Status: NASCAR champion driver of the #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet. Seven-time Winston Cup Series champion. Winner of 1998 Daytona 500.

DOB: April 29, 1951 In: Kannapolis, NC

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185

Childhood Hero: “My dad Ralph.”

Hobbies/Interests: “Hunting, fishing, my farm, watching my daughter Taylor grow up. Watching mine and (wife) Theresa’s house being built.”

Favorite Movies: “Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner movies.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “All five (Winston Cup Series) Championships. They get better.”

Favorite Book: “Don’t have much time to read.”

Favorite Meal: “Steak, spaghetti.”

Favorite Snack: “Oatmeal cakes.”

Favorite TV Show: “The Honeymooners.”

Favorite Sport To Watch Outside Racing: “Football.”

Favorite Sport To Participate Outside Racing: “Hunting, fishing.”

Musical Tastes: “Delbert McClinton, T. Graham Brown, Hank Jr., Alabama.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “Bahamas.”

First Car: “A 1956 Chevy hardtop.”

First Job: “Sunoco Service Station in Kannapolis, NC.”

Favorite Hollywood Personality: “Clint Eastwood.”

Little Known Fact: “Then it wouldn’t be little known [smiles].”

People Most Admired: “Richard Petty, farmers, Pastor Cozart.”

Status: New York Times Pulitzer-Prize winning sports columnist. Author of 21 books.

DOB: May 6, 1929  In: Troy, New York

Childhood Hero:  ”Stan Musial. I lived in Brooklyn but I liked the Cardinals more than the Dodgers. Stan was my guy. Great hitter. I liked him from the time he was a rookie in 1941. That great pennant race with the Dodgers. And he hit – I’ll look it up right now – .412 in the last 12 games. When he was 20. I met him years later in the 1950’s when I was covering the Dodgers for The Brooklyn Eagle.”

Childhood Dream:  ”I wanted to be a sportswriter. We had no television back then. We got all of our sports news out of the newspaper. I loved to read, so then I wanted to write. And then I wanted to write about sports. I was 12 at the time.”

Early Career Memory:  ”The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was I was the last man to cover the Brooklyn Dodgers for The Brooklyn Eagle in 1953. When I got the beat I was only 24. I was fortunate. The paper folded in early ‘55. When it folded, I went to The Journal-American. I had the great experience of covering The Boys Of Summer.”

Pre-Writing Feeling/Mindset:  ”Sit down and figure out how I’m gonna write what I want to say. Try to get my notes squared away. Looking over the notes for two-three minutes, that makes it easier. If I don’t do it, if a deadline is tight, sometimes I’m groping. That two-three minutes can save half an hour. From the notes, the lead will jump out at you.”

Favorite Movies:  ”Casablanca, Bridge Over The River Kwai, Treasure Of The Sierra Madre.”

Musical Tastes:  ”Old bands, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Anne Murray, Whitney Houston.”

Favorite Meal:  ”A good steak, spinach, with vodka on the rocks.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:  ”Butter pecan.”

First Job:  ”Produce clerk at my Uncle Al’s produce department at the Grand Union in Schenectady, New York (age 14).”

Favorite TV Show:  ”Mary Tyler Moore Show. I’d stop whatever I was doing and watch that – 9 o’clock on Saturday nights.”

Greatest Sports Moment:  ”When I shot a 74 playing golf once. The only time I ever broke 80! I have no idea how it happened. A complete aberration. At Sunnydale in Westchester in 1984. I remember that week I shot 87, 87, 74, 87. I was flabbergasted. It was so easy. I wondered why I couldn’t do this every day. Then I was right back at 87 the next day. But I did it once. I had a day.”

Most Painful Career Moment:  ”Watching Muhammad Ali against Larry Holmes. We’ll never have anybody like Ali. One of the greatest athletes of all time. You knew he shouldn’t have been fighting and why was he doing it? Holmes took it easy on him but he still had to hit him. Ali was getting beaten up. It kept going on and on. Finally Herbert Muhammad (Ali’s manager) signaled to Angelo Dundee to stop it (11th round).”

Most Treasured Possession:  ”I’m not a big memorabilia guy. I have a few things. I could say the certificate you get for winning the Pulitzer Prize (in 1981 for Distinguished Commentary). If my house was on fire and I could run in and get one thing, that would be it.”

Favorite Athletes:  ”The great athletes, no matter what the sport. They make you appreciate their skill.”

Funny Career Memory:  ”About 30 years ago, Al Davis (Oakland Raiders owner) complained to me that I always described him as ’sinister.’ I said to him, ‘I thought you’d consider that a compliment, Al.’ He said, ‘Yeah, but you don’t know, my mother reads The Times.’”

