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Tony Parkers dad and two siblings also played professional basketball. Gretzky holds the title of The Great One due to his undeniable skill in the game, but why is it then that Gordie Howe holds the title of Mr.Hockey? He has been knighted by the Quebec government. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Comments are welcome while open. Same result champions. In honor of Canada Day, here are the 25 greatest Canadians of all time: 26. Despite having just one MLB team, Canada has produced some talented baseball players over the years, but none compare to Fergie Jenkins. Melissa Benoist, American actress, of partial French descent through paternal great-grandfather. In 2022, Andre De Grasse won a gold medal at the World Championships. Scarborough, Ontarios Andre De Grasse was a relatively late bloomer in the sport of track and field, as he didnt seriously begin racing until he was partway through high school. Georges St Pierre may not be as well known as some of the other athletes on this list, but among combat sports fans, hes a legend. Early Years. However, France has also produced some of the worlds most famous athletes. He has been a household name in Canada for years as he tore up developmental and junior hockey leagues as a teenager before making his NHL debut at 18 in 2015. An advocate for Indigenous issues, Chalmers has made efforts to connect with and inspire . Named the Female Athlete of the First Half-Century by Canada, she also excelled in hockey, apart from track and field. He had a permanently damaged lung due to an accident. READ MORE: Interesting Facts About Kylian Mbapp. Vote for Your Favourite People Born In Quebec, (One of the Greatest Fighters in the History of Mixed Martial Arts), (One of the Most Prominent Actors During Hollywood's Golden Age), (Film Director, Screenwriter, Playwright), (Canadian TV and Film Actor and Voice Actor), (Canadian Artist Who Held a Guinness World Record for His Full-Body Tattoos), (Canadian Voice Actor, Illustrator, Blogger, and Former Animator), (American Designer of Firearms Who Created the 'M1 Garand', a Semi-automatic Rifle), (German Actress, Comedian, Television Presenter, and Voice Actress), (Vlogger and Host of the Popular YouTube Show 'Epic Meal Time'), (Mixed martial artist, Taekwondo athlete), (Canadian Writer, Novelist, Poet, and Playwright). He is regarded as one of the worlds finest brakesmen. Phil Edwards was a Guyanese-born Canadian track and field athlete who specialized in middle-distance events. In 2019, she already has two top-10 finishes under her belt and in 2018 she became the first Canadian woman to win the Canadian Women's Open in 45 years. He also piled up 11 top-10 and four top-5 major finishes in his career. In 1942, she ran for federal election as a Liberal and lost. At 7 feet and 4 inches tall, which was a result of acromegaly, Andr Ren Roussimoff was better known by his fitting ring name Andr the Giant., Roussimoff started his wrestling career in 1966, relocating to North America five years later and consequently becoming a mainstay of World Wrestling Federation (then called World Wide Wrestling Federation or WWWF), where he easily became a fan favorite. He won the Olympic silver medal in the 10,000-meter long distance race. Cartier persuaded French Canadians that this type of union would be more sympathetic to the French Catholic cause than an alliance with the United States. In 1640, Mance learned that religious women the Ursulines and Augustinians had established themselves in Qubec and she was inspired to go to New France. Crosby also won two Olympic gold medals with Canada, including the 2010 final, where he scored a famous golden goal in the finals. Nicknamed The Big Train, Lionel Conacher might be the least known athlete on this list, despite having a national award named after him. You probably don't know these names, but you should. They're the most successful team in Canadian history, winning an astounding 95 per cent of their matches. Andr the Giant also became a Hollywood actor, debuting as Sasquatch (Bigfoot) in 1976 in a two-part episode aired on the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. 