We watch sports to see who wins and loses, but also to be inspired — and 2016 offered plenty of examples of the latter, from a touching moment between two strangers on the Olympic track, to a little boy from a war-torn land who met his favorite soccer player, to a warm ovation fueled by empathy for a visiting NHL goalie.

Moments and feelings that will be recalled more vividly than any numbers on a result sheet or etched in bright lights on a scoreboard.

There were athletes and coaches whose stories touched us, as well as folks connected to the sports world who contributed their own uplifting v...