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The term 'hero' gets tossed around quite a bit when talking about athletes. There's no question that today's sports stars perform extraordinary feats on the field, showcasing abilities that most of us can't even come close to replicating. However, we often hesitate to label their competitive victories as 'heroic.' After all, it’s just a game, right? True heroism is reserved for individuals like firefighters, first responders, and soldiers, those who dedicate themselves to a higher cause.
But this distinction wasn’t always so clear-cut. Historically, many athletes have stepped up to serve their country in truly heroic ways. From World War I to Vietnam, and even during more recent conflicts in the Middle East, some American sports figures have answered the call of duty. These men put their lives on the line, fighting not only for their own freedoms but for ours as well. In this piece, we’ll explore the stories of ten sports legends who left behind their beloved games—and the lucrative contracts that came with them—to serve their country and fight for freedom.
10. Pat Tillman
By the late 1990s, Pat Tillman had everything going for him. A standout football player at Arizona State University, he was drafted into the NFL in 1998, where superstardom was on the horizon. As captain of the Arizona Cardinals, Tillman was the heart of a feared defense in Phoenix. But after the tragic September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, his world changed. Moved by the horrific events, Tillman made the shocking decision to leave his football career behind and enlist in the U.S. Army.
Despite enjoying millionaire status in the prestigious world of professional football, Pat Tillman walked away from it all. Following the September 11th attacks, he enlisted in the Army, with his brother joining him as well. Tillman rejected a $3.6 million contract extension to serve his country and also refused any media interviews about his decision, fearing the attention his surprising career change would attract. His actions clearly showed that his dedication to service outweighed any desire for fame.
By 2003, Tillman was stationed in Iraq, even playing a role in the dramatic rescue of Jessica Lynch. However, he became disillusioned with the media-driven propaganda surrounding that mission. He began to feel as though he was being used as a 'public relations tool' for Army recruitment. Despite his growing concerns, he pressed on in his service. In 2004, he was sent to Afghanistan. Tragically, during a mission in the rugged desert mountains, he was killed in a firefight, but later reports revealed that his death was caused by friendly fire, not enemy combatants.
Investigations into Tillman's death labeled the events surrounding it as 'gross negligence.' Some even speculated about a deeper, possibly criminal, motive behind the incident. The mystery of Tillman’s death still stands as a dark chapter in the military’s recent Middle Eastern operations. Nevertheless, there is no doubt about Tillman’s heroic commitment: he left behind fame and wealth to fight for freedom—and ultimately paid the highest price for it.
9. Bobby Jones
World War II was a far-reaching event that affected millions of lives. Countless American men enlisted in the armed forces, while women back home worked tirelessly in factories to support the war effort. On the home front, citizens made daily sacrifices, from rationing goods to supporting the troops. Professional athletes were no exception. Early in the war, many took on roles as fundraisers for the military. Throughout 1942, pro golfers organized charity events and exhibitions to raise money. But after the Masters that year, one golfer felt compelled to do even more.
In 1943, Bobby Jones was one of the top golfers in the country, yet he felt compelled to do more. He decided to step away from golf and apply for a commission in the Army officer corps. At 40 years old, he didn’t want his role to be symbolic. 'I don’t want to be a hoopty-da officer of some camp,' he told Army officials, and they granted him his wish.
Jones was made a captain in the First Fighter Command when he joined the military, and a year later, he earned a promotion to Major, assigned to the Ninth Air Force. By late 1943, he was stationed in England on active duty. The following year, Jones found himself part of a pivotal moment in history. On June 6, 1944, the day of the Normandy invasion, Jones and his unit stormed the French beach alongside over 150,000 Allied soldiers. During Operation Overlord, they faced relentless fire, pushing through waves and crossing the sands of the beach.
Like countless D-Day veterans, Jones experienced unimaginable horrors. But unlike many, he was fortunate enough to survive. After the war, he returned to the United States and resumed his golfing career, earning back his spot among the sport’s elite. However, his military experience stayed with him for the rest of his life, a constant reminder of the sacrifices made during the war.
