Sports Figures And Smoking

Sports Figures And Smoking

Ben Hogan

Corbis

It seems hard to believe now, but back in the days before the health dangers of smoking were fully and widely known, many athletes and other notable sports figures regularly lit up, even during competition or broadcasts. A few persist now with this bad habit, but as you look at the 31 notables in this gallery, you may wonder how some of them were able to achieve the things they did while essentially poisoning their bodies. CLICK HERE to read Adrian Dater's SI.com story on the days when the NHL was engulfed in tobacco smoke.

Jerry Coleman

Getty Images

Bear Bryant

Joe Scherschel/Getty Images

Vince Lombardi

Robert Riger/Getty Images

Roger Maris

Herb Scharfman/SI

Stan Mikita

Lee Balterman/SI

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus

James Drake/SI

Pete Rozelle

Tony Triolo

Willie Davis

Neil Leifer/SI

Art Modell

James Drake/SI

Jack Nicklaus

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Dick Allen

John Iacono/Sports Illustrated

Bobby Bonds

Corbis

Tommy Heinsohn

AP

Earl Weaver and Don Stanhouse

AP

Dave Parker

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Bill Parcells

Getty Images

Keith Hernandez

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Ian Woosnam

John Biever/SI

Marge Schott

Bill Frakes/SI

Fuzzy Zoeller

David Cannon/Allsport

John Daly

AP

Warren Spahn

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Darren Clarke

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Alex Cejka

AP

Shigeki Maruyama

John Biever/SI

Ricardo Mayorga

Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

JoAnne Carner

AP

Spencer Levin

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Dieter Krassnig

Joe Klamar/Getty Images

Jim Leyland

AP

Ron Washington

Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE