runs and hits in a game against the San Francisco Giants on Se

The United States earned its 1,000th gold medal at the Summer Olympics when Jeff Henderson won the long jump at Olympic Stadium. Thats over 600 more golds than any other country has won. (And no, Michael Phelps hasnt won them all.)Of the athletes who contributed to that grand total, who are the 10 greatest U.S. gold medalists? Its a matter of opinion, but such a narrow list means a lot of superb athletes wont make the podium. Cassius Clay, for instance, won gold in 1960, but he is known more for his pro boxing career as Muhammad Ali than his Olympic feat (plus, legend has it he might have tossed his medal in the Ohio River). As renowned as Bruce Jenner was for winning the decathlon and waving the U.S. flag in 1976, that was only a single victory. And the 1992 Dream Team isnt on this list because our pro players were so much better than those of the other countries that it was hardly even a competition.So with apologies to the above (along with Edwin Moses, Matt Biondi, Al Oerter and others), here are the top 10 American gold medalists in the Summer Olympics, based on performance and lasting influence:10. Bob BeamonSure, he won only a single gold medal, the only athlete on this list to do so. But he did so by breaking the world record in the long jump by nearly 2 feet at the 1968 Olympics. That would be like Usain Bolt suddenly running the 100 in under nine seconds. Beamons record stood for 23 years, inspiring many jumpers, such as Mike Powell and Carl Lewis.9. Mark SpitzPrior to Phelps, Spitz was the legend of swimming, winning seven gold medals (and breaking the world record in each event) at the 1972 Olympics. No swimmer was able to attain that gold total until Phelps won eight in 2008. Spitz famously posed for a poster with the seven golds draped around his neck while sporting his famous mustache and wearing his swimsuit -- and it was so popular the poster sold more than a million copies. Perhaps only Farrah Fawcetts sold more, but she never medaled in her swimsuit.8. Florence Griffith-JoynerFlo-Jo set the world record in the womens 100 meters at the 1988 Olympic trials with a time of 10.49. While the record in the mens 100 has been steadily declining in the 28 years since then, Griffith-Joyners mark still stands. In fact, no other woman has come closer than Carmelita Jeters 10.64 in 2009. Griffith-Joyners world record in the 200, set during the 1988 Seoul Games, also still stands. In addition to the 200 gold in Seoul, she set the Olympic record in the 100, winning by 0.3 seconds, and added a third gold in 4x100 relay. She might rank higher, but there were rumors of steroid use, though she never tested positive. Maybe it was just her ultralong fingernails that got her across the line so fast.7. Simone BilesMary Lou Rettons all-around gold medal in 1984 dazzled the country and got her on a Wheaties box, but she says Biles might be the best American gymnast ever. So do others. Biles has won two gold and a chance for more golds in Rio -- and she hasnt lost a world or national all-around in three years. Watching her leap, twist and fly through her routines is like watching Spider-Man swing through the city, only Biles is real, not a CGI creation. Expect to see her image on more than just a cereal box.6. Jackie Joyner-KerseeJoyner-Kersee won two gold medals (1988, 1992) and a silver (1984) in the heptathlon, plus a gold (1988) and two bronzes (1992, 1996) in the long jump. To compete -- and win -- in the heptathlon and the long jump? That is simply stupendous, and a reason she continues to inspire athletes. Shes a mentor to me, 2012 long jump gold medalist Brittney Reese said.5. Bob MathiasThe U.S. has dominated the Olympic decathlon, where the winner is hailed as the worlds greatest athlete. Thats quite an honor, but its even more so if you hold that title for not just four years, but eight years. Mathias did the latter, becoming the first athlete to win the decathlon in two Olympics (1948 and 1952). Only Great Britains Daley Thompson has matched that feat, but 2012 champ Adam?Eaton of the U.S. is a good bet to make it a trio in Rio. If he does, this list may need to change.4. Wilma RudolphRudolph is the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Games. Rudolph was, and remains, an inspiration. Born prematurely, she was the 20th of 22 children in her family. She had double pneumonia, scarlet fever, whooping cough and measles as a child. She also had polio, which forced her to wear a brace on her left leg from ages 6 to 9. Rudolph overcame all that to race in the 1956 Olympics at age 16, where she won a bronze. At Rome in 1960, she won gold in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4x100 relay, running the anchor leg. When Rudolph died in 1994, Ollan Cassell, then the executive director of USA Track & Field, said, Shes a legend in track and field, like Jesse Owens. After Jesse died, she became the icon, a symbol of what the Olympics mean to this country and this sport. Speaking of Owens ...3. Jesse OwensWith Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany spouting white supremacy and hatred, Owens threw their racism back in their face at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He won the 100 meters. He won the 200. He won the long jump. And he also ran the opening leg of the 4x100 for his fourth gold medal. Owens was so amazing that even the German crowd cheered him (though not Hitler). Unfortunately, there still was enough racial prejudice in the United States at the time that when Owens returned to America and was honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York, he had to take a freight elevator to a reception for him at the Waldorf-Astoria. He also was reduced to running against horses to earn money. Even so, he remains an icon of sport. He was the inspiration for the 2016 movie Race, and the street outside the Olympic Stadium in Berlin is named for him.2. Michael PhelpsHe has been so great for so long -- Rio is his fifth Olympics -- he is essentially the