8. Larry Doby
While Jackie Robinson is celebrated for breaking baseball's color barrier, Larry Doby's contribution is equally noteworthy. Doby became the first African American to play in the American League when he joined the Cleveland Indians, three months after Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Before entering the major leagues, Doby honed his skills with the Negro League's Newark Eagles. At the peak of his career, in the midst of his physical prime, Doby left baseball to serve in World War II.
Larry Doby was born in South Carolina to a father who had served in World War I. Afterward, his dad played semi-professional baseball, so the game ran through Larry's veins from an early age. However, tragedy struck when Doby was just eight years old, as his father died in a tragic accident. His mother, seeking a new start, moved Larry to Newark. As he grew older, Doby found solace in baseball, rising to prominence as a local star before signing with the Newark Eagles. For years, he led the team in the Negro League. But when the war came, Doby’s path changed.
In 1943, Doby followed in his father's footsteps by enlisting in the Navy to fight against the Axis powers. He first trained in Illinois, then moved on to California, and eventually found himself halfway around the world. Doby recalled facing racial discrimination while serving, but he persevered. At the height of the war, he was assigned to a unit stationed on the remote Ulithi Atoll in the Pacific Ocean’s Caroline Islands, where he saw combat and prepared for the American advance into the Philippines.
The plans for an invasion of Japan were in the works, but the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 changed everything. Nevertheless, Doby had already seen intense action in the Pacific Theater. By the time he returned to the U.S. and resumed his baseball career, he had earned a reputation as a hero—one who had stepped away from the game to serve his country. His groundbreaking courage in breaking the color barrier in the American League only solidified his legacy.
7. Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander was one of the most dominant baseball players of his time. He made his debut for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1911, quickly becoming a force on the mound. But in the middle of his career, Alexander left baseball to serve in World War I. Known as “Old Pete,” he rose to the rank of sergeant after being drafted by the Army, taking a break from his career to fight for his country.
By 1918, Grover Cleveland Alexander found himself on the front lines in France. For months, he and his unit endured brutal, terrifying combat in the trenches. During this time, Alexander was subjected to multiple gas attacks, and his position was frequently shaken by bomb and grenade explosions. Although he survived and made it back home after the war, the man who returned was not the same as the one who had left.
By 1919, Alexander had returned to Major League Baseball, this time signing with the Chicago Cubs. He got back on the mound and continued to pitch at an exceptional level. However, physically, he was a changed man. His pitching arm had been severely damaged in an explosion, he was deaf in one ear due to shrapnel wounds, and his battle-induced epileptic seizures had significantly worsened. Additionally, he was dealing with what we now recognize as PTSD. Despite all of this, Alexander kept pitching.
Against all odds, 'Old Pete' continued to throw fastballs across the league until 1930. He lived for two more decades, and by 1938, Alexander received baseball’s greatest honor when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Yet, the horrors he experienced in Europe during the war continued to haunt him, leaving a lasting impact on both his life and his baseball career in ways that are still felt today.
6. Tom Landry
Tom Landry is most famous for his legendary tenure as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. But before making his mark as a coach, Landry was an accomplished player. He played for both the New York Giants and the New York Yankees. However, his playing career was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. During the war, Landry served in the U.S. Army Air Force, flying over 30 combat missions in the European Theater. Trained to fly B-17 bombers, he was quickly sent to England to assist in the fight against the Germans.
At just 19 years old, Tom Landry had to mature rapidly. He soon discovered that he thrived under the pressure of combat. One of his most memorable experiences came when he bombed an oil refinery in the German city of Merseburg, all while enduring heavy fire from over 600 anti-aircraft guns. Reflecting on the experience years later, Landry recalled, 'I never saw anything like that. When we got there, it was just a cloud of black smoke from flak as you headed into the target. It was like flying inside a thundercloud.'
As the war continued, Landry led several battle runs over Western Europe. In one mission, his B-17 crashed in France. Miraculously, Landry and his crew survived the crash because the plane had run out of fuel before going down. They landed roughly, but without fuel, the wreckage couldn’t catch fire. By the end of the war, Landry had participated in the grueling Battle of the Bulge, among other missions.
