Game 1, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Date: June 1, 2001

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

Photographer: Otto Greule Jr.

Original source: NBA

Bottom line: The Lakers were rolling in the 2001 playoffs as they entered the NBA Finals, becoming the second team ever to win their first 11 games. They were expected to breeze over the 76ers, who had MVP Allen Iverson and little else.

But the Sixers forced overtime in Game 1 of the Finals, and AI showed why he was the MVP. Lue – who was put in the game specifically to guard Iverson – couldn’t stick with AI on a step back and then while watching the shot go in accidentally stepped on Iverson’s foot.

That’s what caused him to fall down, and AI seized the moment by stepping over Lue in front of the Lakers bench as the Sixers pulled off the upset. But Philly didn't win another game, and the Lakers took the series in five.

15. Lou Gehrig’s Speech

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: Washington Senators vs. New York Yankees

Date: July 4, 1939

Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Photographer: Unknown

Original source: New York Daily News

Bottom line: Lou Gehrig called himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth" in his speech, which is considered baseball’s Gettysburg Address.

The speech came two weeks after Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS, now known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Prior to feeling ill, he had played in 2,130 consecutive games, a major league record for 56 years.

The face in the far right of the photo is Babe Ruth who was a longtime teammate of Gehrig and retired four years earlier. In the far left the American flag flies at half staff, even though this took place on July 4.

Less than two years after this speech, Gehrig succumbed to the disease.

14. The Most Famous Sports Bra in the World

Sport: Soccer

Event: Women’s World Cup Final, China vs. United States

Date: July 10, 1999

Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Photographer: Robert Beck

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: The 1999 Women’s World Cup Final was scoreless after 120 minutes, so it came down to a penalty shootout. Chastain was the final shooter up with a shot to win the tournament, and as one of the best players in the world, she unsurprisingly made it with ease.

What was a surprise was her reaction in which she took off her jersey and celebrated in a black sports bra.

This wasn’t the first time that Chastain did something risqué in regards to soccer. Just one month before the Women’s World Cup, she posed nude except for a strategically placed soccer ball.

Despite the controversy that her celebration caused, this photo was voted as the second-most iconic SI cover of all time, trailing only the Miracle on Ice.

13. Hank Aaron’s Record Trot

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

Date: April 8, 1974

Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Photographer: Ron Sherman G’71

Original source: Unknown

Bottom line: In his 20th MLB season and just weeks after turning 40 years old, Hank Aaron broke a record that many thought would never be touched. He surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run total with his 715th longball.

While Aaron ran out his home run, between second and third base, two 17-year-old fans ran up behind Aaron to congratulate him. If this happened today, the two fans would have been tackled as soon as they jumped onto the field, and Aaron – or any other athlete – likely would have had a different reaction when two fans surrounded them like this.

But this was a different era and a harmless situation, and it provided us with an iconic image.

Related:Greatest Baseball Players

12. Bednarik Lays out Gifford

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants

Date: Nov. 20, 1960

Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Photographer: John G. Zimmerman

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: This is the aftermath of a vicious shoulder-to-shoulder open-field tackle by Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik on Frank Gifford.

The tackle was so brutal that Gifford wouldn’t play again for nearly two years as he recovered from a concussion and spinal cord injury made worse by his head bouncing off the ground.

Many people later called out Bednarik for seemingly celebrating on the play, but he says he was actually celebrating that his team recovered Gifford’s fumble on the play.

Sportswriter Peter Richmond said that instead of people criticizing Bednarik for the hit, they should actually be praising him as he moved his head to avoid a helmet-to-helmet shot.

11. Phelps by a Fingertip

Sport: Swimming

Event: 2008 Olympics, 100-meter butterfly

Date: Aug. 16, 2008

Location: National Aquatics Center, Beijing, China

Photographer: Heinz Kluetmeier

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: In Michael Phelps’ quest for eight gold medals in eight events at the 2008 Olympics, his closest call came in the 100-meter butterfly.

He edged out Serbia’s Milorad Cavic by one-hundredth of a second after Cavic said he’d like to be the guy who kept Phelps from going eight-for-eight.

The photo details just how close the two were. While Phelps touched the wall with his right hand, there is a sliver of space between Cavic’s fingers and the wall.