1. Mance quickly established a basic hospital that would later become the Htel-Dieu de Montral. She was part of the first Canadian women's track and field team to compete internationally. And that wasn't the end of it. Basketball runs in the Parker family. Christine Sinclair, one of the best female soccer players ever, comes in at #8 on our list. Ben Johnson who held the record of being the fastest man in the world during the 1980s was a Canadian. Lemieux is narrowly behind Gretzky for the highest all-time points per game in the NHL and the two Canadians are a half point higher than anyone else on the list. Quite eerily, MacLennan is coming back from another injury (a broken ankle) as she prepares to defend her Olympic crown a THIRD time, this time in Tokyo. He also won the 4x100m relay at the 2018 NACAC Championships. Ren Lacoste had fared well in his athletics career as well. But you could argue Nancy Greene's greatest contribution was inspirational. He is best known for winning the US Triple Crown in 1973, riding the famous American thoroughbred racehorse, Secretariat. Adriana John To celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2015, The Canadian Encyclopedia created 30 lists of 30 things that make us proud to be Canadian, from famous people and historic events, to iconic foods and influential artists. He is also the program assistant of Canadas History Society. Louis-Joseph Papineau PATRIOTE LEADER AND POLITICIAN Louis-Joseph Papineau had a reputation as a hero and a defender of the rights of French Canadians, but he was also seen as a traitor to the nation and to the Commonwealth. She was named Canadas Athlete of the Year in 1967 and followed it up with another World Cup title in 1968, as well as a gold and silver medal in the Olympics and another gold medal at the world championships. Just before winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals in hockey, Wickenheiser starred for the softball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His amazing career is one of the longest in NHL history, and though we sadly lost him earlier this year, hell always remain a huge part of Canadian history. While he started his training in ice hockey at age 5, he later switched to figure skating. Sinclair has shown unbelievable skill on the field as well as proven to be a true leader of her team again and again. A member . And the rest is history. With an HPI of . 10 Ice hockey. Wickenheiser was a member of the Canadian national team for 23 years, leading the team to four gold medals and a silver medal in Nagano when she was just 19. And this weekend Sidney Crosby will be taking his second Stanley Cup home to his Nova Scotia hometown. An artists essay became a call-to-arms for social change. Wiggins entered the NBA in 2014 after being chosen first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Entry Draft. Hughes is known for her athletic achievements as well as her humanitarian work. He also won a gold medal at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships. By the Sapporo Olympics of 1972, seven of Canada's nine nordic skiers were from the Mackenzie Delta. He then established himself as one of the top hockey and boxing referees of his generation. But for these 12 athletes, both seasons are their favourite as they have competed at the summer and winter Olympic Games. Oendrila De She did it in her 500-metre specialty at both the 1998 and 2002 Games. He played professionally for Cannes in 1989. Sinclair serves as the captain of the national team and is Canada's all-time leader in caps (247) and goals (167). It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. He has won two silver medals and three bronze medals in two Olympic Games so far. More than any other player, Howe played the whole game. 15 Inspirational Asian Canadians to Know by : Patricia Karounos and Hannah Ziegler - May 25th, 2020 In honour of Asian Heritage Month, we're highlighting Asian-Canadian women and non-binary people for their impact in the realms of culture, fashion, athletics and politics. A member of the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and Companion of the Order of Canada, she was appointed to the Senate in March 2016. Legendary Canadian female athletes you should know | CBC Sports Loaded. We recognize the resilience of Indigenous storytellers and Knowledge Keepers who have kept their stories alive despite attempts to silence them. While a lot of countries have one, The main event of UFC Vegas 66 will feature a contest between Cannonier and Sean Strickland, two superb fighters. Stefanie Reid is a track and field para athlete. updated July 10, 2021, 1:15 am, by He is the eighth of nine children of Alma Elaine Conroy (ne Donnelly), a . Arianne Moffatt, from Quebec City, is a multi-talented singer that is undefinable by any genre standards. Kurt Browning. Klassen won five medals for Team Canada, despite the fact that there are far less medals available in the Winter Games. Perhaps no other name in the history of French sports is more popular today than Lacoste. Orr won eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the leagues MVP. Women's basketball didn't become an official Olympic sport until 1976. For a time, Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey held the record as the fastest man in the world. He also won the French national