Print
This List
Email to
a Friend
List of Ohio's Biggest Sports People
BESTS 
Tags: sports, person, Ohio, OH, players, athletes
Here are some of the most important people in Ohio athletics history:
| | Johnny Bench (Cincinnati Reds) - Played entire 17-year career with Reds; member of 1975-76 World Series Championship teams |
| | Jim Brown (Cleveland Browns) - Hall-of-Fame running back spent entire 9-year NFL career with Browns |
| | Paul Brown (Miami, Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals) - Original coach of both the Browns and Bengals; led Browns to 7 NFL Championships |
| | Bob Feller (Cleveland Indians) - Hall-of-Fame pitcher spent entire 18-year career in Cleveland; statue of Feller resides outside Progressive Field |
| | Archie Griffin (Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Bengals) - Only two-time Heisman Trophy winner |
| | Ken Griffey Jr. (Cincinnati, Cincinnati Reds) - Local high school legend, returned to play for Reds from 2000-08 |
| | John Havlicek (Martins Ferry, Ohio State Buckeyes) - 3-sport HS star; Played in 3 NCAA Title games with OSU (won 1); 8 NBA Titles w/ Celtics |
| | Woody Hayes (Denison, Miami, Ohio State Buckeyes) - Spent entire playing and coaching career in Ohio and led Ohio State to 1954, 1957 and 1968 National Championships |
| | LeBron James (Akron, Cleveland Cavaliers) - Led Cavaliers to only NBA Finals appearance in 2006-07 season |
| | Bernie Kosar (Boardman, Cleveland Browns) - Led Browns to 5 straight playoff appearances in 80s; tried to purchase Browns prior to team's return to NFL in 1999 |
| | Barry Larkin (Cincinnati, Cincinnati Reds) - Played for Ohio's premiere HS baseball program; led Reds to 1990 World Series Championship |
| | Jerry Lucas (Middletown, Cincinnati Bearcats, Cincinnati Royals) - Won 76 Straight games and 2 Ohio state championships; 78-6 and won '60 NCAA Title at OSU; 15.6 RPG is NBA's 4th-best ever |
| | Jack Nicklaus (Ohio State Buckeyes) - Won 18 career majors (PGA record) |
| | Jesse Owens (Cleveland, Ohio State Buckeyes) - 4-time Olympic gold medalist |
| | Jim Thome (Cleveland Indians) - Indians all-time leader in HR (334); member of 1995 and 1997 AL Championship teams |
| | Jim Tressel (Baldwin Wallace College, Youngstown State, Ohio State Buckeyes) - Led Ohio State to 2002 National Championship, its first since 1968 |
| | Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Bearcats, Cincinnati Royals) - Led nation NCAA in scoring 1958-60; only NBA player to average a triple-double in a season |
| | Pete Rose (Cincinnati, Cincinnati Reds) - 3 World Series wins; Most hits in MLB history (4,256); Managed Reds from '84-89 |
| | Cy Young (Gilmore, Cleveland Spiders) - First 9 and last 2 MLB seasons in Cleveland; MLB-record 511 wins |
Lister:
ListAfterList Wiki Contributors
Source:
ESPN
Other lists of interest:
Current list rating:
5.00