Favorite Sportswriters:  ”Red Smith – just a great writer. Great American writer. Jimmy Cannon. Bill Heinz. Arthur Daley.”

People Qualities Most Admired:  ”People who do their job better than anyone else. Over a long period of time. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Whatever job that may be – writer, mailman, policeman, fireman. Consistent, dedicated. That’s what made the Cal Ripken streak so incredible. There are people who go to work everyday who are Cal Ripkens in their own way. If you can depend on someone to do a good job – everyday – that, to me, is what makes people special.”

Interesting Fact:  ”I still write my letters on an old, portable Olivetti  typewriter that I’ve had for 40 years. It still works, enough. When I get letters from readers, I’ll write back two or three paragraphs. I’m looking at it now. It’s got a lot of mileage.”

Future Ambition:  ”None [laughs]. I have no ambitions. I’ve obtained all my ambitions, really. My only ambition is to only do a good job. Keep writing what I think is a good column.”

Born: July 19, 1946 in Bucharest, Romania.

Childhood Hero: “The first picture of Roy Emerson in Romanian newspaper. I didn’t have anyone to look up to. I play tennis the way I feel.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I’m into cars. I collect Brancusi sculptures. He was a unique Romanian sculptor. Died in 1957. And collecting old watches. I have about 70 or 80 watches. I buy them because I love all watches. Probably because I didn’t have any as a kid. Watch soccer and hockey. Hockey is so fast. You only realize how difficult it is when you try to skate. Amazing game. A little bit like soccer.”

Nicknames: “Nasty — which is going to stay forever (smiles). And Nasty Boy — from Jimmy Connors.”

Favorite Movies: “Movies with Clint Eastwood. I know him personally. I met him at La Costa in California. He was taking lessons. We played pro-am and became friends. He invited me to L.A. (Scoop Malinowski: “How was Eastwood as a tennis player?”) He’s 6-foot-6, he’s huge! Very tall. Very slow. Slowest person in the world. Good in golf though.”

Musical Tastes: “Elvis, definitely. The Beatles, Rolling Stones.”

Favorite Books: “I’m not patient. I don’t read much. I like the cassettes. Easier. I have a problem with concentration.”

Early Tennis Memory: “I remember holding a racquet in my hand and going to the soccer field. I always carried my racquet with me. I loved soccer and tennis. Soccer helped a lot with coordination. Sprints and short stops — a big help for me.”

First Job: “Army Lieutenant (age 22). Then I was a Major when I was 30.”

Favorite Meal: “Italian. I lived two years in Italy. I had Italian food every day. It wasn’t enough (smiles).”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Any fruit flavor.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1991. That mean everything.”

Closest Tennis Friends: “Connors — he’s godfather for my kids. I’m godfather for his kids. Ion Tiriac. Vitas Gerulaitis was a friend. Guillermo Vilas. Adriano Panatta. Tom Okker. Manuel Orantes.”

Funniest Tennis Players: “Eddie Dibbs. Arthur Ashe said, I can take one of you in the locker room, but not both! We used to drive him crazy (smiles).”

Favorite Tennis Players To Watch: “Pete Sampras. Miloslav Mecir. John McEnroe — the biggest talent. Ken Rosewall. Rod Laver. Pancho Gonzalez. Connors. Bjorn Borg, Agassi. Kuerten. All the champions. They all have something special about them. I go for the natural, born-to-be tennis players. Guys like that I’m looking for.”

Interesting Fact: “I’ve never been in a fight in my life. Which is amazing. I was an animal on the court. I think my temperament is balanced. I’m calm off the court. To be that intense on the court, and to be balanced off — good for me. Off the court, anyone can kill me. On the court, I’m opposite.”

Residences: New York, Bucharest, Paris.

Career Accomplishments: The holder of 57 titles including Roland Garros in 1973 and the U.S. Open in 1972. A two-time Wimbledon runner-up, Nastase won Grand Slam doubles titles at Roland Garros (with Tiriac in 1970), Wimbledon (with Connors in ’73) and U.S. Open (with Connors in ’75). Reached #1 in the world in 1973 and led Romania to three Davis Cup finals.

Ht: 5-6 Wt: 110

DOB: November 24, 1971 In: Carolina, Puerto Rico

Childhood Hero: “Well, for the racetrack, I have to say Angel Cordero.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I have no hobby [laughs]. Only my children and my wife. That’s my hobby.”

Nickname: Johnny V.

Favorite Movies: “Wow. I gotta say Dirty Dancing. The Star Wars movies are great movies.”

