Who's your American icon?

So this is my 1,000th post here at CT , at some point Tuesday morning I will draw a random winner from the list of people who post to this thread. Dont expect much, the prize will be a few inexpensive numismatic items I have around the house. But the point is to have fun and be creative.
I have often thought, if I could design my own US circulating coin and was given full creative license from the Mint who would I choose to place on the obverse?
I also wonder who you all would choose...
So for the sake of this little game let's say the US Mint has announced a new $20 silver coin slated for release in 2018 (I'm aware it's not feasible in advance) and YOU are the designer!
Who's having their ugly mug placed on the obverse, and why? It can be a war hero, actor, musician, politician, your 5th grade gym teacher... whoever you want it to be. The only parameter is that they must be an American citizen... so who do you choose as the next icon of American coinage?

 

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Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., 26th President of the United States.
Trust buster, naturalist, statesman. Godfather of the National Park system. Hands down my favorite President, and that's mindful of the awesome contributions of Washington and Lincoln.

In the unlikely event my post is drawn, please pass on the prize to some random new member who asks an insightful question on CT.

 

Good choice, I also have an appreciation for his naturalist ideology, I read a book couple of years back that dove deep into his work in that field titled Wilderness Warrior.
His appreciation of numismatics is looked upon highly on this forum as well I would imagine.

 

Had quite an eye for the ladies, too, I hear.

 

An icon doesn't have to have done tremendous things, or even be a real or nice person. The person selected as an icon has to have good PR. With that in mind, I would select John Wayne as the American Icon.

 

Marion? Is that you?

 

Listen Pilgrim...

 

Historical figures get plenty of acclaim, but an icon for the average Joe should be Walter Cronkite. He delivered the news "the way it was".

 

Gen. George S. Patton.

 

You're darn right it is!

-Uncle Theodore

 

"Bully!"

 

I would answer in the opposite order, Lincoln ahead of TR, and it matters not that Mr. Lincoln has already graced the longest-running current US issue because we cannot possibly remember him well enough. He was flawed, imperfect, and somehow sufficient to a task greater than one could expect of human endurance and ability. There are no "winners" in a civil war, only survivors, and Lincoln was the blend of intelligence, forcefulness and humility which was the only possible combination of traits leading to a President who could both fight the war and manage the horrible aftermath (even though he was not allowed to do the latter).

Could Washington have done it? Likely. Could TR have done it? Likely. They both combined the strength to hold the threads together, the arrogance to believe they could, and the humility to understand they weren't the story.

But only Lincoln was the one who was there, and because he was there we survived and re-formed as a Union.

Needless to say, Lincoln is my personal hero, as much for not surrendering to what he wasn't as for leveraging what he was. He was the ultimate imperfect man in a situation which required perfection, and we got through it. The times make the man, and he rose to the times.

This, also.

 

The ONLY reason I can't go with Lincoln is that his reputation in much of the states of the old Confederacy still genuinely STINKS. My second wife was Alabama born and raised, and her extensive family had not a single word good to say about Lincoln, despite the fact that both her parents, and most of her siblings were career military. (United States Marines)

 

For a sports figure, how about the one who didn't need steroids to beat out Babe Ruth, the great Hank Aaron.

 

.., or even Ryan Howard, until he crashed and burned too soon. Forgot that in order to hit the ball out of the yard, you first have to hit the ball.

 

Frankly I'm sick of seeing dumb ugly guys on our money. I'd like to see someone easy on the eyes and brilliant:



Actress Hedy Lamarr, you wonder why an actress? Well she was also a brilliant inventor who developed a frequency hopping system that stopped torpedoes from being jammed. She worked extensively during WWII for the military in developing secret weapons systems. She even considered leaving Hollywood to pursue her inventions.

 

Enough of Great Leaders, athletes, stars, self-promoters.

 

I'd put any number of my high school teachers, who helped forge my path. Since I can only pick one, I think retired LTC Graham gets my vote. He was my JROTC instructor and did his best to help me pull my head out of my fourth point of contact and also get me into West Point. He was successful in only one of these endeavors but he made a lasting positive impression on me and many of his students. High School teachers (and other primary and secondary educators) are, in my opinion, America's unsung heros.

 

"That's Hedley!"