Sports Records and History

Jose Raul Capablanca was nicknamed 'The Human Chess Machine' for his seemingly effortless, precise play. Anand and Kasparov have different nicknames, and Fischer was 'The Wired'.

Tiger Woods was the highest-paid sportsperson in 2010 with approximately $105 million total earnings, maintaining his position despite the late 2009 controversy. Lionel Messi and Roger Federer were high earners but primarily from salary, while Phil Mickelson earned significantly less. Woods' income came from diminished but still substantial endorsements and prize money.

Tiger Woods' mother, Kultida Woods, is originally from Thailand. His father Earl Woods was African-American, making Tiger of mixed heritage. This background has been noted in many biographical pieces about the golf legend.

Boris Becker won the Wimbledon Men's Singles title in 1985 at age 17, making him the youngest-ever Men's singles champion at Wimbledon. He defeated Kevin Curren in the final as an unseeded player.

Pete Sampras is one of America's greatest tennis players, winning 14 Grand Slam titles and representing the United States in Davis Cup competition. He was born in Washington D.C. and competed under the American flag throughout his career.

Boris Becker won the Wimbledon Men's Singles title in 1985 at age 17, making him the youngest-ever men's singles champion at Wimbledon. He defeated Kevin Curren in the final and was an unseeded player at the time.

Jochen Rindt is the only driver in Formula 1 history to win the World Drivers' Championship posthumously. He tragically died during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix but had accumulated enough points during the season to secure the title. None of the other drivers listed won the championship after their death.

Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Formula 1 World Drivers' Championships with 7 titles (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004). Lewis Hamilton has since equaled this record, but at the time this question was likely written, Schumacher was the clear leader. Senna won 3 championships, Alonso has won 2, and Moss never won a title.

In the dramatic final lap of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton overtakes Timo Glock on the last corner to secure 5th place, which was enough to win his first World Championship by just 1 point over Felipe Massa. Glock was struggling on dry-weather tires as rain began to fall, allowing Hamilton to make the crucial pass.

Arthur Ashe won the 1975 US Open, becoming the first Black man to win a major men's singles tennis championship. He was also the first Black player selected to the US Davis Cup team. None of the other players listed (Smith, Roche, Hoad) were Black or achieved this historic milestone.

Gaston Gaudio won the 2004 French Open men's singles, defeating Guillermo Coria in an epic five-set final 8-6 in the fifth. This was Gaudio's only Grand Slam title and a surprise victory as Coria was heavily favored.

Michael Schumacher holds the record with 7 Formula 1 World Drivers' Championships (1994, 1995 with Ferrari; 2000-2004 with Ferrari). Of the options, only Schumacher has won more than 3 championships. Hamilton now has 7 titles as well (2008, 2014-2015, 2017-2020), but that achievement came after this question was written.