Best athletes of all-time in each major sport?
Posted by Belushi on July 20, 2007
Who are the best athletes of all-time? Each individual sport has been debated numerous times, but I wanted to look at all the greatest athletes at once. The list below chronicles the best athlete in each sport, from cycling to soccer…from Ali to Zaharias.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the results is how many of the best athletes in history are competing today. You can go out and see the greatest ever to play their sports, like: Federer, Sorenstam and Woods. Check out the list below, and then tell me what you think.
Greatest Athletes of All-Time:
Auto Racing
Greatest of all-time: Michael Schumacher
Runner up: Dale Earnhardt
* Schumacher is a Germany racing machine. He’s won 7 formula one racing titles, and is one of the richest athletes in the history of sports. Earnhardt was the most popular driver that Nascar has ever known, he’s also the greatest driver. Edging out Richard Petty, who has more career wins than The Intimidator.
Baseball
Greatest of all-time: Babe Ruth
Runner up: Ted Williams
* Babe Ruth was one of the greatest athletes in the history of the World. Stories about his athletic ability are things of legend. And on the baseball field he dominated both as a pitcher and a hitter. Like Tyson, if he had a clear head on his shoulders, he could have set records that would have never been broken. Williams edges out some great ballplayers like Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Ted gets the nod for his career average (above .340) while hitting 500+ home runs.
Basketball
Greatest of all-time: Michael Jordan
Runner Up: Bill Russell
* MJ was the best ever. Not only did he revolutionize the sport, he changed sports marketing forever. The big contracts that LeBron, Reggie Bush, Beckham and Tiger are pulling in…they all owe a big thanks to Mr. Michael Jordan. He changed the game of sports marketing forever. I’m taking Bill Russell next because I appreciate what he did – he was a superstar who played great team basketball and won championships. So Russell edges out Wilt and Basketball Jesus (aka: Larry Bird).
Boxing
Greatest of all-time: Muhammad Ali
Runner up: Mike Tyson
* Ali was special. A boxer with athletic ability that has rarely been seen in the sport. Tyson is not going to be on anyone else’s list at #2 all-time. But the way he dominated his era has rarely, if ever, been seen before. If Tyson didn’t go “Tyson” (aka: crazy), then he could still be dominating today. The guy was a 1 in a million boxer, with a squirrel’s brain in his head.
College Basketball
Greatest of all-time: Pete Maravich
Runner up: Bill Russell
* Pistol Pete was the class of college basketball. He still owns the record for scoring average (44 ppg) in college hoops. Russell comes in 2nd again, but edges a tough trio of Oscar Robertson, Bball Jesus & Danny Manning (Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk!). Russell led a previously unknown San Francisco team to two Championships.
College Football
Greatest of all-time: Herschel Walker
Runner up: Barry Sanders
* It’s very tough to put the guy (Barry Sanders) who claimed 30+ NCAA rushing records, and the all-time record for yards in a season, on his way to the Heisman trophy in 2nd place on this list. But I did because I think Herschel Walker was a better college back. Herschel’s freshman season he rushed for 1600 yards and 15 touchdowns…and he did that while still sitting out 11 quarters of football. He went on to win the Heisman two years later. His combination of size and speed will probably never be duplicated in college football. Others in the conversation are: Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams and Eddie George.
Cycling
Greatest of all-time: (tie) Lance Armstong & Eddy Merckx
Runner up: Miguel Indurain
* Too close to pick a winner. Lance achieved something (7 straight wins) at the sports toughest event, Tour de France, that will never be surpassed. But Merckx (aka: The Cannibal) owns the record for most wins by a professional cyclist and 5 Tour de France wins. Both great cyclists who races in different eras, so we’re calling this one a push.
Golf
Greatest of all-time: Tiger Woods
Runner up: Jack Nicklaus
* If you don’t believe me that Tiger is the best ever, read Coach’s take on Jack vs Tiger. I’m a big Nicklaus fan, but Tiger has surpassed him…and in 10 years it won’t even be an argument.
Women’s Golf
Greatest of all-time: Annika Sorenstam
Runner up: Babe Didrikson Zaharias
* Annika has dominated modern golf against the most competitive women’s fields of all-time. She’s amazingly talented and has become an ambassador for the women’s game. Zaharias played in 4 PGA events, against men, and made the cut in 3 of them. She was everything that Michelle Wie wishes she was.
Hockey
Greatest of all-time: Wayne Gretzky
Runner up: Bobby Hull
* I won’t embarrass myself by showing my lack of knowledge on hockey. Gretzky was ‘the great one’, so he’s the best ever. I picked Hull over Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe because of his zip on the offensive end.
Pro Football
Greatest of all-time: Jim Brown
Runner up: Joe Montana & Barry Sanders (tie)
* This was a tough call, and I could be happy with any of these 3 guys as the best NFL player. Montana has the rings, Brown has the records and MVPs and Barry Sanders was amazing. Ultimately I decided on Jim Brown because of the records he set in an abbreviated pro career. Had he played longer, there is no telling what he would have accomplished.
