The SN Rushmore project named four pro athletes from the 13 cities who represented at least four of the following five leagues for at least 20 years – NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA. While there were no hard and fast rules for the athletes selected, our panel of experts judged individual resumes, team success and legacy within each city’s sports landscape. Multiple players from the same franchise were allowed, and not all franchises had to be represented. Every sports fan has an opinion on this matter. This is ours.
Washington, DC, is the nation’s capital and center of government, but it’s also the hub of some of the most passionate sports fan bases in the country. While football is the long-time constant, regardless of the team name or lack thereof, baseball, basketball and hockey have carved out their own special places.
When The Sporting News decided on the four faces for both the city and surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia, the only option in the end was equal representation and a delicate balance between today’s stars and legends the past.
MORE: See The Sporting News Rushmore for all 13 cities
There have been many great candidates for the classic NFL franchise that dates back 90 years and boasts five championships, although the ring drought has hit a third decade. From quarterbacks Sammy Baugh and Joe Theismann to running back John Riggins and wide receiver Art Monk, many men had strong cases.
But in the end, the one who played the longest was deemed to have the most enduring status as the best sculpted link to the glory days. Darrell Green ended up being the top pick in Burgundy, but the red, white, blue truth is that DC’s greatest sports great of all time came from the ice, not the grid, the field or the court.
To figure Alexander Ovechkin, from the capital of Russia, would be the last capital for Washington. While the NHL has faded in star power for many, Ovechkin’s scoring streak, which isn’t tied to winning a Stanley Cup, is worth the throwback to the league’s heyday.
The old school also helped “Big Train” Walter Johnson, arguably the greatest pitcher in MLB history, make the SN cut. It would be difficult for any future Senators or Nationals to remove him from the mountain because of his dominant success in a much earlier era. Apropos of something, all-D.C illustrious Johnson. his career ended the same year the actual Mount Rushmore was completed, not long after he got his only World Series ring.
This being Washington, there must also be an unsung hero: underrated big man Wes Unseld. The late Bullets extraordinaire was at center stage when the franchise moved from Baltimore to D.C. As an all-around central force, Unseld, like Ovechkin, came through a major indoor championship late in his career.
As a local expert on this Big Four, The Sporting News turned to prominent DC sports journalist and University of Maryland professor Kevin Blackistone, who was born and raised in Washington.
“There shouldn’t be any real arguments here,” Blackistone said. “It’s nice and clear to me.”
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN (Capitals, 2005-present)
Call him Alex. Call it the Big Eight. Call him Ovi or even Ovie. See the article : United States and China: Who Changed the ‘Status Quo’ on Taiwan?. Call him one of the greatest pure scorers in NHL history and, perhaps soon, the best ever.
Like other superstars in his sport, Ovechkin couldn’t forget when the Capitals jumped on him as the first overall pick when he officially became eligible in 2004. Fortunately, the NHL didn’t extend with a lock that could hold it. town in Moscow. He became a dynamic force in Washington instead as a rookie and hasn’t given up his nose for putting the puck in the net since.
DC has a case of being the biggest hockey city not in Canada. Since Ovechkin has stepped on the ice, he has given Caps fans shot and goal after shot and goal to make hockey happy. His local sports immortality became a reality with the long-desired Cup in 2018. From the regular season to the playoffs, Ovechkin has matched and surpassed what any previous D.C. athlete has accomplished. At 36, Ovechkin is still writing the story of his career and probably won’t be done until he’s No. 1 in goals, even ahead of The Great One, Wayne Gretzky.
“He’s arguably the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey, and that will be true even if he doesn’t catch Gretzky,” Blackistone said. “If you look at some of the analytics he’s been able to do, he’s basically scoring more goals at a time when it’s harder to score goals in the NHL.
“For many reasons, Washington DC has never seen a greater athlete than Alexander Ovechkin.”
For some in Washington, especially in the Ukrainian community, Ovechkin’s Russian nationalism and his friendship with Vladimir Putin make it difficult to accept his greatness in his sport.
“They are both separated. They have shared his politics and his athletic achievements,” Blackistone said of Caps fans. “Then there are casual fans who have struggled with that.”
Regardless of Ovechkin’s attitude on the ice, there is nothing chilly about the reception he will receive from the Capitals faithful, who have been fortunate enough to see his generational talent blast them from the left wing every game night.
TSN Archives: Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin finally gets his championship moment in DC (June 2, 2018)
DARRELL GREEN (Redskins, 1983-2002)
Blessings to this cornerback, who had the fastest feet and the biggest heart. It doesn’t matter that Green was only 5-9, 194 pounds or that he came out of a small school called Texas A&I at the time. This may interest you : Democrats lobby for high-tech immigration reforms in the Innovation Act before Congress. The Houstonian was meant to be a big-time Washingtonian and a pest to the hard-working Dallasites rooting for the rival Cowboys.
For twenty years, Green would run over everyone and make plays on the ball and do it with a smile that could light up the entire field. He was the defensive end of Joe Gibbs’ great championship teams, and won two Super Bowls under the legendary coach.
Green started to make his big plays as a rookie and never let up. He started his career fresh-faced at 23 in 1983 and never seemed to age, all the way through playing at 42 in 2002. Green was a consummate professional and consistent playmaker, often saving his best with for crucial moments in the regular season and playoffs.
“He had signature moments. One of my favorites happened in Chicago during the 1987 playoffs,” Blackistone said. “He was brought in at a desperate time to return a punt – which he has done throughout his career when needed. He took it all the way back (52 yards) for a touchdown, tearing his rib muscle and cutting across the field while holding his side.