This was the seventh of Phelps’ races, and he would complete his goal of winning eight golds in eight races.

10. Roger Bannister’s Four-Minute Mile

Sport: Running

Event: British Amateur Athletic Association vs. Oxford University

Date: May 6, 1954

Location: Iffley Road track, Oxford, England

Photographer: William Horton

Original source: The Times

Bottom line: After disappointment at the 1952 Olympics, Roger Bannister set a new goal, and that was to become the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. The closest he got was 4:02.0 until a meet in Oxford in which there were two pace-setters.

After running the first three laps in 3:01, Bannister had a strong finishing kick in 59 seconds, before the exhausted runner crossed the finish line.

The stadium announcer read the time off as "Three ..." and before he could continue, the stadium erupted in applause as Bannister finished at 3:59.4.

9. Babe Ruth’s Called Shot

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: 1932 World Series, Game 3, Chicago Cubs vs. New York Yankees

Date: Oct. 1, 1932

Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Photographer: Matt Miller Kandle

Original source: "Babe Ruth: A Life in Pictures"

Bottom line: Nearly 90 years later, there is still some debate about whether Ruth really called his shot at Wrigley Field, but there is film evidence that Ruth made a pointing gesture and then hit a homer in the direction that he pointed.

The question is: Was Ruth gesturing toward the pitcher, the Cubs' bench that was taunting him or the center-field wall where he hit the home run?

The film evidence doesn’t make it any clearer, but this photo has been used by those who claim that Ruth called his shot.

8. Black Power Salute

Sport: Track and field

Event: 1968 Olympics, 200 meters

Date: Oct. 16, 1968

Location: Olympic Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Photographer: John Dominis

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: It is one of the earliest examples of making a political and social statement at the Olympics. American gold medalist Tommie Smith and bronze medalist John Carlos signaled black power during the playing of the national anthem.

Both men are shoeless and wearing black socks to symbolize black poverty. Smith is also wearing a black scarf to represent black pride. But what isn’t seen in the photo is that all three athletes – including Australian silver medalist Peter Norman – are wearing badges to protest racial segregation and racism in sports.

Norman empathized with the ideals of Carlos and Smith and wore it in solidarity. When Norman passed away in 2006, Carlos and Smith were pallbearers at his funeral.

7. Usain Bolt Looking Back

Sport: Track and field

Event: 2016 Olympics, 100-meter dash

Date: Aug. 14, 2016

Location: Olympic Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Photographer: Cameron Spencer

Original source: Getty Images

Bottom line: Australian photographer Cameron Spencer smartly set his camera to slow shutter speed (1/40th of a second) in order to capture the Fastest Man Ever. It was the semifinals of the 100-meter dash, so you would expect it to be competitive, but this was Usain Bolt we’re talking about, and he made his victory look easy.

With a comfortable lead in the race, Bolt casually looked back at his competitors and smiled as if he said, "There’s no way you can compete with me."

Spencer took many photos of the action, but this was the one that came out the sharpest. When taking the picture, he says he didn’t even realize that Bolt was smiling but the photographer was pleased with the result.

6. We Do Believe in Miracles

Sport: Hockey

Event: 1980 Olympics, U.S. vs. Soviet Union semifinal game

Date: Feb. 22, 1980

Location: Lake Placid, New York

Photographer: Heinz Kluetmeier

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Perhaps the biggest upset in sports history was captured in this photo, which is the immediate aftermath following the U.S. Olympic Hockey team upsetting the Soviet Union.

It appeared on the cover of the March 3, 1980 edition of Sports Illustrated and without a headline.

It’s the only cover in the history of Sports Illustrated to not have a headline, and Kluetmeier explained why: "It didn't need it. Everyone in America knew what happened."

5. Wilt 100

In this March 2, 1962, file photo, Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors holds a sign reading "100" in the dressing room in Hershey, Pa., after he scored 100 points as the Warriors defeated the New York Knickerbockers 169-147. Recordings reaching back to 1911, including coverage of the game, are being added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. Each year the library chooses recordings that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." This year’s picks include a wide range of music from blues, jazz and rock to country and classical, but there are also recordings of radio shows, speeches, comedy and the recording of the coverage of the fourth quarter of the game that Chamberlain scored a record-shattering 100 points in a single game.

