Shaquille o neale
John Elway
Dave Parker signed a million dollar contract on Jan. 1, 1979. Nolan Ryan signed his on a day in Nov. 1979, therefor Dave Parker was the first Million dollar a year ballplayer.
On November 19, 1979, Nolan Ryan became the first player to sign a contract for more than a million dollars per year. Richard Moss, Ryan's agent, helped negotiate a 4-year, $4.5 million dollar contract for the future Hall of Famer, making him the highest paid player at the time. Although most people would say the above answer is the official first one million dollar a year player, in actuality Pittsburgh Pirate Dave Parker was the first player to make one million dollars a year signing the contract a year prior to Nolan Ryan. The reason he isn't commonly cited as so is because the Pirates worded the contract in a way to make it look like he was making that much because they didn't want to be known as the first team to pay a player one million dollars a year
I think it was Wilt Chamberlain, but I'm not sure. It was Moses Mallone who got the first 1 Million dollar contract for a year. I believe Pistol Pete got a Million Dollar contract over multiple years.
Charlie Chaplin in 1918 :D
No, Pete Maravich never signed a million dollar contract during his playing career. He played in the NBA from 1970 to 1980, a time when player salaries were much lower compared to today's NBA. At the peak of his career, Maravich was earning around $300,000 per season.
Well the first in baseball (and i think athlete) to have a one million dollar contract was nolan ryan.
Derek Sanderson was the first player EVER to sign a million dollar contract, however he didn't have the highest annual salary. The total worth of the contract was the most. For Example, A-Rod signed a 300 million dollar deal in baseball. If say Manny Ramirez signed a 2 year 65 million dollar deal, Manny would average more per season, while A-Rods total contract was more.
may not be
Nolan Ryan was the first that I know of.
Kirby Puckett