Although Landry emerged unscathed from battle, his family was not as fortunate. His older brother Robert, whom Landry deeply admired, also served in combat. Tragically, in 1942, Robert was shot down during a mission and perished in the North Atlantic. From that point on, Landry carried his brother’s memory with him, honoring him through his own heroic actions in the war and later on the football field.
5. Bob Feller
Bob Feller joined the Cleveland Indians straight out of high school in Van Meter, Iowa, in 1936. Just three months later, he was pitching in the Major Leagues. Over the next five years, Feller quickly cemented his place as one of the best pitchers in baseball. He led the league in wins for three consecutive seasons from 1939 to 1941, but then his career was interrupted by the outbreak of war.
On December 7, 1941, while the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbor, Feller was back home in Iowa, preparing to sign his contract with Cleveland for the 1942 season. It was a quiet morning until the shocking news broke. Feller recalled years later, 'It was about noon. I had the radio on in the car and had just crossed the river into Quad Cities when the news came through. That was it. I had planned on joining the Navy as soon as the war began. Everyone knew we’d be involved sooner or later, and that was the day.'
True to his word, Feller wasted no time. Shocked by the events at Pearl Harbor, he immediately went to a Navy recruitment office and enlisted. He rose quickly to the rank of chief petty officer and was assigned to the USS Alabama, where he served as a gun captain. The ship was dispatched to both the North Atlantic and South Pacific, where Feller’s convoy participated in numerous battles. Feller spent three vital years away from the game, serving in active duty during the peak of his career.
One of Feller’s most memorable moments came when he and his crew fought the Japanese in the Marshall Islands and the Philippines. The team participated in daring amphibious assaults and survived a fierce typhoon. After enduring years of war, Feller made his return to baseball and quickly resumed his remarkable career, eventually earning a spot in the Hall of Fame as one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
4. Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey, the legendary boxer, had the opportunity to enlist in World War I but chose not to. At the time, he explained that he was the sole provider for his wife, mother, and disabled sister—a responsibility he took very seriously. Though Dempsey worked tirelessly to support them, he carried a deep sense of guilt for not participating in the war effort during the Great War.
As Dempsey’s boxing career soared in the years that followed, so did the guilt he felt. While countless men enlisted and gave their lives for their country, Dempsey stayed home and ascended to fame. In 1918, he was even photographed 'working' in a Philadelphia shipyard for a publicity stunt. But sharp-eyed onlookers noticed that his clothes were too clean and his shoes too polished for the scene to be genuine. The fallout from this charade lingered for decades, overshadowing his boxing success.
When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred in December 1941, Dempsey was already 47. However, eager to atone for his past, he rushed to enlist in the New York National Guard. This led to a transfer to the Coast Guard, where he initially toured for publicity due to his celebrity status. Eventually, Dempsey grew frustrated with the show and requested active duty. The Navy responded by assigning him to the USS Arthur Middleton, stationed in the Pacific.
In early 1945, the USS Arthur Middleton headed toward Okinawa, preparing for an assault on the Japanese. On April 1, 1945, the ship landed on the island, and Dempsey’s unit faced intense enemy fire as they attempted to move up the beach. Amidst the chaos, with thousands of soldiers falling around him under the merciless barrage of Japanese gunfire, Dempsey survived. His heroic service stayed with him for life, though he downplayed his role in the battle. 'They branded me a draft dodger in World War I and a hero in World War II,' Dempsey later remarked. 'They got it wrong both times.'
3. Jerry Coleman
Jerry Coleman was a celebrated second baseman for the New York Yankees during the 1950s. Part of a legendary team that included Joe DiMaggio, Coleman went to six World Series with the Yankees. Later, he became the manager of the San Diego Padres and continued to broadcast for the team for many years. Yet, his greatest achievement came before any of that: during his service in World War II.
On April 1, 1944, Coleman earned his pilot wings and soon after began a remarkable career serving in the Pacific Theater with the U.S. Marines. He completed 57 missions during World War II. Afterward, Coleman returned to baseball but was soon called back into action when the Korean War erupted. In 1952, he flew 63 missions in a single-person fighter jet, risking his life on each sortie. Even in his later years, Coleman reflected on his time in service, saying, “The most important thing in my life was not what I did in baseball, but what I did in my service as a Marine in two wars,” as he told USA Today.
