From Hall of Famers to college greats, there are any number of performers who stand out in my memory.

For a fun trip down memory lane, here is my list of the 12 most memorable athletes I've had the good fortune to watch in person:

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1. Mario Lemieux: This is easily my top choice. When healthy and in his prime, he dominated his sport like no one I've seen.I was in the stands the New Year's Eve he scored a goal five different ways: at even strength, shorthanded, on the power play, on a penalty shot and into an empty net. It's doubtful that will ever happen again.•

2. Roberto Clemente: I don't know if he was the greatest Pirate ever, but he's the most memorable in my book. I saw him leg out triples through pure hustle, run down fly balls in spacious Forbes Field and throw out a guy at third from the right field warning track.•

3. Terry Bradshaw: Forget the glory years of the Super Bowls. The raw power in this guy's right arm was legendary. I've never seen anyone able to throw a football farther.•

4. Bobby Orr: He changed the game of hockey. I always thought Phil Esposito made those Boston Bruin teams tick until I saw Orr play at the Civic Arena.•

5. Michael Jordan: I had to travel to the Richfield Coliseum south of Cleveland to see him play against the Cavaliers, and it was worth it. Watching No. 23 take off from the foul line, his tongue hanging out as the ball is slammed through the hoop is an image forever in my mind.•

6. Willie Mays: A favorite of my childhood. Watching the Giants play the Pirates in 1966, Mays beat the Bucs 1-0 with a home run, preserving the win with a back to the infield catch in deep center field.•

7. Mark McGwire: Yeah, yeah, I know about the steroid thing, but watching this guy take batting practice at Three Rivers Stadium during that 1998 home run chase was something to behold. I've never seen a hitting display like it.•

8. Louis Lipps: One of the most electrifying Steelers ever. He put up big numbers with David Woodley, Mark Malone and Todd Blackledge throwing him the ball, not Bradshaw. And his punt returns were electric.•

9. Randy Johnson: I was in the stands at Three Rivers when he made his National League debut with Houston. He struck out 12 and the Pirates didn't hit even a loud foul ball off him. It wasn't a no-hitter, but it's the dominating pitching performance that I remember.•

10. Willie Stargell: I was able to witness his windmill swing and his awesome power on many occasions. I also saw him steal second in his final home game.•

11. Pierre Larouche: Lucky Pierre was just fun to watch. He was a carefree kid who blossomed into a 50-goal scorer early in his career. And most of those goals were flamboyant.•

12. Sam Clancy: The lone college guy on this list, he was a bull in a china shop on the basketball court at Pitt. No wonder he became a football player.