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ESPN SportsCentury

Season 1 Episode 21: Most Influential People in Sports

Six pioneers who transformed the sports landscape in the 20th century will be showcased in the next episode, including influential individuals such as Walter O'Malley, Branch Rickey, Pete Rozelle, David Stern, Roone Arledge, and Marvin Miller.

Season 1 Episodes:

Episode 1 1900-49

Aired: Jan 21, 1999

The next episode of The SportsCentury explores the most memorable sports mome...

Episode 2 No. 50 -- Chris Evert

2. No. 50 -- Chris Evert

Aired: Jan 22, 1999

Episode 3 No. 49 -- O.J. Simpson

3. No. 49 -- O.J. Simpson

Aired: Jan 29, 1999

Episode 4 No. 48 -- Pete Sampras

4. No. 48 -- Pete Sampras

Aired: Feb 5, 1999

Episode 5 No. 47 -- Edwin Moses

5. No. 47 -- Edwin Moses

Aired: Feb 12, 1999

Episode 6 No. 46 -- Eric Heiden

6. No. 46 -- Eric Heiden

Aired: Feb 19, 1999

Episode 7 No. 45 -- Bill Tilden

7. No. 45 -- Bill Tilden

Aired: Feb 26, 1999

Episode 8 SportsCenter of the Decade: 1950s

8. SportsCenter of the Decade: 1950s

Aired: Mar 9, 1999

Episode 9 No. 44 -- Bobby Jones

9. No. 44 -- Bobby Jones

Aired: Mar 12, 1999

Episode 10 No. 43 -- Julius Erving

10. No. 43 -- Julius Erving

Aired: Mar 19, 1999

Episode 11 No. 42 -- Sandy Koufax

11. No. 42 -- Sandy Koufax

Aired: Apr 2, 1999

Episode 12 No. 41 -- Wilma Rudolph

12. No. 41 -- Wilma Rudolph

Aired: Apr 9, 1999

Episode 13 No. 40 -- Lawrence Taylor

13. No. 40 -- Lawrence Taylor

Aired: Apr 16, 1999

Episode 14 No. 39 -- Walter Payton

14. No. 39 -- Walter Payton

Aired: Apr 23, 1999

Episode 15 No. 38 -- Ben Hogan

15. No. 38 -- Ben Hogan

Aired: Apr 30, 1999

Episode 16 No. 37 -- Mickey Mantle

16. No. 37 -- Mickey Mantle

Aired: May 7, 1999

Episode 17 SportsCenter of the Decade: 1960s

17. SportsCenter of the Decade: 1960s

Aired: May 21, 1999

Episode 18 No. 36 -- Oscar Robertson

18. No. 36 -- Oscar Robertson

Aired: May 14, 1999

Episode 19 The Greatest Coaches of the Century

19. The Greatest Coaches of the Century

Aired: May 22, 1999

Episode 20 No. 35 -- Secretariat

20. No. 35 -- Secretariat

Aired: May 21, 1999

Episode 21 Most Influential People in Sports

21. Most Influential People in Sports

Aired: May 23, 1999

Six pioneers who transformed the sports landscape in the 20th century will be...

Episode 22 Greatest Dynasties

22. Greatest Dynasties

Aired: May 30, 1999

Legendary teams that dominated their sports take center stage in the next epi...

