The most famous athletes without a championship ring

Perhaps the greatest Chicago Cub ever, Banks won two MVP Awards and made 14 All-Star appearances as the team's shortstop. Unfortunately the Cubs had only six winning seasons during his 19-year career and never made the playoffs.

Sir Charles made 11 All-Star appearances with three different NBA franchises during his 16-year career. However, he was never able to win a ring — getting as far as the NBA Finals after winning the MVP with the Phoenix Suns in 1992-93.

Baylor played for the Lakers for 14 seasons — his entire career. The Lakers won the NBA Finals in 1971-72. Baylor was given a ring, even though the 11-time All-Star had retired earlier in that season and wasn't officially on the NBA Finals roster. He did play in — and lose — eight NBA Finals before 1972.

Perhaps the greatest hitter ever, albeit with much controversy, Bonds appeared in only one World Series, in 2002, during his 22-year career He owns the all-time record for home runs and walks, and he won seven MVP Awards between his time with the Pirates and Giants.

An eight-time Pro Bowler and one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, Butkus never won a Super Bowl in nine seasons with the Bears. In fact, Chicago had only two winning seasons during his career.

Cobb had a 24-year career with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics. His career .366 batting average remains the highest in MLB history. He played in three World Series consecutively from 1907-1909 but lost all of them.

Dionne had a successful 18-year career with four All-Star appearances and 550 career goals. The former Red Wing, King and Ranger didn't see much success in the playoffs — failing to ever appear in a Stanley Cup Final.

Playing during the era of Michael Jordan's Bulls, Ewing shouldn't have any shame in failing to win a ring during his 17-year career. The 11-time All-Star did appear in two NBA Finals with the Knicks.

Fouts routinely put up huge numbers with the Chargers during his 15-year career, leading the league in passing yards four times and making six Pro Bowls. Unfortunately, the Chargers didn't find much success until Don Coryell was hired in the late 1970s, and they were ousted in the playoffs early in four straight seasons.

Griffey Jr. was one of the greatest players of his era — winning one MVP and making 13 All-Star appearances. None of his Mariners squads was able to progress beyond the ALCS in his 13 seasons with the franchise, and he also failed to find much success with the Reds or White Sox.

Gwynn won eight batting titles with the Padres and also made 15 All-Star appearances in 20 seasons. The outfielder came close to winning a World Series but never accomplished it — losing in 1984 and 1998.

An 11-time All-Star who played for four different franchises, Iverson is still beloved in Philadelphia despite never winning a ring. He did lead the 76ers to the Finals in 2001 and also won league MVP during that season.

Like Barry Sanders, Johnson shockingly retired after years of losing with the Detroit Lions. The six-time Pro Bowl wideout made the playoffs only twice in nine seasons and was on the 2008 squad that went 0-16.

Kelly notoriously led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances at quarterback after starting his professional career in the USFL. He made five Pro Bowls in 11 NFL seasons but retired without leading Buffalo to the Promised Land.

"The Mailman" was a 14-time All-Star and two-time MVP with the Utah Jazz. Joined with Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton, Malone became arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history but lost consecutive NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Malone joined the L.A. Lakers for the final year of his career, losing his third NBA Finals in 2004.

Arguably the greatest NFL player to never win a Super Bowl, Marino was a highly productive nine-time Pro Bowler and MVP with the Dolphins. He still ranks fifth all time in passing yards and passing touchdowns but lost the only Super Bowl in which he appeared, after the 1984 season.

A nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback who broke into the NFL as a starter at age 28, Moon's Oilers made the playoffs in seven straight years but never got past the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He made the playoffs twice more with the Vikings but didn't have any better success.

Moss made six Pro Bowls and was a four-time All-Pro during his 15-year NFL career. He played for historic offenses with the Vikings and Patriots and was on the 2007 Patriots squad that went into Super Bowl XLII undefeated before losing 17-14 to the New York Giants. His incredible career accomplishments include rankings fourth all time in receiving yards and second in receiving touchdowns.

A true legend in Boston, Neely played 13 NHL seasons for the Canucks and Bruins. The five-time All-Star had a relatively brief 13-year career after breaking into the NHL at age 18 and lost two Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins.

Voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, Owens was a five-time All-Pro and played for five different teams in his 15-year NFL career. He appeared in only one Super Bowl for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He played after surgery for a fractured fibula. He starred in the game with nine receptions for 122 yards, but Philadelphia still fell short, 24-21, to the Patriots.

A Pro Bowler in all 10 of his NFL seasons, Sanders' Lions squads never found great success. He led the league in rushing four times, including running for 2,053 yards in 1997, but the Lions never made it past the NFC conference championship during his career. 

Sayers had a brief seven-year career with the Bears and was named an All-Pro in five consecutive seasons. The Hall of Fame running back played on only one winning team and never made the playoffs.

The first 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history, Simpson made the playoffs only once during his 11-year career. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in five straight seasons from 1972-1976.

One of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history, Smith was on the Bills squads that advanced to four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990s. He was never able to win a ring in a 19-year career that also included four seasons with Washington, but he still ranks first with 200 sacks.

Like Jazz teammate Karl Malone, Stockton appeared in and lost two NBA Finals during his career. In 19 seasons, the nine-time assists champion appeared in the playoffs during every season of his career.

An NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and nine-time Pro Bowler with the Vikings and Giants, Tarkenton played in three Super Bowls with Minnesota from 1973-1976. The Vikings fell short each time. 

Tomlinson made the playoffs six times during his 11-year career with the Chargers and Jets, but his teams seemed to suffer disappointing defeats in every playoff opportunity. The running back made five Pro Bowls and won the 2006 MVP with San Diego.

Wilkins was an All-Star in nine consecutive seasons but failed to ever go far in the playoffs during his 12 seasons with the Hawks. He came no closer to winning a ring while finishing off his career with four other franchises.

Williams was arguably the best player of his era from 1939-1960, but the Red Sox won the American League just once in his career. That success was halted with a seven-game defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946. Williams' incredible personal accolades include 19 All-Star appearances, two MVP Awards and two Triple Crowns in 19 seasons.

As Ted Williams' career was ending in Boston, Yaz's was just beginning in 1961. Also, just like Williams, Yastrzemski was never able to win a World Series despite incredible individual success on the field. He was an 18-time All-Star, also winning three batting titles and the 1967 AL Triple Crown and MVP. The Red Sox lost two World Series in seven games during Yastrzemski's run with the team in 1967 and 1975.