The All-Time Best Athletes From St. Louis, Ranked
St. Louis has produced some of the biggest sports stars in the world. From baseball to boxing to golf, these locally-grown superstars have earned the right to be celebrated as some of the best athletes in history.
10 Jayson Tatum
St. Louis doesn’t have a professional basketball team, but at least it has, maybe, the best player in the world. The 24-year-old Tatum is coming off an NBA finals appearance and a season where he averaged 27 points per game –– top 10 in the NBA.
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09 Max Scherzer
The man New York Mets fans call “Mad Max” grew up in Chesterfield and has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball over the last decade, with eight all-star appearances, three Cy Young awards and a World Series championship.
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08 Henry Armstrong
Widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, Henry Armstrong went 151-21-9, winning championship belts in three different weight classes from 1931 to 1945.
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07 Jimmy Connors
The Belleville native is considered one of the best tennis players of all time, with eight Grand Slams victories, eighth all-time.
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06 Pat LaFontaine
Born in St. Louis, Pat LaFontaine is one of the greatest scorers in NHL history. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, he was honored as part of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in 2017.
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05 Jo Jo White
Jo Jo White was one of the NBA’s top players during the 1970s, securing seven All-Star appearances, leading the Boston Celtics to two NBA championships and earning a Hall of Fame induction.
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04 Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston, who spent his formative years in St. Louis, won the heavyweight championship in 1962, compiled a 50-4 career record and is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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03 Archie Moore
Considered the third-best pound-for-pound boxer of all time by BoxRec, Moore compiled a 186-23-10 record over his 28-year career.
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02 Yogi Berra
Over his 19-year career as an MLB catcher, the legendary New York Yankee Yogi Berra earned 18 all-star appearances, 10 world championships (most of all time), three MVPs and a Hall of Fame induction.
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01 Jackie Joyner-Kersee
The track and field superstar who competed in the heptathlon and long jump, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is considered Sports Illustrated’s Greatest Female Athlete of All-Time, with six Olympic medals to her name.
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