Athletes Born on September 17

  • 1879 Rube Foster, American Baseball HOF manager and executive (Negro National League pennant 1920–22, 26; Chicago American Giants), born in Calvert, Texas (d. 1930)
  • 1882 Frank Schulte, American baseball outfielder (NL MVP 1911; Chicago Cubs), born in Cochecton, New York (d. 1949)
  • 1894 James Anderson, Australian tennis player (Australasian C'ship 1922, 24, 25), born in Sydney NSW (d. 1973)
  • 1897 Earl Webb, American baseball outfielder (MLB Record: 67 doubles, single season 1931; Boston Red Sox), born in White County, Tennessee (d. 1965)
  • 1900 Hughie Critz, American MLB baseball player (Cincinnati Reds), born in Starkville, Mississippi (d. 1980)
  • 1903 Karel Miljon, Dutch boxer (Olympic bronze 1928), born in Amsterdam (d. 1984)

George Blanda (1927-2010)

American Pro Football HOF quarterback/placekicker (AFL C'ship 1960, 61 [MVP], 67; First-team All-AFL 1961; 4 × AFL All-Star; Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders), born in Youngwood, Pennsylvania

Stirling Moss (1929-2020)

British auto racer (16 x F1 Grand Prix; World F1 Drivers C'ship runner-up 1955-58; 12 Hours of Sebring 1954) and broadcaster (ABC F1, NASCAR), born in London, England

  • 1932 Tom Young, American basketball coach (American Uni, Rutgers Uni, Catholic Uni, Old Dominion Uni), born in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)

Maureen Connolly (1934-1969)

American tennis player (1st women's Grand Slam 1953; 9 x Grand Slam singles titles), born in San Diego, California

  • 1937 Orlando Cepeda, Puerto Rican Baseball HOF first baseman (11 × MLB All-Star; World Series & NL MVP 1967 St. Louis Cardinals; NL Rookie of the Year 1958 SF Giants; Atlanta Braves), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • 1938 Francisco Aritmendi, Spanish athlete (International Cross Country Championships 1964), born in Cogolludo, Spain (d. 2020)
  • 1941 Nils Arne Eggen, Norwegian soccer defender (29 caps; Rosenborg, Vålerengen FC) and manager (Norway; Rosenborg), born in Orkdal, Norway (d. 2022)
  • 1941 William Grut, Swedish pentathlete (Olympic gold 1948), born in Stockholm (d. 2012)
  • 1942 Des Lynam, British TV and radio sportscaster, born in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland
  • 1942 Doris Brown-Heritage, American 800m track star (Olympic gold 1968), born in Gig Harbor, Washington

Phil Jackson (78 years old)

1945 American basketball player and coach (Knicks/Bulls/Lakers), born in Deer Lodge, Montana

  • 1946 Billy Bonds, English soccer defender (Charlton, West Ham United 663 games) and manager (WHU, Millwall), born in London, England
  • 1955 Scott Simpson, American golfer (US Open 1987; 7 PGA Tour titles), born in San Diego, California
  • 1956 Thad Bosley. American major league baseball player, born in Oceanside, California
  • 1958 Daniel Nunez, Cuban weightlifter (Olympic gold 1980)
  • 1959 Hank Ilesic, Canadian CFL punter and place kicker (Edmonton, Toronto), born in Edmonton, Alberta
  • 1960 John Franco, American pitcher (NY Mets), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1961 Steve Clifford, American basketball head coach (Orlando Magic 2018-19; Charlotte Hornets 2013-18), born in Island Falls, Maine
  • 1963 Warren Gatland, New Zealand rugby player and coach (Wales, British and Irish Lions), born in Hamilton, New Zealand
  • 1964 Karen Straker, British horse show jumper, born in County Durham
  • 1964 Mosese Taga, Fijian rugby union front rower (48 Tests; Suva RFU, Nabua RUFC), born in Nailaga, Fiji (d. 2022)
  • 1966 Fred Childress, American CFL guard (Calgary Stampeders), born in Little Rock, Arkansas
  • 1968 Valeri Zelepukin, Russian NHL forward (NJ Devils, Team Russia Olympic silver 1998), born in Voskresensk, Soviet Union
  • 1969 Ken Doherty, Irish snooker player (world champion 1997), born in Dublin, Rep. of Ireland
  • 1969 Rob Zamuner, Canadian NHL forward (Tampa Bay Lightning, Team Canada 1998), born in Oakville, Ontario
  • 1970 Mark Brunell, American NFL quarterback (Jacksonville Jaguars) and coach, born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1972 Allen Williams, NFL running back (Detroit Lions)
  • 1973 David Reid, American light middleweight boxer (Olympic gold 1996), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • 1973 Demis Nikolaidis, Greek footballer (AEK Athens), born in Giessen, West Germany
  • 1974 Rasheed Wallace, American basketball forward (NBA C'ship 2004; NBA All-Star 2000, 01, 06, 08; Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • 1975 Jimmie Johnson, American auto racer (7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion), born in El Cajon, California
  • 1976 Jonathan Nichols, American dance skater (with partner Tami Tyler), born in Wilmington, Delaware
  • 1977 Simone Perrotta, Italian football player (Roma), born in Ashton-under-Lyne, England
  • 1977 Tony Goskowicz, American short track skater (Olympics 1994), born in Wauwautosa, Wisconsin
  • 1978 Shawn Horcoff, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1979 Akin Ayodele, American football player
  • 1979 Steffen Algreen, Danish footballer
  • 1980 Asashoryu Akinori, Mongolian sumo wrestler (born as Dolgorsuren Dagvador)
  • 1980 Danny Haren, American baseball player, born in Monterey Park, California
  • 1981 Bakari Koné, Ivorian footballer
  • 1981 Casey Janssen, American baseball player
  • 1981 Francis Manioru, Solomon Island sprinter

Alex Ovechkin (38 years old)

1985 Russian ice hockey player (Moscow Dynamo; Washington Capitals) who is one of the greatest goal scorers of all time, born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

  • 1985 Brendan Clarke, Irish Soccer Player with St. Patrick's Athletic
  • 1985 Mason Raymond, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1985 Tomáš Berdych, Czech tennis player (13 ATP Tour titles), born in Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic
  • 1986 Dimitrios Regas, Greek sprinter
  • 1986 Landry Mulemo, Belgian footballer
  • 1987 Paul Huntington, English footballer, born in Carlisle, England

Patrick Mahomes (28 years old)

1995 American football quarterback (Super Bowl MVP 2020, 22; KC Chiefs), born in Tyler, Texas

  • 1996 Esteban Ocon [-Khelfane], French racing driver (Formula One), born in Évreux, Normandy, France