FROM SERVICE TO SPORTS: 12 VETERANS WHO BECAME ATHLETIC ICONS
Sports and military service have a lot in common, including discipline, teamwork, and resilience. That’s why it’s no surprise that many of our favorite athletes are also Veterans. From battlefield bravery to game-day glory, their stories show just how strong and inspiring Veterans can be. No matter where you look, you’ll find plenty of world-class Veteran athletes on the field, court, ring, or course.
12 Veteran Athletes Who Served Our Nation and Dominated Their Sport
Across many professional leagues and eras, Veteran athletes don’t just dominate their opponents, they also answer the call and serve our nation. Here are 12 sports icons who also served in the U.S. military:
1. Arnold Palmer
Yes, “The King” himself served from 1951 to 1953 in the U.S. Coast Guard. After suffering a personal tragedy, one of the greatest golfers of all time “needed to get away.”
Palmer served as a Yeoman under the Commander of the 9th Coast Guard District Auxiliary before creating a legacy that includes 62 PGA Tour wins, seven of them being majors, and one iconic beverage.
2. Rocky Bleier
When you suffer a combat wound so bad doctors doubt you can return to your sport, the last thing anyone expects is for you to win a championship. Well, for Rocky Bleier, he didn’t just do it once, but four times.
After being drafted to Vietnam, Bleier worked his ass off to get back into shape and rejoined the Steelers.
Bleier didn’t just get back to football, he helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowls as a key player during the most iconic era for the team.
3. Alejandro Villanueva
Being a Veteran athlete is not a foreign concept for players on the Steelers, with Alejandro Villanueva providing a more modern example.
The offensive lineman made his way to Pittsburgh after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also an Army Ranger, earning a Bronze Star for serving in Afghanistan.
4. Joe DiMaggio
Known as “The Yankee Clipper,” Joe DiMaggio is known for many things:
- His 56 games with a hit are the longest in baseball history.
- DiMaggio’s impressive career would account for nine World Series championships.
- His short but star-studded marriage to Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.
However, there was a point in time when the Yankee legend took time away from the ballpark to serve his nation.
DiMaggio served for almost three years during the prime of his baseball career in the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1943 to 1945, before being medically discharged.
5. Yogi Berra
Teammate Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra had a lot in common, including being some of the most decorated baseball players to ever do it.
Berra became an All-Star 18 times, won 13 World Series (10 of them with the Yankees), and served as a Sailor in World War II.
Yogi’s 358 career home runs would be the most impressive thing for most people ever to accomplish, but Berra survived and conquered German forces on D-Day. It doesn’t get more impressive than that.
6. Roger Staubach
The Dallas Cowboys used to be really good at football. No, seriously, and part of that was because of Heisman winner Roger Staubach, who led the team to two Super Bowl wins.
During his college days, Staubach proved he had the talent and grit to get the job done, which is no surprise, considering he was playing for the U.S. Naval Academy.
Before it was all said and done, Staubach became a Sailor and even went on a tour in Vietnam before entering the NFL.
7. Ted Williams
Despite never winning it all, Ted Williams cemented himself as a Red Sox and baseball legend by building a Hall of Fame career that would earn him a spot in Cooperstown.
His career gave way to 521 home runs will hitting .344, and what’s crazy is one of the best to ever do it could have accomplished even more on the baseball field, but decided to serve his nation instead.
Williams was a fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War, which gave way to many years in the height of his career to serve our nation.
8. Jack Dempsey
Jack “The Manassa Mauler” Dempsey held the World Heavyweight Championship from 1919 to 1926. However, he would also go on to serve in WWII as a lieutenant for the USCG Reserve.
Dempsey’s claim to fame in the 1920s came well before his honorable discharge in 1952, but before separating from a life of service, the iconic boxer helped invade Okinawa while on the USS Arthur Middleton.
9. Patty Berg
Today, the Ladies Professional Golf Association is the most popular membership for female golfers in the world, and it was founded by its first president, Patty Berg, in 1950.
Berg still holds the most majors as a woman, with 15 wins under her belt, however, she is also a Veteran.
Serving as a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve, Berg answered the call of duty during World War II from 1943 to 1945, in the midst of being a world-famous golfer.
10. Pat Tillman
One of the most iconic Veteran athletes of the post-9/11 era remains NFL safety Pat Tillman.
Tillman was unfortunately killed in Afghanistan while serving as an Army Ranger, after leaving the Arizona Cardinals to defend our nation.
Today, his legacy continues with the Pat Tillman Foundation, which continues to pour into the lives of Veterans and their families.
11. Jackie Robinson
When you think of Jackie Robinson, his Hall of Fame career and athletic ability across multiple sports aren’t typically the first thing that comes to mind.
However, while 42 made a name for himself as a great player and a barrier breaker on the Brooklyn Dodgers, that’s not the whole story.
You see, before ever getting a medical discharge that would lead to the Negro Leagues and eventually MLB, Robinson was already fighting back against Jim Crow Era discrimination in the Army.
While serving as a Soldier, he may not have fought on the frontlines, but he did stand up to discrimination while garnering national attention to his mistreatment and false arrest as a result.
12. David Robinson
One of the greatest basketball players of all time was nicknamed "The Admiral" for one obvious reason. David Robinson served as an officer in the Navy for two years after attending the U.S. Naval Academy and before joining the NBA.
Even with the delay to his career, Robinson has a resume any player would die for: rookie of the year, two NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs, an MVP award, 10 All-Star appearances, Olympic glory with the Dream Team, and too many more accolades and records to list here.
All of it added up to not one but two entries into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Spurs retiring his #50 jersey.
Veteran Athletes Inspire In and Out of the Sports World
From WWII, to the War on Terrorism, and conflicts in between, these figures have gone on to craft impressive careers while helping our nation maintain freedom for Americans and secure our country’s interests across the world.
Veteran athletes are an inspiration because of their hard work, dedication, and commitment to advancing their craft and the defense of our nation, no matter what.
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