Saluting Pro Sports’ Veterans

Tim%20James%20was%20drafted%20in%20the%201st%20round%20by%20the%20Miami%20Heat.%20After%20his%20NBA%20days%20were%20over%2C%20James%20served%20in%20Iraq.%20%20%28photo%3A%20Isaac%20Baldizon%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EMIAMI%20%26%238211%3B%20MARCH%2019%3A%20%20Tim%20James%20receives%20the%20Miami%20Heats%20Home%20Strong%20Program%20award%20which%20recognizes%20military%20members%20who%20have%20recently%20returned%20from%20deployments%20to%20Iraq%20or%20Afghanistan%20before%20the%20start%20of%20the%20game%20between%20the%20Miami%20Heat%20and%20the%20Denver%20Nuggets%20on%20March%2019%2C%202011%20at%20American%20Airlines%20Arena%20in%20Miami%2C%20Florida.%20NOTE%20TO%20USER%3A%20User%20expressly%20acknowledges%20and%20agrees%20that%2C%20by%20downloading%20and%2For%20using%20this%20Photograph%2C%20User%20is%20consenting%20to%20the%20terms%20and%20conditions%20of%20the%20Getty%20Images%20License%20Agreement.%20Mandatory%20copyright%20notice%3A%20Copyright%20NBAE%202011%20%28Photo%20by%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20great%20Willie%20Mays%20served%20in%20Korea%20%28photo%3A%20Jed%20Jacobson%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3ESAN%20FRANCISCO%20%26%238211%3B%20APRIL%208%3A%20%20Willie%20Mays%20looks%20on%20during%20the%20San%20Francisco%20Giants%20game%20against%20the%20San%20Diego%20Padres%20at%203Com%20Park%20on%20April%208%2C%201999%20in%20San%20Francisco%2C%20California.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jed%20Jacobsohn%2FGetty%20Images%29

Jackie%20Robinson%20broke%20the%20color%20barrier%20in%20major%20leagues%20and%20he%20also%20served%20his%20country%20in%20WWII%20%28photo%3A%20Getty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3ENEW%20YORK%2C%20UNITED%20STATES%3A%20%20Undated%20photo%20of%20US%20baseball%20star%20Jackie%20Robinson%20as%20he%20signs%20a%20then-record%20contract%20to%20play%20for%20the%20Brooklyn%20Dodgers.%20Robinson%2C%20who%20endured%20insults%20and%20death%20threats%20to%20integrate%20United%20States%20sports%2C%20was%20honored%2015%20April%20by%20the%20permanent%20retirement%20of%20his%20jersey%20number%20throughout%20Major%20League%20baseball.%20The%20contract%2C%20the%20highest%20salary%20in%20Dodger%20history%20up%20to%20then%2C%20was%20for%20US%20%2435%20000%20a%20year.%20%28Photo%20credit%20should%20read%20STR%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Yankee%20legend%20Joe%20Dimaggio%20served%20in%20WWII%20%28photo%3A%20Henry%20Ray%20Abrams%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3ENEW%20YORK%2C%20UNITED%20STATES%3A%20%20New%20York%20Yankee%20Hall%20of%20Famer%20Joe%20Dimaggio%20throws%20out%20the%20ceremonial%20first%20pitch%20at%20the%20home%20opener%20for%20the%20New%20York%20Yankees%20in%20Yankee%20Stadium%2026%20April.%20The%20Yankees%20went%20on%20to%20beat%20the%20Texas%20Rangers%208-6.%20%20AFP%20PHOTO%20%28Photo%20credit%20should%20read%20HENNY%20RAY%20ABRAMS%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Red%20Byron%20won%20a%20NASCAR%20championship%20and%20served%20in%20WWII%20%28photo%3A%20NASCAR1996%2C%20Wikimedia%20Commons%20contributor%29

Cowboys%20great%20Roger%20Staubach%20served%20in%20Vietnam%20%28photo%3A%20Al%20Messerschmidt%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EDallas%20Cowboys%20great%20Roger%20Staubach%20%20on%20the%20sidelines%20during%20a%20Monday%20Night%20Football%20game%20September%2019%2C%202005%20in%20Irving%2C%20Texas.%20%20The%20%20Washington%20Skins%20defeated%20the%20Cowboys%2014%20%26%238211%3B%2013.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Al%20Messerschmidt%2FGetty%20Images%29

Hall%20of%20famer%20Ted%20Williams%20served%20in%20both%20WWII%20and%20Korea%20%28photo%3A%20Getty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EBOSTON%20%26%238211%3B%20CIRCA%201955%3A%20%20%28UNDATED%20FILE%20PHOTO%29%20Baseball%20legend%20Ted%20Williams%20%281918%20%26%238211%3B%202002%29%20of%20the%20Boston%20Red%20Sox%20holds%20a%20baseball%20bat%20circa%201955.%20The%2083-year-old%20Williams%2C%20who%20was%20the%20last%20major%20league%20player%20to%20bat%20.400%20when%20he%20hit%20.406%20in%201941%2C%20died%20July%205%2C%202002%20at%20Citrus%20County%20Memorial%20Hospital%20in%20Florida.%20He%20died%20of%20an%20apparent%20heart%20attack.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Getty%20Images%29

Tim%20James%20was%20a%20Miami%20Heat%201st%20round%20draft%20pick.%20After%20his%20stint%20in%20the%20NBA%2C%20he%20served%20in%20Iraq.%20%28photo%3A%20Isaac%20Baldizon%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EMIAMI%20%26%238211%3B%20MARCH%2019%3A%20%20Tim%20James%20receives%20the%20Miami%20Heats%20Home%20Strong%20Program%20award%20which%20recognizes%20military%20members%20who%20have%20recently%20returned%20from%20deployments%20to%20Iraq%20or%20Afghanistan%20before%20the%20start%20of%20the%20game%20between%20the%20Miami%20Heat%20and%20the%20Denver%20Nuggets%20on%20March%2019%2C%202011%20at%20American%20Airlines%20Arena%20in%20Miami%2C%20Florida.%20NOTE%20TO%20USER%3A%20User%20expressly%20acknowledges%20and%20agrees%20that%2C%20by%20downloading%20and%2For%20using%20this%20Photograph%2C%20User%20is%20consenting%20to%20the%20terms%20and%20conditions%20of%20the%20Getty%20Images%20License%20Agreement.%20Mandatory%20copyright%20notice%3A%20Copyright%20NBAE%202011%20%28Photo%20by%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29