Has anyone mentioned Denver? Is there any doubt about that city?
Hey, it’s a “major city” from my somewhat rural (Madison County) perspective!
(Okay, I admit it… I consider any city with a population larger than 100k to be too big for me, and thus “major”. I have no doubt that mine is the minority opinion.)
No, there is no doubt there!
John “Horseface” Elway, by much more than a nose (and a chin, and those ginormous front teeth…).
Musial would win hands-down as “most-beloved.” I’ve never heard anyone speak ill of him. Ozzie, however, threw a gigantic hissyfit after acknowledging and accepting the competition for the starting shortstop position in Spring Training, and then losing. Storming off in a huff never to associate with the team again until the manager leaves strikes me (and many others) as an extremely juvenile, self-centered, crybaby, whiny-ass thing to do. Combine that with his constant selling of everything “Ozzie,” from merchandise and autographs and appearances to divorce lawyers, he annoys the crap out of a lot of people. I used to love him as a kid, but now he just bugs me.
The OP said most-beloved athlete. . .Jack Buck is certainly beloved, but not as an athlete.
It’s Musial. Strange-looking statue and all 
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I disagree. I mean, Buck is great and all–and he’s finally getting his deserved recognition–but in terms of popularity and affection, George Brett dwarfs the man by far. Having lived in Kansas City and some of its outlying metro areas nearly my entire life, I think I can safely say that, if asked who he/she might think the consumate Kansas City athlete might be, George Brett’s name will be spoken most often. (This is pure, wild-assed speculation on my part, but I also feel that you’ll encounter a good number of people in the area who don’t even know who Buck O’Neil is.)
Another possibility for Detroit would be Al Kaline. Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, Hank Greenberg, and Charlie Gerhinger would also rank high on the list of favorite Tigers. For the Pistons, probably Isaiah Thomas or maybe Bill Laimbeer. Lions? I guess Bobby Layne, who was the Lions QB back when they last won an NFL championship.
Green Bay only has one big league team, but they have had so many great players/coaches that it is hard to pick just one. Favre is an obvious choice, but then there is also Bart Starr, Vince Lombardi, Ray Nitschke, Curly Lambeau, etc, etc.
I heard someone mention Columbus, OH so I will make a nomination for the city of tOSU’s main rival, Ann Arbor, MI: Bo Schembechler. That is, if we are counting coaches. If not, then Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, or Tom Harmon.
Majerle would also probably be the biggest sports hero of all time in the little mid-Michigan college town where I earned my bachelor’s degree…Mount Pleasant, where Majerle starred for Central Michigan University.
Yep, it’s gotta be Stevie in Detroit. If we’re allowed to get historical, I’d put Al Kaline right up there, too.
Agree with Reggie Miller, I think Peyton is getting there and Marvin Harrison, too.
Even though he had a short stint in Indy, there is a lot of love for Jim Harbaugh. 
I won’t get into the college ranks, because that’ll invite all of the Indiana, Purdue and Irish fans/alums here to completely hijack this thread.
Maybe in Old School Austin. But we have a ton of relatively recent transplants from California and such. I think if you took a poll among the general poulace, Lance would come out far, far ahead. (I went to UT and graduated in 2000 and I only have a vague idea who Earl Campbell is. But I also don’t follow football…)
For Los Angeles I would like to add Oscar De La Hoya to the list. He has been marketed as a nice man who worked his way up from a humble beginning and the city really loves him.
Definately Hakeem, carried us to our only two Major Sports Championships on his back. The Tyler Rose is pretty popular, but I would IMHO is more of an Austin guy.
Currently I’d have to go with David Carr. Roger Clemems is getting lots of pub with baseball season coming up, but in reality this is a football town.
I think Ripken Stadium is named after Cal Sr.
I’m not a Pittsburgher, but wouldn’t Willie Stargell be pretty high up on the list of “beloved” Pittsburgh sports figures? It’s hard for me to imagine Jack Lambert inspiring warm fuzzies in much of anyone.
As for Memphis, it used to be Penny Hardaway, but these days I’d say either Shane Battier or Pau Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies). Stubby Clapp, who played for our AAA baseball team for several years, definitely held the spot for a while, but he’s moved on to the Richmond Braves, last I heard.
Wait, what am I saying? Tim McCarver is almost certainly Memphis’s most-beloved. He never played for a Memphis team (that I know of), but he’s from here and still a hometown favorite.
Memphis, Tennessee-Jerry “The king” Lawler, professional wrassler.
Yes, definitely Tony Gwynn for San Diego. His reputation was further enhanced when he stayed in town after retiring and became head baseball coach for San Diego State University.
iampunha, I have to agree with you. Green is everything you described and more. I can remember in the late 80s when he was living in my area of Northern VA my mom saw him in the grocery store a few times and he’d be as friendly and jovial to everyone as if he was their neighbor, then the next day you’d see him tearing it up at RFK and the next week he’d be visiting cancer patients at Children’s Hospital. He is truly a great man in every respect. Even Dallas fans have to tip their hat when his name is brought up in conversation about athletes.
My dad went to Darrell’s last home game in Washington, too, and if you’ve never seen a 54-year old country boy cry, you would have if you’d been in section 410 at Fed Ex field that day 
I was just trying to think of some pro wrestlers for this debate. Jerry Lawler, of course. But don’t forget Ric Flair. I just can’t figure out a city in North Carolina to tie him to. He’s beloved throughout the whole state. And Shawn Michaels in San Antonio, but there may be some older wrestlers from there I don’t know of who are more popular. Bret Hart in Calgary, definitely.
Who would be the most popular wrestler to come from Parts Unknown? There’s been quite a few. (Although, sadly, not so many in recent years.)
:smack: You’re right, of course. I forgot all about that.
Maybe, but Joe Montana feels a lot of love here.
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I was going to take issue with RickJay’s opinion, but was beaten to it. While Mays is probably the greatest player ever, he may not even be the most beloved SF Giant – that might’ve been Willie McCovey.
But around here, Joe Montana is God.