championship in the 5000-meter race, thus qualifying him for the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920. Initially, Hughes won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. Post-retirement, she worked as a sports columnist and coach. You dont earn a name like The Great One without being something special. Canadian teammate Ethel Catherwood won gold in high jump. His career with the Phoenix Suns was outstanding and saw him awarded as NBAs MVP twice. While there are 15 deserving athletes on this list, there are a number of incredible Canadian athletes that didnt make the cut, which wasnt an easy decision. Some that come to mind are Hockey Hall of Famer Angela James, the late freestyle skiing legend Sarah Burke, superb athlete and sports administrator Abby Hoffman and others. Honourable mentions: Marnie McBean and Kathleen Heddle. Canada's national women's soccer team, on the other hand, is one of the best in the world and are currently ranked fourth. Our focus was to represent aboriginal people on the world stage in sport and I think that's what we did.". Nancy Greene 7. Percy Williams was a Canadian athlete best remembered for winning two gold medals at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Born in Montral in 1786, he grew up at his family's estate and studied law. After retiring from tennis in 1932, he became pretty busy with his inventions, filing 20 new patents between the 1960s and 80s. George-tienne Cartiers vision of a Canada that combined the British and French nations was the basis for the creation of our modern country. More common known as GSP, Georges St. Pierre was a large factor in turning the UFC from a marginally watched sport into the powerhouse it is today. ski industry. You probably think of hockey and a variety of other winter sports, anything that requires snow and ice. Much like Mario Lemieux, theres a good chance Orr would be considered the greatest hockey player of all time if his career wasnt cut short by injury. The Jamaican born, Canadian sprinter won gold in the 100m setting a new world record of 9.84 seconds in the process. He returned to Canada after being granted amnesty in 1844. He also has bronze medals from the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2013 World Championships. Jessica Biel (born 1982), American actress with distant French roots. Sharing the stories and celebrating the contributions of inspiring Black Canadian athletes . Jenkins wasnt just a talented baseball player either, as he spent a few off-seasons playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. He retired in 2019, ending his basketball career as the ninth leading post-season scorer in NBA history. In the early 2000s, Mike Weir was the guy from Canada and he was one of the best players on tour. They were born 15 minutes apart to a traditional hunting and trapping family on the Mackenzie Delta, north of the Arctic Circle. Together, they sang O Canada, tears of joy in their eyes, while nearby stood proud eldest sister Maxime, who finished 12th. This laid the groundwork for a federation of the British colonies. That was then. He is also a former Commonwealth Champion and a 2-time World Champion. Article Angela Chalmers. She retired after 2012 London Games after finishing fifth in the time trial. 1 Georges St-Pierre (One of the Greatest Fighters in the History of Mixed Martial Arts) 37 21 Listed In: Sportspersons Birthdate: May 19, 1981 Sun Sign: Taurus Height: 5'10" (178 cm) 2 Glenn Ford (One of the Most Prominent Actors During Hollywood's Golden Age) 70 12 Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities Birthdate: May 1, 1916 Sun Sign: Taurus She has worn the Canadian jersey at 4 FIFA Womens World Cups and 3 Summer Olympic Games, earning bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. updated December 20, 2017, 7:59 pm, by He returned the following year and became more involved in politics, becoming the right-hand man of Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine. Hometown: Manchester, Jamaica (immigrated to Oakville, Ontario), Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa (immigrated to Regina, Saskatchewan then Victoria, B.C. One of the most beautiful and glamorous female tennis player, Genie Bouchard may not be ranked amongst top 10greatest Canadian athletes right now, but she deserve the honorable spot here. Former Edmonton Grads basketball team members (left to right) Edith Stone Sutton (1930-34), Margaret MacBurney . Later, she likely worked as a nurse at a hospital in her hometown. A long-time member of the Canadian national team, Sinclair currently has the 2nd most international goals in female soccer history. Guillemot held world records in 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters. Her six career medals ties her with speed skating teammate Cindy Klassen as Canada's most-decorated Olympian. 