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia Warriors

Date: March 2, 1962

Location: Hershey Sports Arena, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Photographer: Paul Vathis

Original source: Salisbury Daily Times

Bottom line: When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points a single gmae, there was no video of the historic occasion. That makes this photo even more amazing.

The photographer Paul Vathis wasn’t even in official working capacity as he actually attended the game as a fan with his son. But once Wilt’s point total kept rising, he went back to his car and grabbed his camera.

After the game, the Warriors’ PR director invited Vathis back into the locker room where they improvised the famous photo. They simply grabbed a sheet of paper out of a notebook and the PR director wrote 100 on it.

Wilt sheepishly posed with the "100" sign, and the rest is history.

4. The Basket Catch

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Event: 1954 World Series, Game 1, New York Giants vs. Cleveland Indians

Date: Sep. 29, 1954

Location: Polo Grounds, New York, New York

Photographer: Frank Hurley

Original source: New York Daily News

Bottom line: In today’s baseball game, basket catches are uncommon but not unexpected. But in the mid-1950s, no one had ever seen anything like it. And Willie Mays pulled it off in the eighth inning of a World Series game.

Playing in shallow center field, the ball was hit 420 feet, and Mays had to sprint with his back to home plate. That batted ball would be a home run in any of today’s MLB ballparks, but stadiums were more spacious back then.

With no chance of catching the ball using the traditional over-the-head grab, Mays was forced to basket catch it, and he then quickly spun around and threw the ball to the infield to hold the runners on base.

The game was tied at the time, and the Giants went on to win in extra innings before sweeping the Indians.

3. The Catch

Sport: Football (NFL)

Event: NFC championship game, San Francisco 49eers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Date: Jan. 10, 1982

Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Photographer: Walter Iooss Jr.

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: "We never met, but we are linked together forever by 1/500th of a second," said photographer Walter Iooss Jr. after the passing of Dwight Clark.

Iooss was in perfect position to capture the 6-foot-4 Clark leaping and stretching to make "The Catch" while cornerback Everson Walls was in a helpless position.

A great photo is magnified by the importance of what’s being captured, and this play carried lots of weight for two franchises. It signaled the end of the Cowboys’ run after they made five Super Bowls in the 1970s, winning two of them.

But more importantly, it signaled the start of the 49ers' dynasty as they went on to win the Super Bowl that season and add four more over the next 13 years.

2. Ali Standing over Liston

World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is held back by referee Joe Walcott after Ali knocked out challenger Sonny Liston in 1 minute, 42 seconds of the first round of the scheduled 15 round championship bout in Lewiston, Maine, May 25, 1965.

Sport: Boxing

Event: Heavyweight title fight, Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston

Date: May 25, 1965

Location: Central Maine Youth Center, Lewiston, Maine

Photographer: Neil Leifer

Original source: Sports Illustrated

Bottom line: Three months before this fight, Muhammad Ali won his first heavyweight title by defeating Sonny Liston. This was the rematch, and it ended the same way as the first fight except Ali knocked out Liston midway through the first round.

The fight was so quick that in this photo, Ali is yelling at Liston, "Get up and fight, sucker! Nobody will believe this!"

Neil Leifer snapped the photo and not only did it appear in the following week’s edition of Sports Illustrated, but it also appeared on the cover of SI’s special issue: The Century’s Greatest Sports Photos.

1. Michael Jordan’s Last Shot

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Event: 1998 NBA Finals, Game 6, Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz

Date: June 14, 1998

Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

Photographer: Fernando Medina

Original source: NBA Photos

Bottom line: What makes this photo the greatest ever is not only that it features the greatest ever – Michael Jordan – but it also depicts the in-the-moment crowd reactions that you don’t often get with other photos. Every Jazz fan seems to either have a blank stare as if they are sensing the inevitable or a look of despair as if they’ve seen this movie before and know how it ends.

Apart from the fans, Jordan’s follow-through seals the deal. He has perfect shooting form and he knew the shot was good as soon as it left his fingers.

The Jordan gooseneck has been copied by numerous basketball players since then, but no one is able to capture it in all of its essence quite like Fernando Medina did.

Related:Greatest NBA Players