It’s strange how some of the biggest sporting achievements have been overlooked. We’re talking about athletes and teams who have changed the game, but have somehow faded into obscurity.
Maybe they were overshadowed by another individual on their side, or perhaps they triggered a rule change, without making a huge impression on the field of play. The sport in question altered from that point, but the role of the person responsible has been forgotten.
The reasons behind our collective memory lapses are varied, but all of the athletes on this list have drifted from public consciousness.
1. Dick Fosbury: Athletics
American high jumper Dick Fosbury is a perfect example of what we mean by “forgotten legend.” In his specific discipline, he invented a technique that revolutionized the sport, while his own career was modest by comparison.
He gave us the Fosbury Flop, a jump that went back first into the bar, while other athletes were aiming to hurdle it. These days, everyone uses this technique, but while its inventor won gold at Mexico City in 1968, Dick Fosbury’s name is largely forgotten.
2. Divina Galica: Motor Racing and Winter Sports
It’s sad that many women athletes make the list of forgotten legends, and in the case of Divina Galica, we have a groundbreaker in two sports. As a skier, she represented Great Britain at the Winter Olympics, setting national records and achieving World Cup podium finishes.
Galica switched to motor racing and was so accomplished that she competed in three F1 Grand Prix between 1976 and 1978. She was one of the first women to drive at the elite level, yet Divina Galica remains on the list of forgotten Formula One racers.
3. Jean-Marc Bosman: Soccer
Only the most dedicated soccer fans will remember Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman, and they will be aware that he changed the face of the game. The midfielder challenged existing transfer legislation, which led to the historic Bosman Ruling of 1995.
Under the new law, players were free to move to another club when their existing contract came to an end. His own career was modest and easily forgotten, but many footballers owe a huge debt to Jean Marc-Bosman and the changes he forced through.
4. John McDermott: Golf
The story of John McDermott is a tragic one, and his issues away from the sport are partly responsible for his disappearance from the list of golfing greats. Over 100 years on from his achievement, McDermott remains the youngest winner of the US Open.
He first lifted the trophy as a 19-year-old in 1911 and mounted a successful defense a year later. He’s the second-youngest golfer to win any major, but those personal health problems contribute to the tale of an incredible lost legend.
5. Paul E. Brown: NFL
Some athletes give their names to a new term in sport, but in the case of Paul Brown, an entire team was named after him. Having helped to form Cleveland’s new football team in 1944, he also became their first-ever coach.
The move didn’t take place because the Cleveland Browns had run out of ideas. Paul Brown was a genuine legend in Ohio, with a record of success at college-level, and this was a fitting tribute.
6. Marta: Soccer
Who was the first player to score at five different soccer World Cups? If you responded with Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi you would be wrong. The correct answer is Marta, a Brazilian international and a legend in the women’s game.
Not only did Marta score at those five World Cups, but she’s also the first footballer to score at five Olympic Games. She’s also Brazil’s top goalscorer and is seen by most as the greatest female soccer player of all time. Does the fact that Marta is female make those incredible feats fall under the radar?
7. Milan Hejduk: NHL
Perhaps the exploits of his compatriot Jaromir Jagr have seen Czech hockey player Milan Hejduk go under the radar. Jagr is the second-highest goal-scorer in NHL history, but Hejduk had a great career and deserves better awareness.
Milan Hejduk won the gold medal with the Czech Republic in Nagano in 1988 and was the NHL’s top scorer in the 2002/03 season. He still holds the record for most appearances for the Colorado Avalanche.
8. Stan Mortensen: Soccer
Imagine scoring a hat trick in the most important domestic soccer final in the sport, only to see the match named after a teammate. That’s what happened to Blackpool’s Stan Mortensen after his treble helped Blackpool to win the 1953 FA Cup final.
Those three goals were overshadowed by the feats of winger Stanley Matthews and the game has since become known as the “Matthews Cup Final.” He may not have changed the entire sport, but Mortensen altered an important match without getting the credit he deserved.
9. Theo Fleury: NHL
The manner in which Theo Fleury’s career ended has arguably changed public perception of his game. Personal problems led to premature retirement and failed comeback attempts, but the Canadian’s stats speak for themselves.
A right winger for four NHL franchises, Fleury was the 166th pick in the 1987 draft. Despite that underwhelming start, he made seven All-Star appearances and scored 1088 points in 1084 NHL games. Fifteen players averaged more than a point per game in their careers. Fourteen are in the NHL Hall of Fame, with Theo Fleury the one exception.
10. John Spencer: Snooker
In the sport of snooker, the maximum break available is 147. 15 reds, 15 blacks, and all the colors combine to produce a perfect clearance, and it’s the pinnacle for all players.
The first televised 147 break was made by Steve Davis in 1982, but it’s incredibly harsh on fellow cueman John Spencer. Three years earlier, he had made a 147 but the TV cameramen had gone on a lunch break. To make matters worse, Davis’ opponent in 1982 was none other than Spencer himself.
11. Paul Lim: Darts
In darts, the equivalent of snooker’s 147 break is a nine-dart finish. It’s the fewest number of throws a player can take to win a leg, and like that maximum break, it’s much more common in the present day.
The first person to achieve a nine-dart finish in a World Championship was Paul Lim, who hit the perfect checkout in 1990. Lim’s was a modest career, but nobody can take away that historic “first.”
12. Joe Theismann: NFL
OK, so we remember Joe Theismann, but we do so for all the wrong reasons. A horrific injury sustained in 1985, which was so graphically outlined on live TV, put an end to his playing career.
Newer NFL fans will know Theismann for his TV work, but he was an exceptional player who deserves a little more acknowledgment. As of 2024, the former Washington Redskins quarterback is the only player to have won a Super Bowl, and a League MVP award without claiming a place in the NFL Hall of Fame.
13. Graeme Pollock: Cricket
Some athletes have their international careers ended through no fault of their own. In the case of South African cricketer Graeme Pollock, his involvement finished in 1970, when his South African side was excluded due to the political situation in the country.
Pollock was widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest-ever batsmen, and he should have enjoyed many more years at the top. Fifty years after his final test match, Graeme Pollock remains in the top five list of highest career batting averages of all time.
14. Maros Kolpak: Handball
Slovakian handball player Maros Kolpak took his sporting legal challenge to the European Court of Justice. While playing for German side SG Kronau/Ostringen, he was released when the club reached its quota of non-EU players.
Kolpak argued that the quota was unfair and his case was upheld. The precedent has had far-reaching implications in handball and other sports including cricket and rugby.