Episode 23 No. 34 -- Lou Gehrig

23. No. 34 -- Lou Gehrig

Aired: May 28, 1999

Episode 24 No. 33 -- Mark Spitz

24. No. 33 -- Mark Spitz

Aired: Jun 4, 1999

Episode 25 Greatest Games

25. Greatest Games

Aired: Jun 5, 1999

Episode 26 No. 32 -- Johnny Unitas

26. No. 32 -- Johnny Unitas

Aired: Jun 11, 1999

Episode 27 No. 31 -- Bobby Orr

27. No. 31 -- Bobby Orr

Aired: Jun 18, 1999

Episode 28 No. 30 -- Larry Bird

28. No. 30 -- Larry Bird

Aired: Jun 25, 1999

Episode 29 SportsCenter of the Decade: 1970s

29. SportsCenter of the Decade: 1970s

Aired: Jul 9, 1999

Episode 30 No. 29 -- Arnold Palmer

30. No. 29 -- Arnold Palmer

Aired: Jul 2, 1999

Episode 31 No. 28 -- Red Grange

31. No. 28 -- Red Grange

Aired: Jul 9, 1999

Episode 32 No. 27 -- Jerry Rice

32. No. 27 -- Jerry Rice

Aired: Jul 16, 1999

Episode 33 No. 26 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

33. No. 26 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Aired: Jul 23, 1999

Episode 34 No. 25 -- Joe Montana

34. No. 25 -- Joe Montana

Aired: Jul 30, 1999

Episode 35 No. 24 -- Sugar Ray Robinson

35. No. 24 -- Sugar Ray Robinson

Aired: Jul 30, 1999

Episode 36 No. 23 -- Jackie Joyner-Kersee

36. No. 23 -- Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Aired: Aug 6, 1999

Episode 37 No. 22 -- Joe DiMaggio

37. No. 22 -- Joe DiMaggio

Aired: Aug 20, 1999

Episode 38 SportsCenter of the Decade: 1980s

38. SportsCenter of the Decade: 1980s

Aired: Sep 17, 1999

Episode 39 No. 21 -- Gordie Howe

39. No. 21 -- Gordie Howe

Aired: Sep 3, 1999

Episode 40 No. 20 -- Ty Cobb

40. No. 20 -- Ty Cobb

Aired: Sep 17, 1999

Episode 41 No. 19 -- Martina Navratilova

41. No. 19 -- Martina Navratilova

Aired: Sep 24, 1999

Episode 42 No. 18 -- Bill Russell

42. No. 18 -- Bill Russell

Aired: Oct 1, 1999

Episode 43 No. 17 -- Magic Johnson

43. No. 17 -- Magic Johnson

Aired: Oct 8, 1999

Episode 44 No. 16 -- Ted Williams

44. No. 16 -- Ted Williams

Aired: Oct 8, 1999

Episode 45 No. 15 -- Jackie Robinson

45. No. 15 -- Jackie Robinson

Aired: Oct 15, 1999

Episode 46 No. 14 -- Hank Aaron

46. No. 14 -- Hank Aaron

Aired: Oct 29, 1999

Episode 47 No. 13 -- Wilt Chamberlain

47. No. 13 -- Wilt Chamberlain

Aired: Oct 29, 1999

Episode 48 No. 12 -- Carl Lewis

48. No. 12 -- Carl Lewis

Aired: Nov 5, 1999

Episode 49 No. 11 -- Joe Louis

49. No. 11 -- Joe Louis

Aired: Nov 19, 1999

Episode 50 No. 10 -- Babe Didrikson

50. No. 10 -- Babe Didrikson

Aired: Dec 3, 1999

Episode 51 No. 9 -- Jack Nicklaus

51. No. 9 -- Jack Nicklaus

Aired: Dec 3, 1999

Episode 52 No. 8 -- Willie Mays

52. No. 8 -- Willie Mays

Aired: Dec 10, 1999

Episode 53 No. 7 -- Jim Thorpe

53. No. 7 -- Jim Thorpe

Aired: Dec 10, 1999

Episode 54 No. 6 -- Jesse Owens

54. No. 6 -- Jesse Owens

Aired: Dec 17, 1999

Episode 55 No. 5 -- Wayne Gretzky

55. No. 5 -- Wayne Gretzky

Aired: Dec 17, 1999

Episode 56 No. 4 -- Jim Brown

56. No. 4 -- Jim Brown

Aired: Dec 24, 1999

Episode 57 No. 3 -- Muhammad Ali

57. No. 3 -- Muhammad Ali

Aired: Dec 24, 1999

Episode 58 No. 2 -- Babe Ruth

58. No. 2 -- Babe Ruth

Aired: Dec 26, 1999

Episode 59 No. 1 -- Michael Jordan

59. No. 1 -- Michael Jordan

Aired: Dec 26, 1999

Episode 60 SportsCenter of the Decade: 1990s

60. SportsCenter of the Decade: 1990s

Aired: Mar 26, 2000

Main Cast

Info about ESPN SportsCentury

Seasons: 5

Network: ESPN Classic

Genres:Documentary, History, Biography