Soccer
Greatest of all-time: Pele
Runner up: Zinedine Zidane & George Best (tie)
* Pele was the best. Period, end of discussion. Second best player ever is a lot harder. I’m going with Zuzu and Georgie. Both were studs during their careers. Others in the conversation are: Maradona, Ronaldo, Eric Cantona & Franz Beckenbauer. No Beckham.
Men’s Swimming
Greatest of all-time: Mark Spitz
Runner up: Michael Phelps
* Spitz dominated the Olympics like few ever have. Spitz also gets the nod because he sported a sweet looking moustache. If his career ended today, I would rank Phelps behind Matt Biondi. But since I predict more huge accomplishments from Phelps in the Beijing Olympics, I gave him the nod at #2. It’s not impossible for me to imagine Phelps as the greatest swimmer of all-time in a decade.
Women’s Swimming
Greatest of all-time: Tracy Caulkins
Runner up: Mary T. Meagher
* Caulkins dominated swimming in the 70’s and 80’s. She was the only swimmer, male or female, to hold an American record or win a National Title at every stroke. Meagher just edges Janet Evans, by virtue of her domination in the more strokes. Evans was the greatest at long races.
Tennis
Greatest of all-time: Roger Federer
Runner up: Pete Sampras
* Like the Tiger vs Nicklaus, this one has only recently swung in Federer’s favor. Sampras was the best the game had ever seen. But 5 years from now no one will argue against Federer being the greatest tennis player of all-time.
Women’s Tennis
Greatest of all-time: Steffi Graf
Runner up: Martina Navratilova
* Graf won each of the Grand Slam Tournaments at least 4 times. And in 1996 Navratilova conceded, “Steffi is the best all-around player of all-time, regardless of the surface.” Martina is the easy #2 or even #1a. But when she said Steffi is better, I gotta agree with her.
Men’s Track & Field
Greatest of all-time: Carl Lewis
Runner up: Jesse Owens & Michael Johnson
* Three men who were all bad motherf*ckers. Lewis dominated the 100 and long jump, and won 10 Olympic medals…9 of which were gold medals. Let me repeat that, 9 of Carl Lewis’ 10 Olympic medals were gold medals. A bad mofo. And Owens and Johnson both had careers worthy of being considered the best ever. Owens went to Nazi Germany and dominated, winning 4 gold medals. And Michael Johnson was one of the most feared men on the track in the 200 and 400. In Johnson’s peak, no one had a chance to beat him.
Women’s Track & Field
Greatest of all-time: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Runner up: Babe Didrikson Zaharias & Florence Griffith Joyner
* Joyner-Kersee was the greatest women’s track athlete ever. Period. Flo Jo & Babe come in a distant second.
WWE
Greatest of all-time: Hulk Hogan
Runner up: Jimmy “SuperFly” Snuka
* Yeah, I know it’s not really a sport. But I liked Snuka as a kid, and I figured this was my only chance to give him a mention.
Okay let the debate begin and tell me where I went wrong?
And also tell me who you think is the greatest one athlete among all of these?
Coach said
Boxing: Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest ever. Ali second. Tyson might be in the top 25. Maybe.
Basketball: Bird is second.
Soccer: Maradona is second.
Women’s golf: I’d rank Whitworth ahead of Sorenstam.
Can’t argue with the rest.
Oh, and that is a sweet moustache on Spitz.
Brock Landers said
I gotta say, I think I’d vote for Pele. Hasn’t Michael Phelps supplanted Spitz? My girlfriend has sex with Phelps at the Olympics. True story. Word is he took down MANY women during that time.
JamesBond said
Great read!
Who knew Phelps was such a player?
I agree with Federer, but he needs to win the French before his resume is complete.
Belushi said
Sugar Ray & Maradona are not my picks, but I’ll allow them. I could begrudge Maradona #2.
No way Bird is #2 all-time. He’s top 5, but he’s behind Russell & Wilt.
And I think Sorenstam is clearly the best women’s golfer of all-time. If she played Whitworth heads up, I think she spanks her.
Tyson was my flyer pick, but I believe in him. I think if took Tyson in his prime and matched him against every great heavyweight in history, he’d finish 2nd to Ali. Maybe I’m biased because Tyson was the boxing star of my era, but that’s what I see happening.
Coach said
Bird is second all time. No argument.
You can’t compare across time periods. Russell would be a small power forward these days. Shaq has 100 pounds on Chamberlain.
I guess you mean greatest heavyweight of all time. I’d say second there is Joe Louis. Pound for pound, nobody touches Sugar Ray Robinson.
cuzoogle said
booooooo carl lewis
Belushi said
Carl Lewis hater? I figured you’d be down on your steriod homeboy, Ben Johnson.
American Oxonian said
Great list. One caveat—if you can rate Tyson on what would have been, why haven’t you a nod to Mickey Mantle? A definite would had been one of the greatest.
hoopscoach said
Good blog entry – Re: College basketball – Christian Laettner led Duke to 4 straight Final Fours!