How about Arthur Ashe?

Ashe was a hero of mine growing up.

Not many know this, but Ashe was one of the few tennis players whom John McEnroe respected. McEnroe was able to let his guard down with Ashe. I will never forget when McEnroe beat Mats Wilander in the classic 5-set, god-knows-how-many-hours Davis Cup battle in Cincinnati in July 1982 - at the end, McEnroe embraced Ashe (who was the Davis Cup captain) and burst into tears.

After what USA Today did to Ashe (publicized his battle with AIDS), I will never read USA Today. Ashe and his wife BEGGED USA Today not to run the story about Ashe contracting AIDS from his surgery (they didn't want his daughter to have to deal with the negative attention), but USA Today ran the story anyway.

Ashe had class.