Favorite TV Show: “Friends.”

Musical Tastes: “All kinds. I like dance music.”

First Job: “Cleaning windows in a hotel in Puerto Rico – Travelodge in San Juan.”

First Car: “Toyota Corolla (gray).”

Early Racing Memory: “It was the Breeder’s Cup race in ‘88. Angel Cordero won one of the races. I watched it on TV, that was in Puerto Rico.”

Favorite Meal: “Anything. I like my rice and beans.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Chocolate.”

Pre-Race Feeling: “Not much. Just a lot of homework. A lot of homework and thinking, What I’m gonna do the best for my horse. How should I be placing it? And also watch the races, race by race. And a lot of prayers [smiles].”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Wow. Well, winning the Belmont Stakes with Rags To Riches (2007). Winning two Breeder’s Cup one day. Winning stakes races in Saratoga. And winning the Travers has been the highlights of my career.”

Most Painful Moment: “Many falls [laughs]. Many falls. That’s what I gotta say, yeah.”

Favorite Racetrack: “Saratoga.”

Funny Memory: “I remember Angel telling me the story how some horse – they made him bark at him. If you bark at him, he’ll run for it [smiles]. I think that was funny. He tried anything, so. Angel told me stories about people telling him instructions about horses. I thought that was a really funny one. It made him run faster.”

Embarrassing Memory: “For myself? I don’t know. Embarrassing for me – screwing up the race. That’s the most embarrassing thing. When you think you can win the race and you messed up the race. That’s embarrassing.”

Favorite Horses: “Oh my God, there’s so many. If I was going to have to name it I would have to name them all [laughs]. I rode so many good horses that were early in my career that actually put my name in different places. There’s a lot or horses that touch my heart, just because they won, lift up my career.”

Childhood Dream: “I look back, I never thought I was gonna be a jockey. That came later, as a teenager. Childhood dream…I just thought I was gonna be a lawyer or accountant, something to do with financials. I was always interested in numbers and money and stuff like that.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Kindness.”

Family: Wife, Leona; daughter, Lerina; son, Michael.

DOB: May 12, 1925 In: St. Louis, Missouri

CHILDHOOD HERO: Joe Medwick. I liked him. With the Cardinals. He used to be my newspaper customer. And I played golf with him.

FIRST JOB: Being a paperboy for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (age 13).

HOBBIES: Play golf, all sports, go to (New Jersey) Devils games.

FAVORITE MOVIES: Westerns, war movies, John Wayne, Greer Garson, Betty Grable and Gregory Peck movies. I like movies.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Anything that’s good, I watch [smiles].

MUSICAL TASTES: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louie Armstrong. I knew them too.

EARLY MEMORY: Well, I was happy to be on the team. Only a young kid, 21. Made it my first year (‘46). I had a good spring training and they kept me. Hit .305 that year.

GREATEST SPORTS MOMENT: A lot of them. Being called in the Hall of Fame (‘72). The phone call and the induction. Don Larsen’s perfect game (‘56 World Series). Playing in 14 World Series in 17 years.

MOST PAINFUL MOMENT: Didn’t have any painful ones. I enjoyed every moment of it. Beats work [laughs].

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION: 1956 catching glove, when I caught Don Larsen’s no-hitter. I had my glove bronzed. Never had that done before. Keep it at home. Right now my son’s got it, probably in a safe.

FAVORITE MEAL: Tripe (inside of a cow’s stomach), salad, celery, with a glass of water.

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: Any kind. What are you doing? Writing a book?

TOUGHEST COMPETITORS: They all wanted to beat the Yankees. We had a lot of games with the Dodgers. We just happened to win more. The thing was, we were all friends…Campy (Roy Campanella), Jackie Robinson, Elston Howard…from St. Louis like I was.

PEOPLE QUALITIES MOST ADMIRED: I like all of them, if they’re nice.

FUTURE AMBITION: I did it all already. I enjoy now doing what I do…playing golf, relaxing a little, enjoying life.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Three-time MVP; 13 World Championships; 18-time All-Star; Major League career spanned from 1946-65.

DOB: May 18, 1975 In: Chicago, IL

Status: Pittsburgh Steelers five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle.

Football Heroes: “I never had a hero actually. Always my childhood hero was to know the things I needed to do, to be what I wanted to be, whatever that was at the time.”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “Computer surfing, traveling, driving. Just a long drive. I’ll drive within eight hours anywhere. But if it’s over eight, I’m flying [smiles].”

Nicknames: “Just Big Flo. The Hotel.”

Favorite Movies: “The Color Purple and Matrix.”

