Sports Champions' Visits to the White House

Los Angeles Lakers (1985)

Los Angeles Lakers (2002)

Los Angeles Lakers (2010)

The Lakers were frequent visitors to the White House, having won the NBA championship 16 times in franchise history, including five in the past decade with Phil Jackson at the helm.

Chicago Bulls (1997)

The Bulls were also familiar guests at the White House, as they won six championships in the 1990s.  They were beastly dominant, but unfortunately this Sports Illustrated album has only one photo of their visits.  

Joe DiMaggio and Rocky Marciano (1953)

Ben Hogan (1953)

Stan Musial (1962)

Boston Celtics (1963)

Bart Starr, Arnold Palmer and Al Kaline (1969)

Terry Bradshaw (1970)

Ken Norton and Muhammad Ali (1974)

Pelé (1975)

Jesse Owens and John Thompson (1976)

Carl Yastrzemski (1979)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1980)

Image credits: Athletes Visiting the White House.

It was a thrill to watch the Chicago Blackhawks visit the White House this past Fall, as a way to cap their 2013 Stanley Cup championship.  Many of the players looked thrilled, too.  I may never shake a US President's hand, but I did shake the hand of Philippine (former) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in January 2008 when she visited Dubai.  That was a special moment.

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!

Ron Villejo, PhD