6 6. He campaigned for greater independence for Lower Canada, which was dominated by an influential British minority. As the first female leader of a political party in Canada, Thrse Casgrain changed the political landscape forever. The moment she won Canada's first-ever cross-country medal at an Olympic Games, Beckie Scott made history, but she could not have known how that achievement would forge the next part of her life. Shes also Canadas most decorated female athlete, with 24 medals in speed skating. She was a downhill skier before switching to cycling at the urging of her coach, Patrice Ciprelli, who later became her husband. To mark its 30th At the 2006 winter Olympic, Klassen became the only Canadian athlete to ever win five medals at one Olympic games. Here we profile the ultimate fighter for clean sport and a woman who changes the conversation around ability. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); She is an Olympic gold-medalist and 13-time world champion who also competed in track bicycle racing events. A lot can happen in four years. Called the greatest hockey player of all time by many and its unlikely hell lose that title anytime soon. The sport was dominated by Europeans at the time but Greene managed to clench the title, and went on the more glory including Olympic gold. Clara Hughes (Road Cycling/Speed Skating) Hughes has won six Olympic medals in her . She ran the anchor leg for Jane Bell, Ethel Smith and Myrtle Cook as Canada won gold in the inaugural 4x100-metre relay. He was traded to Minnesota before making his NBA debut, but quickly made a splash in the league, winning the Rookie of the Year award in his first season. She remains the only athlete to win multiple medals in both the summer and winter Olympics. Introducing a few of the many Montralers who became important figures in Canadian history. Raonic is undoubtedly the best Canadian mens tennis player today, evidenced by the fact he has been named Tennis Canadas male player of the year every year since 2011. Olympic gold medalist Canadian athlete Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld earned the nickname Bobbie for the bob cut she sported. Born in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. The title of Worlds Greatest Athlete has often been reserved for the best decathlete in the world, as the sport requires all-around ability in a variety of running, throwing, and jumping events. The Haitian-born athlete had moved to Canada as a child. She moved on to ski cross in Sochi 2014 and was predicted to be in the medal hunt at PyeongChang 2018 until she broke both legs in a World Cup event just before the Games. MacLennan's second gold was even more remarkable given her battle back from post-concussion syndrome in the lead-up to the Games. Born William Anthony Parker, Jr., in Belgium to an African-American father and a Dutch mother, Tony Parker was raised in France and became a naturalized French citizen at the age of 15. She was 15 when she began training in hurdles. Joseph Guillemot could be considered an anomaly in sports history. The 167 goals puts her second all-time in international goals scored, behind American Abby Wambach. Starting off our list we have Andrew Wiggins, the professional basketball player from the NBAs Minnesota Timberwolves. From 1972 to 1984, Shirley and Sharon Firth went to four consecutive Winter Olympics, shaped the sport of cross-country skiing in the north and ignited a conversation around indigenous culture. He won three Welterweight Championships between 2006 and 2008 and was listed as the number one welterweight in the world for several years. Gretzky played twenty seasons in the NHL between 1979 and 1999, and despite being retired for more than twenty years, he still holds just about every offensive record there is. The gifted playmaker returned to Phoenix in 2004 where he won back to back NBA MVP Awards. Previously dominated by the Europeans, Greene took over in 1967 winning the inaugural World Cup and seven out of 16 events on the circuit that year. She was educated by the Ursulines a religious order devoted to educating girls and caring for the sick and needy. Now, Humphries competes for the United States after an acrimonious split from the Canadian program. Edmonton basketball stars Michelle and Katherine Plouffe captured gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games, in between representing Canada at back-to-back Olympic Games. In the early 2000s, he spent the majority of his time in the top ten rankings and brought a major golf title to Canada for the first time ever when he won the Masters in 2003. She won the French road race Championship that same year. Clara Hughes has won six Olympic medals and also has an unusual record as being one of the only athletes in the world to have won medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games. The famous athlete was nicknamed 'The Big Train'. High Jumper Derek Drouin takes the 6th spot on our list of The Top 10 Canadian Athletes. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Four years later, she made the hurdles final once again and helped the 4x100 relay team to sixth-place finish. Makes sense, considering the countrys climate and geography. 19 year old Brooke Henderson is a rising star on the LPGA tour, having already won 3 tournaments (including 1 Major) at the LPGA level. Desai Williams also worked as a coach and trained Olympic athletes like Phylicia George, Justyn Warner, and Tremaine Harris among others. 4 Biathlon. She became a member of the Socit Notre-Dame de Montral and obtained funding from benefactor Anglique Bullion to establish a hospital on the island of Montral. Before there was Montral, there was Hochelaga a sixteenth-century agricultural community that mysteriously vanished. From 1915 to 1940, the Edmonton Grads won 502 games and lost only 20, beating the world's best teams from the United States and Europe. McBean, one of Canada's most decorated Olympians, and Heddle captured the gold in the coxless pair at Barcelona 1992 and followed it up with gold in the double sculls at Atlanta 1996. This week its the top 15 athletes in Canadas decorated sports history. Penny Oleksiak impressed the entire country with her four medals in last summers Summer games, but it doesnt compare to Cindy Klassens performance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. As the captain of Canadas hockey team, Philip-Poulin has led her team to two Olympic gold medals plus a silver medal. He gradually gave up politics but still had significant influence. Widely considered as the greatest all-around player in hockey history, Howe set the bar by playing until age 52, a mark that has never been beat. All rights reserved. He is currently ranked 4th in the world, though he was ranked 3rd for a time in 2016. Is it better for French-speaking and English-speaking friends to go to school together, or to have a chance to learn in their own language? The first of five hockey players on the list is also the most obvious. Born in Montral in 1896, Casgrain was the daughter of businessman and politician Sir Rodolphe Forget and Lady Blanche MacDonald. Without a doubt, Canadas greatest basketball player. Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions. There are parks and lakes and mountain peaks and streets and buildings named after her. Alexandre Lippmann, French fencer (pe), Olympic champion. . He is deemed one of the worlds greatest athletes. Born in 1606 to a bourgeois family in Langres in northwest France, Jeanne Mance founded Montrals first hospital. He once held the world record for the 100 meters and is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter of all time. Hockey has proven that Canada has its fair share of fighters, but not too many of us make a splash in the world of boxing. Her biggest win so far in her career is a victory at the 2016 KPMG Womens PGA Championship. Canada's national men's soccer team leaves much to be desired and are currently ranked 78th in the world. Henri Bourassa, born in 1868 in Montral, had a significant impact on Canadian politics through his nationalist position, which still resonates today. Few athletes on this list hold the type of legacy that Fox has among Canadians. The face of womens Canadian soccer and likely the greatest Canadian soccer player ever. A significant milestone, but even more significant is that hes also the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Nicknamed the Man of Bronze, Phil Edwards won five bronze medals for Canada at the Olympic Games between 1928 and 1936. The Society is committed to sharing and amplifying Indigenous histories, perspectives, and voices and walking together with Indigenous peoples on the path to truth and reconciliation. France is most noted for its amazing breads, cheeses, and wines; art, architecture, and fashion; and of course, its fabulous destinations. If you lived in North America or Europe in the 1960s and 70s, she was famous as they come. A 4-time Olympian and an Olympic gold medalist, retired Canadian track and field athlete Bruny Surin has been a master of the 4100m relay. JB Blanc (born 1969), actor; father of French descent. A 16-year span of dominance! In 1980, Ron Turcotte was elected as a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Army Howard Army Howard competes in the 4th round of the 100m at the Inter-Allied Games at the Pershing Stadium in Paris in July 1919. Similarly to Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak used the 2016 Summer Olympics as a means to catapult herself to the forefront of her sport. In span of his career, he had 10 grand slams to boot, 24 career titles, and was at No. This International Womens Day, lets celebrate some of Canada's female heroes of the past and not-so distant past. Overall, Wickenheiser's played in six Olympic Games. 