The following list includes notable athletes who were born or raised in Chicago, Illinois.
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doe Boyland | Jan 6, 1955 | Major League Baseball Player | Born in Chicago | [1] | ||
Cesar Carrillo | ![]() |
Apr 29, 1984 | MLB player | Born in Chicago! | [2] | |
Charles Comiskey | ![]() |
Aug 15, 1859 | Oct 26, 1931 | MLB player and team owner, namesake of Comiskey Park | Born in Chicago | [3] |
Josephine D'Angelo | Nov 23, 1924 | Aug 18, 2013 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [4] | |
Irene DeLaby | Aug 12, 1922 | Oct 6, 2012 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [5] | |
Chick Fraser | ![]() |
Aug 26, 1873 | May 8, 1940 | MLB player | Born in Chicago | [6] |
Barbara Gates | May 4, 1934 | Dec 1, 2000 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [7] | |
Philomena Gianfrancisco | Apr 20, 1923 | Jan 10, 1992 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [8] | |
Florence Hay | May 24, 1982 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [9] | ||
Arlene Kotil | May 22, 1934 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [10] | ||
Irene Kotowicz | Dec 10, 1919 | Jan 24, 2002 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [11] | |
Herman Long | ![]() |
Apr 13, 1866 | Sep 17, 1909 | MLB player and minor league manager | Born in Chicago | [12] |
Alex McCarthy | May 12, 1889 | Mar 12, 1978 | MLB player | Born in Chicago | [13] | |
Wally Pipp | ![]() |
February 17, 1893 | January 11, 1965 | First baseman for the Detroit Tigers (1913), New York Yankees (1915–1925), and Cincinnati Reds; World Series champion (1923); American League home run champion (1916, 1917)(1926–1928) | Born in Chicago | [14] |
Kirby Puckett | Mar 14, 1960 | Mar 6, 2006 | MLB Player, MLB Hall of Famer | Born in Chicago | [15] | |
Gloria Schweigerdt | Jun 10, 1934 | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player | Born in Chicago | [16] | ||
Stan Wasiak | Apr 8, 1920 | Nov 20, 1992 | Minor league manager, King of Baseball | Born in Chicago | [17] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nick Anderson | Jan 20, 1968 | NBA guard | Born in Chicago | [18] | ||
Patrick Beverley | Jul 12, 1988 | NBA player, plays for the Los Angeles Clippers | Born in Chicago | [19] | ||
Quinn Buckner | Aug 20, 1954 | NBA player and coach, NCAA, NBA and Olympic basketball player | [20] | |||
Will Bynum | ![]() |
Jan 4, 1983 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [21] | |
Anthony Davis | ![]() |
Mar 11, 1993 | NBA player, plays for the New Orleans Pelicans | Born in Chicago | [22] | |
Gene Dyker | Feb 17, 1930 | Jan 1, 1966 | NBA player | [23] | ||
Larry Friend | Apr 14, 1935 | Feb 27, 1998 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [24] | |
Tim Hardaway | Sep 1, 1966 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [25] | ||
Johnny Kerr | Jul 17, 1932 | Feb 26, 2009 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [26] | |
Mike Krzyzewski | ![]() |
Feb 13, 1947 | Basketball coach and player; coach at Duke University, known as "Coach K" | Born in Chicago | [27] | |
Ray Meyer | Dec 18, 1913 | Mar 17, 2006 | Men's basketball coach at DePaul University | Born in Chicago | [28] | |
George Mikan | ![]() |
Jun 18, 1924 | Jun 1, 2005 | NBA player, NBA Hall of Famer | Attended Quigley Prep in Chicago | [29] |
Nazr Mohammed | ![]() |
Sep 5, 1977 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [30] | |
Jabari Parker | ![]() |
Mar 15, 1995 | NBA player for Milwaukee Bucks | Born in Chicago | [31] | |
Jack Phelan | Nov 6, 1925 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [32] | ||
Cappie Pondexter | Jan 7, 1983 | WNBA All-Star for the New York Liberty; Olympic gold medalist (Beijing 2008) | Raised in Chicago | [33] | ||
Quentin Richardson | ![]() |
Apr 13, 1980 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [34] | |
Doc Rivers | Oct 13, 1961 | NBA player and coach | Born in Chicago | [35] | ||
Derrick Rose | ![]() |
Oct 4, 1988 | Player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2011 NBA MVP | Born in Chicago | [36] | |
Isiah Thomas | ![]() |
Apr 30, 1961 | NBA player, NBA Hall of Famer | Born in Chicago | [37] | |
Dwyane Wade | ![]() |
Jan 17, 1982 | NBA guard for Cleveland Cavaliers | Born in Chicago | [38] | |
Antoine Walker | ![]() |
Aug 12, 1976 | NBA player | Born in Chicago | [39] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jesús Chávez | Nov 12, 1972 | World boxing champion | Raised in Chicago | [40] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flozell Adams | May 18, 1975 | NFL offensive lineman | Born in Chicago | [41] | ||
Norm Amundsen | Sep 28, 1932 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [42] | ||