“Another guy was chasing Tony Dorsett the length of the field for a long time, which would have saved a crash. Another came in the playoffs in 1988 when he made a game-saving layup.”
Green’s rare longevity in such a physical sport is one thing. That’s another thing to support vitality to entertain and inspire a community. Green is also one of the good play-free guys, which helps make him a durable multi-generational player
Washington football has been around for nearly a century. Many legends have passed through the team, including sweet 16 Hall of Fame players. Green’s biggest competition to get on Mount Rushmore in his city came from his peers, a true testament to the Gibbs era that only further validates Green’s place in the top four of the big four.
“His leadership, playing the game with joy without anything controversial – he’s the face of this franchise, without question – and he’s played with some great players,” Blackistone said.
TSN Archives: Darrell Green, Washington cornerstone (October 27, 1997)
WES UNSELD (Bullets, 1968-1981)
Unseld, like Johnny Unitas coming out of Louisville before him, also broke into his league in Baltimore. Unseld was easy for the Bullets to take as the No. This may interest you : The state disciplines healthcare providers | Washington State Department of Health. 1 overall pick. 2 in 1968 and immediately rewarded the franchise by winning rookie of the year and MVP in the same season, something only Wilt Chamberlain had done before. Unseld wasted no time as a longtime center fielder and earned the respect of fans in the Beltway for doing all the little things.
While other stars came and went, such as Elvin Hayes, Unseld remained at the center of the action, a powerhouse elevating the Bullets through their full-time move to Washington. Unseld was a great example of grinding towards glory as his team and individual prize was winning the 1978 championship for the new hometown.
Unseld Bullets fans caught up with his hard work on the equal boards with poetic ballhanding. It was physicality and finesse in one tight, steady package.
“His signature play on the court was his outlet on fast breaks,” Blackistone said. “He anchored the Bullets in the 1970s when they were almost always in the championship.
“The reason he was so underrated as an NBA player is because there was no panacea in his game. He was playing against guys who were three inches taller than him. But he played against guys like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he held his own and he was great.”
After playing three years after getting the ring, Unseld made a natural career change in the front office and coaching to keep him with the Bullets by changing his nickname to the Wizards. The Unselds band is still represented by Washington and his son, Wes Jr., is now coaching his former team.
Wes Sr. and his wife Connie, an educator, also give back to the community, including founding the Unselds School to provide better elementary education in Baltimore. Despite the relocation and name change, the respect for the Unselds’ part of Washington sports history grows.
“He left his indelible mark in Washington as a great player and man. Before there was this conversation about social justice and athlete activism, there was Wes Unseld and his wife,” Blackistone said.
It was a great loss when the older unseld died two years ago. Since then, his contributions to Washington sports, both on and off the court and outside of the city, have continued to grow.
TSN Archives: Wes Unseld offers off-court help (March 27, 1976)
WALTER JOHNSON (Senators, 1907-1927)
Recency has a tendency with the Nationals, who notched their first World Series win in 2019, but it wasn’t enough to erase the “Big Train”‘s place on Washington’s Mount Rushmore. From the past and past of Washington’s current MLB team, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Juan Soto, Max Scherzer and even Bryce Harper have had a basic case to consider. Since the last days of the Senators, slugger Frank Howard has also been well on the Washington baseball map.
One only had to dig deeper into the city’s original MLB team to find that Johnson’s time as a dominant giant on the mound confirmed that he was the only option to be the diamond face of the Washington mount.
Although Johnson entered a much different, pre-integrated era as a workhorse righty who racked up the associated numbers, he did so and Babe Ruth began to grow and fade for two more successful AL contenders than times, the Red Sox. and Yankees. In keeping with DC’s love of power players, Johnson was the ideal power pitcher of his time.
Blackistone’s father grew up in Le Droit Park, a DC neighborhood near Howard University and the former home of Griffith Park, where the Johnson Senators used to play. While Blackistone suggests that Johnson should have an asterisk for not facing the best hitters before MLB integration, Johnson’s mastery in his era cannot be denied.
“My father was very familiar with all things Walter Johnson,” Blackistone said. “I have no doubt that Walter Johnson is the greatest baseball player here in Washington. As it did in the 1920s, some of that stuff is still unprecedented.”
Johnson’s legend became even greater remembering that he was the star of an often losing team, carrying himself as a reliable, stable force. He was respected by all his teammates for doing a great job until finally winning the World Series. Despite the way Johnson intimidated batters with his towering presence, his kindness was known among the crowd, being friends with Ruth, Ty Cobb and other stars.
Johnson was one of the “Five Immortals” originally elected into the Hall of Fame with Ruth, Cobb, Honus Wagner and fellow outfielder Christy Mathewson. Johnson also showed class wherever he went as a paragon of sportsmanship. Few sports have ever seen a friendlier competitor.
Johnson also went on to manage the Senators after his playing days to stay in Washington. From his native Kansas to adopted Maryland, Johnson’s legacy is visible with everything named in his honor, from schools and roads to public parks and football fields. Songs have even been sung about the nice sportsman he was.
“The Big Train” went on for 21 MLB seasons, all in Washington. Johnson was a rock for the Senators and deserves to be in D.C.’s eternal state of granite. by Ovechkin, Green and Unseld.
TSN Archives: Walter Johnson is a hero in deciding Game 7 (October 16, 1924)