1 ranking from 1926 to 1927. Eventually Bourassa resigned from the Liberal party and became an independent MP. His best-known role was Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride in 1987. He won a Grey Cup, a Memorial Cup, two Stanley Cups and even a baseball championship in the International League. Despite the poor showing of Canadian teams during this past hockey season, right now is a pretty exciting time for Canadian athletes. Marcheline Bertrand, actress of half French-Canadian ancestry, mother of actress Angelina Jolie. Sidney Crosby no doubt deserves this ranking, given he has been at the top of his sport for the last decade, achieving great success both professionally with the NHLs Pittsburgh Penguins, and internationally as a member of Team Canada. Velma Springstead was a Canadian athlete best remembered for winning a gold medal at the 1925 Canadian Track and Field Championships in Halifax. In 1834, the Patriotes won a large majority in the Legislative Assembly and prepared a series of reforms, dubbed the Ninety-Two Resolutions, which would allow French Canadians to win power in Lower Canada through responsible government. Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a former football star who played as an attacking midfielder. In his early days, he excelled in high jump and discus throw, too. He was also the creator of the first steel tennis racket and the tennis ball machine. Explore a timeline of Montreals 375-year history! Mbapp was born to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother in Paris. He bred and raced Standardbred horses as a hobby. Tom Longboat was an Onondaga athlete who specialized in distance running. Cindy Klassen Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. We kicked off our series of Canada 150 articles last week with Canadas 15 best ski resorts. Impressed by Mance and her mission, Peltrie decided to join the group. Despite the late entry into sprinting, De Grasse burst onto the scene in 2015 by winning the 100m and 200m events at the NCAA Championships while representing the University of Southern California. Thousands and thousands of girls hit the slopes to be just like Nancy. Robbed of that Olympic moment, she formed a powerful voice in the boardroom. As one of the worlds best decathletes, London, Ontarios Damian Warner is deserving of a spot on this list of the best Canadian athletes. Canadians may remember the iconic image of her skating around the Salt Lake City Oval with a Canada flag in her hand and a black stetson on her head. His illustrious career has seen him compete internationally for Jamaica, Canada, and Monaco. Guy Carleton (1724-1808) Sir Guy (later the Baron Dorchester) was an early and important British governor of the new English colony of Quebec, serving from 1768-1778 and then 1786-1796.He oversaw the implementation of the Quebec Act (1774), which aimed to create social peace with the French-Canadians while still asserting English political control. Lemieuxs career was ultimately shortened by injury, a mid-career retirement and even cancer, but number 66 is still considered one of the most talented and influential players to ever play the game. One of the enduring memories of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games was that of moguls gold medallist Justine Dufour-Lapointe standing on the top step of the podium, looking to her right and holding hands with her older sister Chloe, the silver medallist. He gave up his lucrative running career in 1916 to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces where his endurance was invaluable as a dispatch carrier in France; he was wounded twice and declared dead once. Hundreds of thousands came out to celebrate and in 1950, Rosenfeld was named Canada's female athlete of the first half of the century. Sharon Firth said: "The world was so fascinated by us skinny indian girls and boys and how we danced on skis. Clara Hughes Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was the inspiration for the 1998 movie My Giant. Admitted to the bar in 1835, he fought for the rights of the francophone minority and participated in the rebellions of 183738 alongside the Patriotes, before going into exile in Vermont. Jeannie Longos athletic career began in her hometown in the French Alps. She won the first-ever World Cup skiing race in 1967 before winning gold at the 1968 winter Olympic giant slalom event.