Early Football Memory: “When I didn’t allow a sack my first start in college, at Michigan State against Nebraska (1995). When they were coming off the national championship.”

Pre-Game Feeling: “Just go out there and kick ass, that’s the feeling [smiles].”

First Job: “Was financial services for Equitable when I was 20.”

First Car: “Spartan green Ford Taurus SHO.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Cookies and cream.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Super Bowl.”

Most Painful Moment: “I’d have to say not winning a Bowl game while I was in college, out of all the Bowls we went to.”

Funniest Players: “Roy Williams was just silly in general.”

Toughest Competitors Encountered: “Hugh Douglas. Year after year he was tough to go up against when he was with Philly.”

Funny Football Memory: “When this teammate in college used to dip a lot, he kept all his spit in a milk jug. And he had it in his locker. Then one day it fell down and got all on me [smiles]. That’s like six months worth of dip. And I had to jump up and ran and just took a shower. I was on the shower with my clothes on, takin’ them off while I was takin’ a shower. It was so nasty.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “People who are direct and don’t give any bull****.”

Status: Former World Heavyweight champion 1919-1926.

DOB: June 24, 1895 In: Manassa, Colorado

Childhood Hero: “John L. Sullivan.”

Nicknames: Kid Blackie, Manassa Mauler (from Damon Runyan), Manassa Jack, The Man Eater, Jack The Giant Killer.

Hobbies/Interests: “Reading, golf, opera. He discovered opera when he was 80. Madame Butterfly, which was also my favorite. He told me how sad he was that he never saw one younger.”

Funny Memory: “We met Muhammad Ali in San Juan, Puerto Rico after he beat Jean-Pierre Coopman in 1976. He was young and handsome and vital and so full of life. After the fight, as he was coming down the steps from the ring, Ali spotted Jack and he said, ‘Mr. Dempsey, can I call you Jack?’ Jack said, ‘Everybody calls me Jack.’ Then Muhammad said, Oh Jack, you were the greatest!’ And Jack said, ‘But Muhammad, I thought you always said YOU were the greatest?’ Ali said, ‘Jack. When I say I’m the greatest, it’s all bullshit!’”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “The night before the fight he was agitated. I think all of them are. I don’t think he slept well the night before. He told me when he went into the ring against Jess Willard, Willard was there already, standing very tall with his hands up over his head. When Jack saw that, he said to himself, ‘I’m not fighting for the title, my God, I’m fighting for my life!’”

Favorite Movies: “Gary Cooper movies. They were friends. News reels.”

Musical Tastes: “Classical, Verdi, Puccini, Frank Sinatra.”

Favorite Book: “War & Peace.”

Childhood Dream: “He wanted to be a champion when he started to fight. They were terribly poor. He was very good to his mother when he became champion.”

Favorite Meal: “Spaghetti, meat sauce, cheeses, with a glass of water. He wasn’t much of a drinker.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “All kinds.”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Pancakes. He likes pancakes the best.”

Closest Boxing Friends: “Floyd Patterson. Gene Tunney. He liked all of them but he was closest to them. He beat Luis Firpo and then they became friends. Jack was just that kind of person. In 1956, Firpo invited Jack to come visit him in Argentina. When Jack arrived to the hacienda and he saw so many people, he asked what they were doing. Firpo said he was giving Jack a party. Jack asked, how many people did he invite? 14,000!”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “Italy. He loved Italy. Rome. Venice. He loved Italian people. They were so kind. He also liked London, England.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “When he was 75 and Madison Square Garden gave a party for Jack (the same night as Jerry Quarry vs. Mac Foster in 1970). And the whole Madison Square Garden was filled. When they called Jack, everybody stood up and sang Happy Birthday to him. Gene Tunney. Georges Carpentier. Jack Sharkey. Joey Giardello. Joe Frazier. George Chuvalo. Jose Torres. Emile Griffith. Dick Tiger. Sandy Saddler. Ismael Laguna were all there. It was a very moving moment for Jack. And also for me.”

Most Painful Moment: “He said he felt bad every time when he beat somebody. He felt bad that he had to do it. But he had to do it. When you have to do it, you have to do it. When he knocked out Carpentier, he immediately went to his side to make sure he was all right and helped him to his corner.”

Worst Injury: “Broken nose many times. And when Firpo threw him out of the ring, he hit his back. He suffered very much through the years with arthritis in his back.”

Most Treasured Possession: “I never saw the belt. I think he gave it away. He was a giver, he wasn’t a taker. He would take off his watch and give it to somebody.”

