Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Montana, Joe

(Encyclopedia)Montana, Joe (Joseph Clifford Montana) mŏntănˈə [key], 1956–, American football player, b. New Eagle, Pa. After playing at Notre Dame Univ., he starred (1979–93) for the San Francisco 49ers of...

Messi, Lionel Andrés

(Encyclopedia)Messi, Lionel Andrés lyonālˈ ändrāsˈ māˈsē [key], 1987–, Argentinian-Spanish soccer player, b. Rosario, Argentina. He showed great talent early, and his family moved to Spain in 2000 when F...

Gwynn, Tony

(Encyclopedia)Gwynn, Tony (Anthony Keith Gwynn), 1960–2014, American baseball player and coach, b. Los Angeles. He played baseball and basketball at San Diego State Univ., and had a record 590 career assists as a...

Arbour, Al

(Encyclopedia)Arbour, Al (Alger Joseph Arbour), 1932–2015, Canadian ice hockey player and coach. A defenseman, he joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1953, then moved to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1958, Toronto Maple...

Connors, Jimmy

(Encyclopedia)Connors, Jimmy (James Scott Connors, Jr.), 1952–, American tennis player, b. East St. Louis, Ill. A volatile, controversial, and fiercely competitive player, Connors was known for his theatrical con...

Hamm, Mia

(Encyclopedia)Hamm, Mia mēˈə [key] (Mariel Margaret Hamm), 1972–, U.S. soccer player, b. Selma, Ala. The best all-around women's soccer player of her generation, she was perhaps most responsible for making wom...

Mays, Willie Howard, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Mays, Willie Howard, Jr. (“Say Hey” Willie Mays), 1931–, American baseball player, b. Fairfield, Ala. He began his professional career at 17 with the Black Barons of the Negro National League. I...

Brough, Louise

(Encyclopedia)Brough, Louise (Louise Brough Clapp) brŭf [key], 1923–2014, American tennis player, b. Oklahoma City. A champion in the 1940s and 50s, renowned for her powerful serve-and-volley game and crushing t...

Henderson, Rickey Henley

(Encyclopedia)Henderson, Rickey Henley, 1958–, American baseball player, b. Chicago. An outfielder with the Oakland Athletics (1979–84, 1989–93, 1994–95, 1998), New York Yankees (1985–89), Toronto Blue Ja...

Graf, Steffi

(Encyclopedia)Graf, Steffi gräf, grăf [key], 1969–, German tennis player. A powerful baseliner, she drew international attention by winning the 1984 Olympic demonstration event. Graf won her first major title, ...