ON... Topic
An eternal spotlight, competitive spirit and will to win drive sporting legends to break the mould, smash records and ultimately leave their mark on the world of sport. Some invented original techniques; others questioned social boundaries. ON filtered the great from the good. Find out who made the cut.
1913 - 1980
1919 - 1972
1927 - 2003
Jesse Owens
Jackie Robinson
Althea Gibson
Jesse Owens had a dream. Refusing to be intimidated by the attitudes of the time, he won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics under the disgruntled gaze of a certain moustachioed spectator.
Despite racial slurs, death threats and even snubs from his own teammates, Jackie Robinson persevered as the first AfricanAmerican Major League Baseball player, changing the face of history. His shirt number, 42, has been retired by every Major League team.
A pioneer of sport and society, Gibson became the first African-American person in tennis to prove the racists and bigots wrong, winning a total of 11 Grand Slam titles during the 1950s before joining the Pro Golf Tour.
10 | ON MAGAZINE | ISSUE IV
