Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars
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Most sports stars are probably conservative. Here are some of the greatest:
| Athlete | Sport | Conservatism | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Tebow | football[1] | pro-life, outspoken Christian | |||
| Ted Williams | baseball (and fighter pilot) | campaigned for Republicans, also criticized the media | |||
| Kurt Warner | football | pro-lifer who led two different underachieving teams to the Super Bowl | |||
| Zach Johnson | golf | won the Masters on Easter Sunday against the heavily favored Tiger Woods,[2] when he was at the peak of his career, and then gave credit to Jesus Christ | |||
| Trevor Bayne | auto racing | Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner | |||
| Pete Sampras | tennis[3] | ||||
| Jim Bunning | baseball | Republican Senator (KY) | |||
| Jon Runyan | football | Republican Congressman (NJ) | |||
| Steve Largent | football | ||||
| Jack Kemp | football | ||||
| Drew Brees | football | Led his team to victory in the Super Bowl. Professed his belief in Jesus Christ. [4]
- |
Chris Dudley | basketball | Republican nominee for Oregon governor |
| Curt Schilling | baseball | ||||
| Jim Ryun | track | Republican Congressman (KS) | |||
| J.C. Watts | college football | Republican Congressman (OK) | |||
| John Elway | football | supporter of Republican candidates | |||
| Lynn Swann | football | Republican candidate for governor (PA) | |||
| Jeff Suppan | baseball | did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006 | |||
| Sandy Koufax | baseball | Refused to pitch in a World Series game because it fell on Yom Kippur | |||
| Billy Sunday | baseball | Left professional baseball and became a famous evangelist | |||
| Dan Hampton | football | helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt | |||
| Paul Azinger | golf | PGA champion who criticized Obama | |||
| Jack Lynch | Gaelic football and hurling | One of the greatest ever dual players. As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland. | |||
| Lewis Hamilton | Formula 1 | outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing" | |||
| Michael Jones | Rugby union | His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party | |||
| Ewan Murray | Rugby union | Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays. | |||
| Eric Liddell | Athletics | Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor. | |||
| Gavin Peacock | Soccer | Attacking midfielder for Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR then a respected footballer commentator. From 2006, combined commentating with attending a seminary. Now training full-time for the ministry. | |||
| Diego Maradona | Soccer | Credited a critical goal in the 1986 World Cup to the "hand of God" | |||
| Moe Berg | Baseball | Spied for the United States during a baseball tour of Japan before World War II | |||
| Gerald Ford | College Football | 38th President of the United States, Republican | |||
| Jason Robinson | Rugby league & rugby union | Becoming a born-again Christian enabled him to reform his messed-up personal life | |||
| David Sheppard | Cricket | First-class cricketer and twice captain of England. Evangelical Christian who became a bishop. The only ordained minister to have played a test match. | |||
| Joe Paterno | College football | Friend of Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. Seconded Bush's nomination at the 1988 Republican National Convention.[5] |
References
- ↑ The first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, and the only quarterback to lead his team to two BCS college championships.
- ↑ http://www.fcagolf.org/masters-peace
- ↑ Winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.
- ↑ STV Interview with Drew Brees
- ↑ Ray Fittipaldo, When we say JoePa YOU SAY ... Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 23, 2004.