Sports Illustrated writes 100 Greatest Moments in Sports History

On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated released a work of art, detailing the top 100 moments in sports history.

Sports have been played in America for well over a century in the professional spectrum, so narrowing it down to only 100 is no small feat. Yet, Sports Illustrated took on the task and did a masterful job, showcasing all of the major sports and bringing to life some indelible moments from yesteryear.

Most importantly, SI got the top three moments correct. While you can always argue which order they show be in, the Miracle on Ice, Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947 and Jesse Owens sticking it to Adolf Hitler in the 1936 Olympics.

All were, and are, iconic moments in the sports lexicon, with one changed the way a downtrodden country felt about itself while the other two shoved hate to the side and brought hope to legions in need of it.

The rest of the list is fantastic as well, giving us images ranging from the artistry of Wayne Gretzky to the heartbreak of Lou Gehrig, giving his farewell speech to the Yankee Stadium crowd in 1939 as he was dying. Without question, Sports Illustrated’s list is a portrait to all that we revere both in athletic achievement and grace under pressure.