Photo by the Indianapolis Colts
Hank Aaron
BASEBALL
One of baseball’s all-time legends, Aaron began his professional career with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro leagues before becoming a legendary MLB player. “Hammerin’ Hank” broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, finishing his career with 755 homers; that record was later broken by Barry Bonds. A 25-time All-Star, Aaron’s leadership, consistency, and commitment to excellence made him a Hall of Famer. His impact transcended baseball, inspiring future generations and advocating for civil rights throughout his remarkable career.
Era: 1950s–1970s
William “Dick the Bruiser” Afflis
WRESTLING
Before he became known as “The World’s Most Dangerous Wrestler,” he was William Fritz Afflis—a kid from Delphi, Indiana, who played football at Purdue University and the University of Nevada, as well as for the Green Bay Packers. During his brief NFL career, Afflis suffered an injury to his larynx that resulted in the signature gravelly voice that came in handy when he transitioned to professional wrestling and changed his name to Dick the Bruiser. A fan favorite with the face of a surfer, tanned and crowned by corn silk blond hair with trapezii made of concrete blocks, The Bruiser was intimidating but relatable, with epic career highs (and lows) that included multiple championship titles, a couple of riots, and a notable stint as a wrestling promoter in Indianapolis—where he lived in a modest Kessler Boulevard home until he retired to Florida in the mid-1980s.
Era: 1950s–1980s
Steve Alford
BASKETBALL
This basketball legend from New Castle was a standout athlete and coach. As a player at IU, he led the Hoosiers to the 1987 NCAA Championship and earned numerous accolades. As a coach, Alford has had successful stints with multiple programs, including UCLA and, currently, the University of Nevada, where he continues to build his legacy. As a player, every time Alford released the basketball, you were sure it was going in—a true Hoosier sharpshooter.
Era: 1980s (Coaching: 1991 to present)
Damon Bailey
BASKETBALL
When you think of Indiana high school basketball, you think of Damon Bailey. He’s widely viewed as one of the greatest high school basketball players in the state’s history, leading Bedford North Lawrence to the state title in 1990 while being named Mr. Basketball. He became something of a cult figure in our state, his team selling out the Hoosier Dome for the state championship game. He entered IU to great fanfare and had a hugely productive career in Bloomington.
Era: 1990s (Coaching: 2005–17)
DaMarcus Beasley
SOCCER
There’s a reason why Beasley has a statue at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The Fort Wayne native earned 126 caps during his National Soccer Hall of Fame career and was the first American man to appear in four different FIFA World Cups.
Era: 2000s–2010s
Grace Berger
BASKETBALL
Berger solidified herself as IU royalty when she helped lead the Hoosiers to Elite Eight and Sweet 16 appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2024. During her tenure with the Indiana Fever, her impact was seen in the prevalent No. 34 jerseys donned by young girls throughout Assembly Hall and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Era: 2020s
Larry Bird
BASKETBALL
Call him “Larry Legend.” Call him “The Hick from French Lick.” In the end, call Larry Bird one of the greatest basketball players of all time. A three-time NBA champion and three-time MVP, Bird led the Boston Celtics to glory with his remarkable shooting and passing ability and an off-the-charts hoops IQ. Known for his fierce competitiveness and clutch performances, he revolutionized the game with his all-around skill set. Bird’s rivalry with Magic Johnson elevated the NBA to great heights. He is the only person ever to earn MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year honors.
Era: 1970s–1990s (Coaching: 1997–2000)
Photo by Pacers Sports and Entertainment
Aliyah Boston
BASKETBALL
After her dominant collegiate career at South Carolina, during which she won the 2022 NCAA Most Outstanding Player and AP Player of the Year titles, Boston was exactly the shot in the arm the Fever needed. She was named the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year and is a two-time WNBA All-Star on a team that only stands to get stronger.
Era: 2020s
David Boudia
DIVING
A three-time Olympic diver on the 10-meter platform, Boudia won medals in the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics. His gold medal in 2012 was the first by an American man in the event since Greg Louganis in 1988. In 2016, he teamed with Purdue Boilermaker Steele Johnson to win silver in the synchronized 10-meter. Boudia also won bronze in London (synchro) and Rio (individual). He is now a diving coach at Purdue.
Era: 2000s–2010s (Coaching: 2021 to present)
Drew Brees
FOOTBALL
Texas native Brees was a relative unknown when he came to Purdue in 1997. That changed quickly. Brees set 19 Purdue records, 13 conference records, and two NCAA records; was a two-time Heisman finalist; and, in 2001, led Purdue to its first Rose Bowl since 1967.
Era: 1990s–2010s (Coaching: 2022)
Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown
BASEBALL
Born in Nyesville, Indiana, Mordecai Brown lost his index finger in a farm accident, then disfigured another finger in a fall while chasing a rabbit as a youngster. But the hand injuries that led to his nickname “Three Finger” didn’t hinder his professional baseball pitching career. He played for the Chicago Cubs from 1904 to 1912 before moving to Cincinnati and then playing in the Federal League. Brown ended his career in 1916 after returning to the Cubs with a 239-130 win-loss record, a 2.06 earned run average, and 55 shutouts.
Era: 1900s–1910s
Tyra Buss
BASKETBALL
Buss laid the groundwork for IU women’s basketball when she led the Hoosiers to a National Invitational Tournament championship in 2018. She tops the program’s leaderboard in most assists and steals and is second in overall points scored.
Era: 2010s (Coaching: 2019 to present)
Photo by IM Archives
Hélio Castroneves
AUTO RACING
Castroneves may have given Indy sports the first hint of a return to normalcy when he climbed the fence after his fourth Indianapolis 500 win in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides driving and climbing, Castroneves dances, too; his Season 5 Dancing With the Stars win gave him some national shine among non-race fans in 2007.
