1983 | Page 2 of 3 | U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Bob Mathias

A superb athlete, Bob Mathias did not know what a decathlon was until his high school coach suggested trying it. A few months later, Mathias won the first of his two Olympic gold medals.

Rafer Johnson started on the UCLA basketball team and was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. He took silver in the decathlon at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won gold at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games.

Eric Heiden

Eric Heiden won an unprecedented gold medals in all five distances at the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, from the 500-meter sprint to the grueling 10,000-meter race.

Peggy Fleming

Peggy Fleming made her Olympic debut at the Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Winter Games and won gold at the Grenoble 1968 Olympic Winter Games. She is credited with reviving American figure skating.

Ray Ewry

Ray Ewry was orphaned and contracted polio as a youngster, but worked hard to develop into a world-class athlete and won eight gold medals over three Olympic Games.

Eddie Eagan

Twelve years after winning a boxing gold medal, bobsledding rookie Eddie Eagan added another gold medal in his first and only bobsled race.

Harrison Dillard

Harrison "Bones" Dillard is the only man to win Olympic gold medals in the 100-meter dash and the 110-meter hurdles. In between the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games, he served in the U.S. Army.

Babe Didrikson

Babe Didrikson might have won more medals at the Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games, but at the time women were only permitted to enter three individual events.

Dick Button

Dick Button claimed back-to-back gold medals at the St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games and Oslo 1952 Olympic Winter Games.

Bob Beamon

Bob Beamon broke the previous world record in the long jump by nearly two feet as he soared 29 feet 2 1/2 inches to win a gold medal at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.

Hall of Fame Class: 1983