Dick Barwegan | ![]() |
Dec 25, 1921 | Sep 3, 1966 | NFL offensive lineman | Born in Chicago | [43] |
Ed Bell | Sep 20, 1921 | Dec 6, 1990 | NFL guard and tackle | Born in Chicago | [44] | |
Dick Butkus | ![]() |
Dec 9, 1942 | NFL linebacker, Hall of Fame linebacker for the Bears | Born in Chicago | [45] | |
Bill Callahan | Jul 31, 1956 | Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys | Born in Chicago | [45][46] | ||
Larry Canada | Dec 16, 1954 | NFL running back | Born in Chicago | [47] | ||
Joe Carey | Nov 14, 1895 | NFL guard and tackle | Born in Chicago | [48] | ||
Sean Cattouse | Oct 4, 1988 | NFL safety | Born in Chicago | [49] | ||
Steve Collier | Apr 19, 1963 | NFL offensive tackle | Born in Chicago | [50] | ||
Larry Coutre | Apr 11, 1928 | May 19, 2008 | NFL halfback | Born in Chicago | [51] | |
Dick Evans | ![]() |
May 31, 1917 | May 26, 2008 | NFL player | Born in Chicago | [52] |
Fred Evans | Nov 6, 1983 | Defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins | Born in Chicago | [53] | ||
Dick Fencl | February 24, 1909 | June 25, 1972 | NFL end | Born in Chicago | [54] | |
Tom Finnin | Sep 28, 1927 | NFL defensive tackle | Born in Chicago | [55] | ||
Ray Frankowski | Sep 14, 1919 | Nov 27, 2001 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [56] | |
Chuck Gelatka | January 28, 1914 | May 23, 2001 | NFL end | Born in Chicago | [57] | |
George Halas | ![]() |
Feb 2, 1895 | Oct 31, 1983 | Coach and owner of the Bears | [58] | |
Napoleon Harris | Feb 25, 1979 | NFL linebacker | Born in Chicago | [59] | ||
Arnold Horween | ![]() |
Jul 7, 1898 | Aug 5, 1985 | Harvard Crimson All American football player and NFL football player | Born in Chicago | [60] |
Ralph Horween | Aug 3, 1896 | May 26, 1997 | Harvard Crimson All American football player and NFL football player | Born in Chicago | [61] | |
Tony Ippolito | Sep 19, 1917 | Nov 12, 1951 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [62] | |
Clarence Janecek | Apr 1, 1911 | Jan 16, 1990 | NFL offensive guard | Born in Chicago | [63] | |
Johnny Karras | January 29, 1928 | NFL halfback | Born in Chicago | [64] | ||
John Kenerson | Born in Chicago | March 18, 1938 | December 6, 1995 | NFL, AFL and CFL player | Born in Chicago | [65] |
John Kropke | January 3, 1966 | CFL defensive lineman | Born in Chicago | [66] | ||
Larry Lauer | Aug 27, 1927 | NFL center | Born in Chicago | [67] | ||
Marv Levy | Aug 3, 1925 | Coach of Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Blitz of the USFL, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee | Born in Chicago | [68] | ||
Marc May | Jan 1, 1956 | NFL tight end | Born in Chicago | [69] | ||
John McGarry | Nov 24, 1963 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [70] | ||
Donovan McNabb | ![]() |
Nov 25, 1976 | NFL quarterback, current analyst on NFL Network and Fox Sports | Born in Chicago | [71] | |
John Meyer | Feb 20, 1942 | NFL player and coach | Born in Chicago | [72] | ||
Ed Mieszkowski | October 14, 1925 | February 15, 2004 | AAFC tackle | Born in Chicago | [73] | |
Ray Nitschke | Dec 29, 1936 | Mar 8, 1998 | NFL linebacker for the Packers, NFL Hall of Famer | Lived in Chicago | [74] | |
Bill O'Neill | Apr 25, 1910 | Oct 27, 2000 | NFL back for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams | Born in Chicago | [75] | |
David Petway | Oct 17, 1955 | NFL defensive back | Born in Chicago | [76] | ||
Jim Psaltis | Dec 14, 1927 | NFL defensive back | Born in Chicago | [77] | ||
Simeon Rice | Feb 24, 1974 | NFL defensive end | Born in Chicago | [78] | ||
Knute Rockne | ![]() |
Mar 4, 1888 | Mar 31, 1931 | Football player and coach at Notre Dame | Grew up in the Logan Square area of Chicago | [79][80] |
George Schmidt | Oct 28, 1927 | NFL defensive end | Born in Chicago | [81] | ||
Joe Skibinski | Dec 23, 1928 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [82] | ||
Ed Skoronski | October 15, 1910 | December 22, 1996 | NFL player | Born in Chicago | [83] | |
John Spilis | Oct 14, 1947 | NFL wide receiver | Born in Chicago | [84] | ||
Jimmy Tays | Mar 10, 1899 | Jun 21, 1986 | NFL player | Born in Chicago | [85] | |
Pierre Thomas | ![]() |
Dec 18, 1984 | NFL running back, current running back for the New Orleans Saints | Born in Chicago | [86] | |
Chuck Ulrich | Dec 14, 1929 | Apr 10, 2006 | Defensive tackle for the Chicago Cardinals | Born in Chicago | [87] | |
Lou Usher | Jan 1, 1927 | NFL offensive lineman for the Bears | Born in Chicago | [88] | ||
Joe Vodicka | March 4, 1921 | February 28, 1995 | NFL halfback | Born in Chicago | [89] | |
Marty Wendell | November 22, 1926 | March 7, 2012 | American football guard | Born in Chicago | [90] | |