Era: 1990s–2020s
Tamika Catchings
BASKETBALL
A legendary player for the Indiana Fever, Catchings is regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time. A 10-time WNBA All-Star, Catchings led the Fever to their first WNBA championship in 2012 and was named Finals MVP. Known for her defensive prowess, leadership, and versatility, she won five Defensive Player of the Year awards and left an indelible mark on the WNBA.
Era: 1990s–2010s
Oscar Charleston
BASEBALL
In case you haven’t heard his name before, Oscar Charleston played 43 years of professional baseball—yes, you read that right—and may be the greatest player in Negro League history, as well as one of the best in the sport’s history, period. The Indianapolis native, whose legacy has finally become more appreciated in the decades since his passing, was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1976.
Era: 1910s–1940s
Calbert Cheaney
BASKETBALL
Cheaney’s Big Ten scoring record still stands over three decades since he graduated from Indiana, and it may never be broken. Arguably the least heralded of Bob Knight’s celebrated 1989 recruiting class, the eventual Wooden Award winner was the top player during the last truly great era of IU basketball.
Era: 1980s–2000s (Coaching: 2013–present)
Caitlin Clark
BASKETBALL
Too soon? Nonsense! Caitlin Clark accomplished more in 10 months in Indiana than others have in 10 years. Perhaps the most popular and recognized athlete in American sports at this moment, the Fever sharpshooter’s star will only rise from here, both on and off the court, and we can’t wait to see how high it goes.
Era: 2020s
Rosevelt Colvin
FOOTBALL
One of Purdue football’s greats, Colvin holds records for most sacks in a career and sacks in a season. His legacy lives on in his daughter Raven, who suits up for Purdue volleyball, and his son Myles, who plays for Purdue men’s basketball.
Era: 1990s–2000s
Mel Daniels
BASKETBALL
Without Mel Daniels, the rafters at Gainbridge Fieldhouse would look a lot more empty. One of the ABA’s all-time greats, Daniels earned MVP honors in 1969 and ’71, was a seven-time All-Star, and helped lead the Pacers to three ABA titles in 1970, 1972, and 1973. Upon retiring, the league’s all-time leader in rebounds coached Larry Bird at Indiana State.
Era: 1960s–1970s (Coaching: 1977–1993)
Muriel Davis Grossfeld
GYMNASTICS
An Indianapolis native, Grossfeld competed at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics and was a member of the gold medal–winning team at the 1963 Pan American Games. She was the first gymnast to earn a perfect 10 at the 1964 Olympic Trials in floor exercise and also won 18 national championships.
Era: 1950s–1960s
Skylar Diggins-Smith
BASKETBALL
Diggins-Smith put the basketball world on notice early in her career when she starred at South Bend’s Washington High School, where she went 102-7 in four seasons. She sits atop the state’s greats as the current sixth overall in Indiana with 2,790 points scored.
Era: 2010s–2020s
Katie Douglas
BASKETBALL
Roots in Hoosier hoops don’t get much deeper than Douglas’. The 2023 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee was an Indiana All-Star at Perry Meridian; a two-time All-American at Purdue, where she helped win the 1999 NCAA Championship; a five-time WNBA All-Star; and a 2012 WNBA champ with the Fever.
Era: 2000s–2010s
Photo by Purdue University
Annie Drews Schumacher
VOLLEYBALL
The first volleyball player from Indiana to make an Olympic team, Drews Schumacher has collected five gold medals from across the Pan-American Cup, FIVB Nations League, and Tokyo Olympics since 2017, as well as silver in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 6’4” graduate of Elkhart’s Penn High School won back-to-back state titles before playing a standout role on the Purdue University squad from 2012 to 2015. She is an opposite hitter with the LOVB Madison pro team in Wisconsin.
Era: 2010s–2020s
Chloé Dygert
CYCLING
Hailing from Brownsburg, Dygert has made a name for herself as an American cyclist, collecting eight gold medals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships and four medals at the Olympic games.
Era: 2010s–2020s
Zach Edey
BASKETBALL
Known as “Big Maple” in his native Canada, Edey will be forever remembered as the player who led the Purdue Boilermakers to the national college basketball championship in 2024. Edey was a two-time Big Ten and National Player of the Year and now plays for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Era: 2020s
Ray Ewry
TRACK & FIELD
This Lafayette native and Purdue grad was nicknamed “The Human Frog” for his incredible jumping ability. He accumulated 10 Olympic gold medals in the 1900, 1904, 1906, and 1908 games. Ewry’s specialty events were the standing high jump, standing long jump, and standing triple jump. All of his gold medals came in events that were later eliminated from the roster of games.
Era: 1890s–1900s
Bill Garrett
BASKETBALL
In 1947, Bill Garrett shattered the unspoken racist “gentlemen’s agreement” of the Big Ten, becoming Indiana University’s first Black basketball player. The Shelbyville native had already led his high school team to a state championship and was crowned Indiana Mr. Basketball—kicking off a distinguished career in the face of adversity. After college, he was drafted by the Boston Celtics, though his professional career was cut short by his service in the Korean War. He briefly joined the Harlem Globetrotters but cemented his legacy as a true leader during his 10 years as head coach of Crispus Attucks High School, leading the team to the 1959 Indiana State Championships. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974, the same year he passed away at the young age of 45 due to a heart attack.
Era: 1940s–1950s (Coaching: 1956–1968)
Dwight Freeney
FOOTBALL
The Syracuse alum was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2002 as the 11th overall pick. He became the anchor of a solid defense for 11 years in Indy and helped win a Super Bowl in 2007. Freeney was named an All-Pro three times, allotted seven Pro Bowls, forced 47 fumbles, and accumulated 125.5 sacks over his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
Era: 2000s–2010s
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