Rhiannon Walker
The Athletic HQ
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Rhiannon:
All-time greatest Super Bowl halftime show rankings: Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Prince lead the way
Since the '90s, Super Bowl halftime shows have become full-on pop-culture-phenomenon moments. Here's a list of the best shows so far. → Read More
Washington LB Jon Bostic owns 22 rental properties — so he can give back: ‘To not have to worry, it’s just life changing’
For WFT LB Jon Bostic, building generational wealth is a major focus. So is transforming lives through his real estate ventures. → Read More
HBCU football is back this weekend with N.C. A&T and Prairie View A&M on ESPN
As the last few hot days of summer give way to autumn breezes, bands are putting the final touches on their routines to the latest popular songs and students ar… → Read More
The day Usain Bolt won his first Olympic gold medal
When Usain Bolt broke the world record for the 100-meter sprint in front of 91,000 fans at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he was running on two helpings of chicken … → Read More
The day Alice Coachman became the first black woman to win Olympic gold
Rain was starting to come down as the closing women’s track and field event of the 1948 Summer Olympics was coming to an end. To that point, no American woman h… → Read More
The day Yohann Gene became the first black cyclist to compete in Tour de France
After 14 years of training, riding in minor cycling tours, winning two stages in the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Gabon, and one at the Tour of South Africa, Yohann … → Read More
The day the Brooklyn Dodgers fielded Major League Baseball’s first majority-black lineup
Walter Alston had no intention of playing Sandy Amoros in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ July 17, 1955, matchup versus the Milwaukee Braves. The Cuban outfielder was bat… → Read More
Bryce Harper keeps the good times rolling for D.C. fans Nationals outfielder wins Home Run Derby in home stadium a month after Capitals win Stanley Cup
New championship, who dis? This is the energy Washington, D.C., after 26 years without a championship from one of its big four teams, has brought the past month… → Read More
The story of the first all-black vs. all-white Little League game in the South
Fred L. Hicks and the 12 boys on his Pensacola Jaycee Little League Baseball team had their “hearts in their mouths.” Little more than 24 hours earlier on Aug. … → Read More
The history of black baseball in D.C. includes Frederick Douglass’ sons, Josh Gibson and the fight for equality
Charles Douglass came to Washington, D.C., in 1869 to begin his clerkship at the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. Once he and his family settle… → Read More
MLB All-Star week kicks off with unveiling of Negro Leagues mural
Aniekan Udofia made his way to Ben Ali Way at 2 a.m. Thursday to watch as the vinyl prints of his work were installed on the side of Ben’s Chili Bowl, one of th… → Read More
The day Althea Gibson became the first black tennis player to win Wimbledon
Althea Gibson wasn't fazed by the 100-degree heat on Wimbledon's Centre Court. The top seed wasn't worried about the 17,000 spectators gathered in the stands. The pressure of becoming the first black tennis player to win the prestigious Grand Slam tournament didn't concern her either. → Read More
Twenty years ago, the Chicago Blackhawks made Dirk Graham the NHL’s first black head coach
Coming off a 30-39-13 record, 0-6-1 season-ending finish and the Chicago Blackhawks' first season without a playoff berth in 29 years, team owner and president Bill Wirtz spent two months navigating the murky waters of a NHL coaching search. → Read More
Black folks in D.C. brought the cookout, go-go and church to the Capitals’ Stanley Cup title parade
On the corner of 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, close to 200 people gathered in a semicircle. In the middle was The Unknowns, an area music group composed of Kenny Sway, Rahdeem "Jet" Baskin, Shelton "Sonny" Williams and Deveirce "D" Whittington that covers popular songs, with their speakers, drums, guitars and vocals that picked off anyone who walked within earshot. → Read More
Devante Smith-Pelly scores in back-to-back games for the first time since 2014
Devante Smith-Pelly doesn't put any stock in momentum. He's not motivated to play better by impending contract talks after the season. → Read More
The day LeBron James gave any Detroit Piston who guarded him a bucket and scored 25 straight points
It is no small detail that the night LeBron James came into the full weight of his nickname, "King James," he did so at an arena called The Palace. → Read More
The day Dr. J hung in the air and gave us the baseline reverse scoop
Bobby Jones waited patiently as Julius "Dr. J" Erving separated from his defender and sprinted from the right block to the right elbow. With 7:35 left in Game 4 of the 1980 NBA Finals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, Dr. J was about to add another signature play to basketball history. → Read More
We’re one game away from a Subban sibling rivalry match in Western Conference finals Malcolm’s Golden Knights have advanced, while P.K.’s Predators must win a Game 7
It's not as if the Las Vegas Golden Knights don't already have the best story in hockey, if not all of sports. → Read More
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: Baller or nah?
From actresses Gabrielle Union and Queen Latifah to rapper 2 Chainz, singers, actors and rappers have often bragged about their athletic accomplishments. #ShowMeTheReceipts, a recurring feature at The Undefeated, will authenticate those declarations. In this installment, we verify actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson’s receipts. → Read More
The day Larry Bird said, ‘It’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan’
Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird could have sworn the individual who dropped a historic 63 points in a playoff game was actually God dolled up as Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan. → Read More