These days, some of the top professional athletes are known for big wins and even bigger paychecks. But the glamorous lifestyle of the sports world’s top players has spanned several decades. The ‘70s saw heavyweights like Muhammad Ali and NHL Player Dave Parker make millions.
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- So let’s take a look at some of the richest athletes of the ‘70s.
24/7 Wall St. Insights - The 1970s saw some athletes make their first million.
Some famous players from the ‘70s made their fortunes outside athletics. - Even high-earners are feeling the burn of inflation. But you can give your portfolio a boost by investing in dividend-paying stocks. Check out our special report 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever to learn more.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered an NBA legend.
- Earnings: $500,000
NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is known for numbers. His accolades include six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), 19-time NBA All-Star, 15-time All-NBA Team member and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection.
And when the Bucks traded him to the Lakers in 1975, he was making $500,000 a year.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair has wrestled legends like Hulk Hogan.
- Earnings: $500,000
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is known for making a lavish lifestyle a part of what made him a star when he first stepped into the ring in the 1970s. In fact, the decade nearly saw the end of his career when he broke his back in three places. But the “limousine driving, son of a gun” completed a nearly 50-year career. Today, he’s worth $500,000.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron faced controversy over his achievements.
- Earnings: $600,000
Hank Aaron of the Braves in 1972 signed a three-year, $200,000 a year contract to become one of the most highly paid professional baseball players at the time.
But he’s perhaps best known for hitting a career home run No. 715 – finally outdoing the legendary Babe Ruth. Aaron completed his career with a record 755 home runs.
Bobby Hull
Hank Aaron is considered one of the greatest Canadian hokey players.
- Earnings: $1 million
The 1970s opened the door to the first million-dollar sporting contract signature. And it was penned by NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Hull when he agreed to a 10-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets for an icy $1 million.
Today, Hull is recognized as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. His notable blonde hair and swiftness earned him the nickname the “The Golden Jet.”
Dave Parker
Dave Parker was nicknamed “The Cobra.”
- Earnings: $5 million
MLB star Dave Parker in 1978 became the first professional athlete to score $1 million a year when he signed a 5-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Parker earned several accolades throughout his nearly three-decade career. These include seven-time All-Star and two National League batting titles. He also closed the ‘70s as the 1978 National League Most Valuable Player.
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was a also a Civil Rights leader.
- Earnings: $5.45 million
Some of Muhammad Ali’s most epic and priciest fights took place in the ‘70s. The Rumble in the Jungle battle against George Foreman earned him $5.45 million in 1974. And the Thrilla in Manila fight against Joe Frazier scored him $4.5 million.
Alan Pascoe
The first Olympic games took place in 1896.
- Earnings: $30 million
The biggest achievement in the Olympics is earning a Gold Medal. But not every player scores millions of dollars. This doesn’t apply to Alan Pascoe. He was known for hurdling in the 1970s, earning a silver medal in 1972 and a gold medal in the 1975 Commonwealth Games. He then jumped into the world of marketing and public relations, where he made some real gold.
Laffit Pincay Jr.
Horse racing is a multi billion dollar industry.
- Earnings: $4,251,060
Laffit Pincay Jr. is a famous jockey and one of thoroughbred racing’s most celebrated figures. And some of his biggest earnings came in the 1970s. His biggest check in the decade clocked in at $4,251,060.
Junior Bridgeman
Wendy’s was founded in the 1960s.
- Earnings: $600 Million
Some athlete stars of the ‘70s didn’t make their fortunes that decade, but surprisingly did in the future when they decided to do something else. So we took some time to note them as well.
One is NBA player Junior Bridgeman. He made his millions off the court when he invested in the Wendy’s fast food franchise and came to own several hundred Wendy’s and Chili’s franchise locations.
Bridgeman sold all of these off in 2016 and went on to bottling for Coca-Cola. His earnings today are estimated to be around $30 million. Back in the NBA, his biggest paycheck was around $300,000 for a season.
Roger Staubach
This former quarterback made his millions off the field.
- Earnings: $600 million
Former NFL star Roger Staubach left behind a $750,000 contract for two years to go back to his former job in real estate. The decision ended up making him one of the country’s biggest real estate developers. His net worth is a hefty $600 million.
Why we covered this
Pro sports is a multi-billion dollar industry.
The world of professional sports is sometimes as jaw dropping for the money that goes around as it is for the amazing and once-in-a-lifetime moments. And the ‘70s was a time of excess. So we thought it would be fun to round up the richest athletes of the decade.
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