Notable Sports Figures takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. It features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. Notable Sports Figures includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. Included are:

Tonya Harding
"Shoeless Joe" Jackson
Michael Jordan
Bobby Knight
Anna Kournikova
Martina Navratilova
Babe Ruth
and many others.

Their lives, accomplishments and reasons for our ongoing fascination with them will be examined in Notable Sports Figures. Aside from lengthy, in-depth biographies that include personal information, career highlights, and an examination of what makes each individual notable, each entry contains sidebars highlighting awards, career statistics, and a chronology of the subject's life. Contact information, related biographies and excerpts from contemporaneous events are also featured, as well as hundreds of pictures.