On Retiring At Age 32: “When I asked him why he retired from the ring, he told me, ‘Sometimes when you get one more fight, something happens to you. You are not the same anymore.’”

People Qualities Most Admired: “He liked intelligent people. People with brains. Because that’s what he always missed. He didn’t have a good education. And he always admired people who were doctors. He had great respect for doctors.”

First Memory Meeting Jack: “I used to work in the lobby of the hotel. He would come by and visit me. When he first told me his name, he told me his name was John L. Sullivan [smiles].”

Record: 31-1 (25).

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 168

DOB: February 20, 1980 In: Yerevan, Armenia

Childhood Hero: “Iron Mike Tyson. My idol in boxing.”

First Boxing Memory: “My first fight I have too much feelings of being scared, afraid. My first pro fight was when I was 23 (TKO 3 Frank Kary). My first amatuer fight – the same. The same feeling – scared. (Win or lose?) I win by KO round two.”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “I like to sleep and I have my businesses – I own a lot of houses, real estate and a business of chartering of airplanes. I like to relax, I like music, I like water, I like to go to holiday.”

Favorite Movie: “The best favorite movie is The Gladiator.”

Last Book Read: “From Don King [smiles].”

Musical Tastes: “I like classical music, I like hip-hop music, Armenian music.”

First Job: “I help my big brother (Christian) in carrying furniture, delivering furniture. My brother owned a furniture shop.”

Current Car: “I have so many cars [laughs] – BMW, Audi, Ferrari, Audi, Mercedes, seven cars I have.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “I think I go to no loss. No loss. I think every time to win. Only on win. Just thinking about winning.”

Typical Breakfast: “Today, yogurt with strawberry.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Boxing with my broken jaw and I win (2006 vs. Miranda). That is greatest moment. And the first greatest moment is 2005, 10 December – the first time I am world champion.”

Most Painful Moment: “Boxing eight rounds with broken jaw. Double broken jaw [smiles].”

Funny Boxing Memory: “Too many.”

Embarrassing Boxing Memory: “Nothing. I go every time to the ring serious. No embarrassing moment.”

Your Career If You Weren’t A Boxer: “Businessman.”

Favorite All-Time Fighter: “Young Mike Tyson.”

Favorite Fight You Watched: “Oh too many fights. Maybe good fights of Julio Cesar Chavez, Sugar Ray Leonard, I like Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson. Too many good fights, I cannot say one.”

Training Routine: “Every day two times, morning and the evening.”

Gym: “I train in Berlin, Max Schmeling Gym.”

Toughest Opponent: “Never [laughs]. Broken jaw is my very hard fight. There was nobody really tough. The only thing was fighting with a broken jaw.”

Toughest Part Of Being A Successful Boxer: “Lose the weight.”

Last Vacation: “In Monaco.”

Favorite Sport Outside Boxing: “Soccer. Too much I like Chelsea.”

Pre-Fight Meal: “Spaghetti.”

Whigh Fight Were You At Your Best: “World championship 2005 with Kingsley Ikeke. I win round five KO.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Respect.”

DOB: July 11, 1953 In: St. Louis, Missouri

Childhood Hero: Muhammad Ali.

Nicknames: Vampire, Neon Leon, Junior.

Hobbies/Interests: I like training my sons, time with my grandson and wife and dancing.

Pre-Fight Feeling: I tried to keep my mind on my fight. Call on The Lord, Hey Lord, help me go through what I’m going through.

Favorite Movies: I love horror movies – Halloween, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Zombies, Child’s Play [laughs].

Musical Tastes: Jazz.

Favorite TV Shows: All horror movies.

First Job: Selling newspapers for the St. Louis Post Dispatch when I was 11.

First Car: 1978 gray and black Cadillac.

Favorite Meal: Meatloaf.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Walnut.

Favorite Breakfast: Bacon and eggs.

Greatest Sports Moment: When I beat Muhammad Ali (1978). No…when I won the Olympics. With on overhand right in the third round (to KO Sixto Soria of Cuba in 1976 in Montreal). Because I did it for my country. That was good for me. I loved representing the United States.

Most Painful Moment: When I lost to Larry Holmes (by TKO 3 in Detroit in 1981). My last chance at the title.

Favorite Boxers To Watch: Tim Witherspoon, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, my son Cory.

Worst Injury From Boxing: When I got knocked on my ass [smiles].

Hardest Puncher: I haven’t found him yet [smiles].

Toughest Opponent: Ali. I was scared, that’s why.

Most Treasured Possession: My brother Michael. My most treasured possession. He’s still within my heart. I be lookin’ out for him.

(Ali vs. Liston sculpture by Barrymore Alan Moton)