Throughout his service, Coleman faced numerous life-threatening situations. Once, he narrowly avoided colliding with another jet during takeoff. On another occasion, a malfunction caused his jet to flip on the runway. Despite these close calls, he never faced being shot down by enemy fire. By the time he completed his two stints in the military, he had accumulated an impressive collection of awards, medals, and citations.
However, not all his experiences were triumphant. One of the most tragic moments of Coleman’s service was the loss of his best friend and roommate, Max Harper, who was shot down just before Coleman. “I had to follow him down to see if he got out in a parachute, but there was no chance,” Coleman remembered. “I can still see his face today. I had an awful lot of heroes, and very good friends. Now, they’re all dead.”
2. Rocky Bleier
In 1968, Rocky Bleier was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers after an impressive career at Notre Dame. His rookie season with the Steelers showed great promise, as the team’s legendary Steel Curtain defense began to dominate. Bleier's solid start to his NFL career made fans excited for his future. However, before he could truly establish himself, Bleier was called to serve in Vietnam. In early 1969, he was sent with a unit to the war-torn country.
In August of that year, Bleier was stationed with Charlie Company when they were sent on a mission to rescue another group of soldiers. During the operation, he was shot in the leg, severely wounding him. Thinking he had escaped danger after reaching safety, Bleier soon realized that an enemy soldier had thrown a hand grenade at him. “It… rolled between my legs,” he recounted years later. “By the time I jumped to get up, it blew up. I was standing on top of it, and it blew up on my right foot, knee, and thigh.”
Though the explosion didn’t kill him, the blast left Bleier with debilitating injuries. He underwent numerous surgeries to save his legs and feet, and doctors removed over 100 pieces of shrapnel from his body. At that point, the former Notre Dame star assumed his football career was finished. However, after an intense period of rehabilitation, Bleier’s recovery was nothing short of miraculous, thanks in part to his strong, athletic build.
The following year, Bleier made his comeback with the Steelers. Although he remained on injured reserve for a few seasons, by 1972 he was back on the active roster. Over the course of the 1970s, he became a key player for Pittsburgh, contributing to the team’s four Super Bowl victories. It’s hard to imagine it all happening had that grenade exploded just a fraction differently back in Vietnam...
1. Ty Cobb
Much like several other players on this list, Ty Cobb enjoyed a long and successful career in Major League Baseball. However, also like many of his peers, Cobb took a break from his prime years to serve his country. During World War I, the Georgia native enlisted in the Army. In need of reinforcements on the front lines, he was sent to France, where he served in the Chemical Corps’ Gas and Flame Division, a unit that included several other MLB stars.
During World War I, over 200 major league players joined the renowned Chemical Warfare Service, a branch of the military in which several Hall of Fame athletes were enlisted, including Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Branch Rickey, and George Sisler. For Cobb, it was a clear and inevitable choice. Reflecting on his notorious reputation on the field, he remarked, “I feel mean every time I look at a casualty list. I feel I must give up baseball at the close of the season and do my duty by my country in the best way possible.”
Cobb served in France during the latter stages of the war. Though he didn’t directly engage in combat, the training in Europe was grueling. His unit’s task was to traverse the dangerous no-man's land between battlefronts with chemical supplies, using them to launch gas attacks on enemy trenches. The preparations for such duties were intense, and things went terribly awry during training, just before the armistice was signed.
On one occasion, soldiers were locked in an airtight chamber for a planned gas drill. The expectation was that they could use their gas masks to protect themselves, but eight men failed to do so and perished. Cobb narrowly survived that ordeal and other training accidents, though their impact on his health was permanent. He was fortunate: Christy Mathewson, a fellow Hall of Famer, wasn’t as lucky. He suffered from a similar training incident and eventually contracted tuberculosis, leading to his painful death years later. Cobb, however, returned to baseball, playing for another decade after the war.