Ken Wendt | Jan 29, 1910 | Jan 19, 1982 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [91] | |
Chuck Winfrey | Mar 27, 1949 | NFL linebacker | Born in Chicago | [92] | ||
Chet Winters | Oct 22, 1960 | NFL running back | Born in Chicago | [93] | ||
Harry Wunsch | Nov 20, 1910 | NFL guard | Born in Chicago | [94] | ||
Joe Young | Aug 3, 1933 | Defensive end in the AFL | Born in Chicago | [95] | ||
Bob Zimny | Dec 11, 1921 | Aug 11, 2011 | NFL tackle | Born in Chicago | [96] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lee Mida | 1890 | 1960 | Winner of the 1930 Women's Western Open | Born in Chicago | [97] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bart Conner | Mar 28, 1958 | Olympic gymnastic gold medalist (1984) | Raised in Chicago | [98] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Chelios | ![]() |
Jan 25, 1962 | NHL defenseman | Born in Chicago | [99] | |
John Hayden | Feb 14, 1995 | NHL forward for Chicago Blackhawks | Born in Chicago | [100] | ||
Al Montoya | ![]() |
Feb 13, 1995 | NHL goalie for Montreal Canadiens | Born in Chicago | [101] | |
Eddie Olczyk | Jan 25, 1962 | NHL player and color commentator | Born in Chicago | [102] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shani Davis | ![]() |
Aug 13, 1982 | Olympic speed-skater | Born in Chicago | [103] | |
Dorothy Hamill | ![]() |
Jul 26, 1956 | Figure skater, 1976 Olympic champion and the 1976 World champion | Born in Chicago | [104] | |
Evan Lysacek | ![]() |
Jun 4, 1985 | Figure skater, 2010 Olympic champion and 2009 World champion | Born in Chicago | [105] | |
Janet Lynn | Apr 6, 1953 | Figure skater, 1972 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world medalist | Born in Chicago | [106] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
James Chico Hernandez
(a.k.a., "Chico") |
File:Hernandez,medal.jpg | Apr 14, 1954 | Sambo practitioner; member of the USA National Team | Born in Chicago | [107] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bobby Dotter | Jul 11, 1960 | NASCAR driver turned owner | Born in Chicago | [108] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robert Halperin | Jan 26, 1908 | May 8, 1985 | Olympic and Pan American Games yachting medalist; quarterback for the Brooklyn Dodgers; decorated World War II US-Navy sailor; co-founder of Lands' End; Chairman of Commercial Light Company | Born in Chicago | [109] | |
Donald Spero | Aug 9, 1939 | American physicist; venture capitalist; European Rowing Championships bronze medalist and Olympic rower (1964) | [110] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marcelo Balboa | ![]() |
Aug 8, 1967 | Defender for MLS teams MetroStars and Colorado Rapids, and the Liga MX team Club León; captain of the U.S. national team; member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame | Born in Chicago | [111] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stuart Scott | ![]() |
Jul 19, 1965 | Jan 4, 2015 | Sportscaster and anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter | Born in Chicago | [112] |
Michael Wilbon | ![]() |
Nov 19, 1958 | ESPN commentator and co-host of Pardon the Interruption; sportswriter and columnist for the Washington Post | Born in Chicago | [113] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laura Granville | ![]() |
May 12, 1981 | Tennis player and head coach of Princeton University women's tennis team | Born in Chicago | [114] | |
Andrea Jaeger | Jun 4, 1965 | Tennis player and an Anglican Dominican nun; winner of 10 singles titles | Born in Chicago | [115] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Conley, Sr. | Oct 5, 1962 | Olympic gold medalist triple jumper (1992 Barcelona games) | Born in Chicago | [116] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russ Rose | ![]() |
Nov 29, 1953 | Hall of Fame women's volleyball coach at Penn State | Born in Chicago | [117] |
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bobby Heenan | ![]() |
Nov 1, 1944 | Retired AWA, WWF and WCW manager and commentator. WWE Hall of Fame inductee | Born in Chicago | [118] | |
Kalisto | ![]() |
Nov 14, 1986 | Two-time WWE United States Champion | Born in Chicago | [119] | |
CM Punk | ![]() |
Oct 26, 1978 | Seven-time World Champion with World Wrestling Entertainment; known as "the longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era"; retired from WWE in 2014; now a mixed martial artist | Born in Chicago | [120] | |
Justin Roberts | ![]() |
Dec 29, 1979 | Ring announcer for the World Wrestling Entertainment | Born in Chicago | [121] | |
Larry Zbyszko | ![]() |
Dec 5, 1951 | Former AWA World Champion, WWE Hall of Fame inductee | Born in Chicago | [122] |