Fortune 500's baller and shot caller CEOs

These CEOs may not have made it to the major leagues as athletes, but they did exhibit sports prowess at the high school and collegiate level. Here, a roundup of the Fortune 500's most successful CEOs on the playing field.

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Touchdowns and tackles
Touchdowns and tackles
Jeffrey Immelt (left) and Keith Nosbusch (right)

Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric
Immelt ('78) led Dartmouth College's football team, first as co-captain for JV and then as starting offensive tackle in his senior year, towering over competitors at a height of 6'4".

Keith Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation
A 1973 Conference Medal of Honor recipient as a University of Wisconsin Badger, Nosbusch's ('74) skills were highly regarded on the field and in the classroom, and he was named a member of the 1971 and 1972 Academic All-Big Ten team.

Samuel J. Palmisano, IBM
IBM's eighth CEO never once missed practice as an offensive center on his high school team. He kept the same position at Johns Hopkins. From 1970 to 1972, his team went 17-10. Palmisano ('73) also enjoys a good round of golf.--T.M.


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Last updated May 06 2011: 3:09 PM ET
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