In honor of the brave men and women who go to bat for our freedom, we'll honor a few athletes who sacrificed their careers to serve their country.
- Pat Tillman: The former Arizona Cardinals linebacker left his NFL career to enlist in the United States Army in 2002. He enlisted in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and served for two years as a Specialist in the 2nd Ranger Battalion and 75th Ranger Battalion. Tillman was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal during his time with the Army. The cause of his death was from friendly fire.
- Hank Greenberg: "The Hebrew Hammer" re-enlisted and volunteered during World War II and served for 45 months. This stands as the longest service of any major league player today. He was also the first American League player to be drafted into the military in 1940 and wasn't bitter about it, stating that "his country comes first". He was honorably discharged during the 1941 season when the United States Congress released men aged 28 and older from service.
- Ted Williams: Williams' career was twice halted by his service as a U.S. Marines Corps fighter pilot. He fought in both World War II and the Korean War. He also served in the United States Navy while earning a National Defense Service Medal amongst many other awards for his service.
- Joe Louis: He enlisted in the Army during World War II and eased racial tensions in military units. He received the Legion of Merit Medal for his service.
- David Robinson: The former center for the Spurs attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served two years of duty with the Navy.
- Willie Mays: Hall of Fame baseball player and former Giant was drafted into active duty in 1952. He served in the Korean War with the U.S. Army.
- Jackie Robinson: Number 42 was initially drafted into a segregated unit of the Army in 1942. During his time, he had been court-martialed for refusing to move to the back of an Army bus.