Dream Team of swimming. No Olympian has ever won as many gold medals in a single Olympics as Phelps did when he took home eight in 2008 (after winning six in 2004). No Olympian has ever won nearly as many combined medals as Phelps (28 overall, including 23 gold). For that matter, hes won more gold medals than at least 110 countries! And whos to say that he wont come back and win even more at Tokyo in 2020? I honestly dont think this is going to be his last Olympics, fellow U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte said. Im saying hes going to come back again.1. Carl LewisThe International Olympic Committee named him the athlete of the 20th century, and Sports Illustrated named him the Olympian of the century. For good reason. At the 1984 Olympics, Lewis duplicated Owens feat of winning four gold medals (100, 200, long jump and 4x100). Lewis won the long jump in four consecutive Olympics, something no one else has done. He won nine gold medals, and 10 medals overall. So how does he end up ahead of Phelps with 16 fewer medals and 13 fewer golds? Well, he competes in a sport where you cant win that many medals, because track doesnt have additional events where you run backward or with your arms maneuvering in bizarre ways. You just run and jump as fast and far as you can. And thats what King Carl did. Cheap New Balance Shoes Uk . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. New Balance Clearance Uk . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.wholesalenewbalanceuk.com/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. New Balance Outlet Uk . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. New Balance Clearance Sale Uk . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Four years into the Theo Epstein era, the Cubs find themselves in a place theyve never been before -- favorites heading into the playoffs.In four years, the Cubs have gone from a 101-loss regular season to a 103-win regular season, a drastic change that has kept the center-field scoreboard operators busy raising the W flag after each victory. Wrigley Field has been buzzing inside and out this season as the Cubs have given their faithful plenty to cheer about.The only thing as plentiful as the runs the Cubs racked up this year were the laughs that could be heard around the cage at batting practice, on the field and in the dugout. This team knows how to win, and it knows how to have fun.Rick Fuhs, a groundskeeper and scoreboard operator for the Cubs, trims the ivy on the outfield wall. Fuhs has been with the Cubs for 38 years and started as a teenager sweeping the outfield bleachers. Assisting Fuhs is groundskeeper intern Alex Pancek.Aroldis Chapman stops to sign autographs and take pictures after arriving at the stadium before the Cubs take on the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 31.Fans visit a souvenir stand on Waveland Avenue beyond the left-field bleachers.Shortstop Addison Russell gets in some fielding practice before a game against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 1.Anthony Rizzo puts his arm around strength and conditioning coordinator Tim Buss following a team photo shoot.Fans take in a game from their rooftop as the Cubs take on the Mets.Jason Heyward (on ground), Dexter Fowler, Addison Russell (kneeling) and Kris Bryant share a laugh during batting practice before a game in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.Scoreboard operator Fred Washington raises the W flag after the Cubs beat the Brewers in August. The tradition of flying the W flag after wins was created before Wrigley Field hosted night games as a way to notify travelers on the train whether the Cubs won that day.Scoreboard operator Rick Fuhs keeps an eye on the action from the press box as he tallies the balls and strikes on the iconic center-field scoreboard. The scoreboard was installed in the 1930s.Kris Bryant signs autographs for fans before a game against the Brewers in July..ddddddddddddA stadium worker opens the gates to the home plate entrance of Wrigley Field at the intersection of Addison and Clark.Cubs players exit the dugout with a jersey hanging in tribute to Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died Sept. 25 in a boating accident.Ballhawks outside Wrigley Field stand at the corner of Waveland and Kenmore for the National Anthem.Rookie catcher Willson Contreras and relief pitcher Pedro Strop embrace with a hug before the Cubs take on the Brewers at Miller Park.Fans cool themselves in misters to seek refuge from the sweltering heat in the outfield bleachers.Addison Russell runs toward second base during a game against the Marlins on Aug. 1.Kris Bryant celebrates after scoring a run against the Texas Rangers.Outfielder Matt Szczur snags a fly ball just a step away from the ivy-covered left-field wall.A scoreboard operator eyes the action as he turns the numbers tallying the runs and hits in a game against the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 3.A view inside Wrigley Field from one of the rooftop bleachers on Sheffield Avenue.Cubs infielder Ben Zobrist and outfielder Jason Heyward go through a pregame ritual before the Cubs take on the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.Aroldis Chapman talks with his teammates in the bullpen.Firefighters stationed in Wrigleyvilles Engine 78 station across from the left-field entrance of Wrigley Field watch the evenings action on television.Young Cubs fan Beckham Zobrist takes in the game with his mother Erin Zobrist as the Cubs take on the Cardinals in August. Beckham lost his eye to retinoblastoma -- a rare form of cancer -- and after being teased by other children, pleaded for a new eye from his parents. While the true eye he was hoping for could not happen, his parents instead got him the next best thing ... a prosthetic eye with the logo of his favorite team, the Cubs.Anthony Rizzo scores the winning run in a walk-off over the Giants on Sept. 4.Kris Bryant and David Ross leave the stadium following a night game as fans plead for autographs. ' ' '