Athletes Visiting The White House

SI Staff | Aug 20, 2013

Athletes Visiting The White House

1972 Miami Dolphins

Alex Wong/Getty Images

The 1972 Miami Dolphins have finally received their White House moment, 40 years after their historic undefeated season. It was a long wait for a Super Bowl championship team whose feat of 17 games without a loss has been unmatched in the NFL. President Barack Obama welcomed former team members and their then-coach, Hall of Famer Don Shula, at a White House ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 20, in recognition of their perfect season. Among those present was the team's star fullback, Hall of Famer Larry Csonka, who made the trip from Alaska. The '72 Dolphins beat the Washington Redskins in the January 1973 Super Bowl. But in 1973 President Richard Nixon was preoccupied with the Watergate scandal, and White House salutes to sports teams were less of a tradition than now. From Joe DiMaggio visiting President Eisenhower in 1953 to the UConn women pulling out the bunny ears on President Obama in 2013, here is a historical look at athletes visiting the White House.

Joe DiMaggio and Rocky Marciano

Corbis

Ben Hogan

Corbis

Stan Musial

AP

Boston Celtics

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Bart Starr, Arnold Palmer and Al Kaline

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Terry Bradshaw

Corbis

Muhammad Ali

AP

Pelé

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Jesse Owens and John Thompson

AP

Carl Yastrzemski

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Pittsburgh Steelers

AP

University of Louisville

AP

U.S. Men's Hockey Team

AP

Boston Celtics

AP

Los Angeles Lakers

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Raymond Floyd

Corbis

Los Angeles Dodgers

AP

San Francisco 49ers

AP

Dallas Cowboys

JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images

Colorado Avalanche

AP

Chicago Bulls

Stephen Jaffe/AFP/Getty Images

Detroit Red Wings

Chris Kleponis/AFP/Getty Images

Duke University

AP

New England Patriots

AP

Los Angeles Lakers

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Boston Red Sox

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Tony Stewart

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New York Giants

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North Carolina

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Los Angeles Lakers

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

New Orleans Saints

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Chicago Blackhawks

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Dallas Mavericks

AP

Boston Bruins

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Miami Heat

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

On Jan. 28, 2013, the Heat celebrated their 2012 championship with a trip to the White House. It was the latest in a long-standing tradition of athletes commemorating championships with U.S. Presidents. From Joe DiMaggio visiting President Eisenhower in 1953 to LeBron James with Barack Obama, here is a historical look at athletes visiting the White House.

Baltimore Ravens

Charles Dharapak/AP

On June 5, 2013, the Ravens celebrated their 2012 championship season with a trip to the White House.

Connecticut Women's Basketball

Carolyn Kaster/AP