* Jackie Robinson: first major league baseball player (1947, Brooklyn Dodgers), elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (1962).
* Willie Thrower: first NFL quarterback (1953, Chicago Bears).
* Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton: first to sign an NBA contract (New York Knicks, 1950).
* Fritz Pollard: first NFL coach (1922–1937).
* Lee Elder: first to play in the Masters (1974).
* Tiger Woods: first to win the Masters (1997).
* Willie O'Ree: first NHL player (1958, Boston Bruins).
* Althea Gibson: first (woman or man) to play in and win Wimbledon (1957).
* Arthur Ashe: first male tennis champion, U.S. (1968), Australian (1970) Opens and Wimbledon (1975).
* Jack Johnson: first heavyweight boxing champion (1908-15).
* Ernie Davis: first Heisman Trophy winner (Syracuse, 1961).
* Rafer Johnson: first Olympic decathlon gold medal winner (1960).
* Cito Gaston: first manager to win World Series (Toronto, 1992 and 1993).
* John Thompson: first college basketball coach to win NCAA championship (Georgetown, 1984).
* Oscar Robertson: first (and only) player to average a triple-double for an entire season.
* Wilt Chamberlain: former Overbrook star, first and only player to score 100 points in an NBA game (March 2, 1962). *
- Tom Mahon
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