A Who's Who of U.S. Athletes.

BASKETBALL records; ATHLETES; OLYMPIC Games; SPORTS teams; OLYMPIC medals

This article from Cobblestone magazine highlights the achievements of various U.S. athletes throughout the history of the Summer Olympic Games. It features notable athletes such as Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals and broke two Olympic records at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, contradicting Adolf Hitler's belief in white supremacy. Other athletes who gained fame after the Olympics include George S. Patton, Cassius Marcellus Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), Johnny Weissmuller, and Rafer Johnson. The article also mentions successful U.S. gymnasts like Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller, and Dominique Dawes, as well as basketball legends Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. It highlights the accomplishments of track and field stars like Mildred "Babe" Didrikson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Wilma Rudolph, and Horace Ashenfelter. The article also recognizes outstanding swimmers such as Marjorie Gestring, Mark Spitz, Greg Louganis, and Michael Phelps. Lastly, it mentions the all-around athleticism of Jim Thorpe, who won gold in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. [Extracted from the article]

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