The Greatest Athlete/Sportsman of all time: Poll Added

  • Thread starter Deleted member 101472
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Who is the greatest athlete/sportsman of all time ?

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Deleted member 101472

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This thread was done in 2012 but from what I can tell there wasn’t a vote and some things have changed in the last 6 years.

When voting, don’t worry about the definition of athlete and sportsman. Basically you are judging these people on the following criteria;

Statistics and honours
Legacy
Their standing within the sport
Distance from competitors
 
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Michael Jordan- Basketball
Roger Federer- Tennis
Usain Bolt- Track
Michael Phelps- Pool
Muhammad Ali- Boxing
Cristiano Ronaldo- Football
Pele- Football
 
Jim Thorpe
Native American legend in track, then a pioneer in baseball and NFL football
Olympic Gold Medalist in Decathalon and Pentathalon in 1912 Olympics
Then played professional baseball and was in the NFL Team of the Decades 1920s

Duke Kahanamoku
Legendary surfer, lifeguard and Hawaiian waterman.
In 1911 he broke the World Record in the 100m freestyle by 4.6 seconds. He won the gold in the event at the 1912 and 1920 Olympics. He was the first in both the Swimming Hall of Fame and Surfing Hall of Fame. The most impressive water sports athlete imo.
And he was a true hero:
"While living in Newport Beach, California on June 14, 1925, Kahanamoku rescued eight men from a fishing vessel that capsized in heavy surf while attempting to enter the city's harbor"
Not many great athletes end using their athletics to literally saves lives. Duke was really a remarkable human being.


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And just to make an argument for my two nominations - they both revolutionized or pioneered the sports they played often times being a big factor in legitimizing said sport. They were in an era with no training standards, no rich medical team offering support, no doctor on the sidelines waiting to heal them instantly, etc. And they were really both forerunners of setting the athletics standards that everyone from Pele to Ali to Ronaldo have benefited from. They are the giants on whose shoulders all 20th and 21st century athletes stand.

Honorable Mention:
Jessie Owens (1936 Berlin Olympics Gold Medalist 100m, 200m, long jump and relay) especially considering the political situation and how this embarrassed Hitler.
 
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Minimalist said:
Michael Jordan.

Federer is pretty fcuking impressive too.
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Yeah federer is perhaps the most universally liked out of all of them, and IMO the one that’s clearly the best ever in his sport.
 
@Arbitrium

What is your qualification for Babe Ruth and Tiger Woods as athletes?

I could understand their nomination if the category was Greatest Sportsmen but athlete I am not sure.
To me they both represent mastering of a specific sporting skill rather than being an great athlete. I look at athlete myself as more of a general category of physical performance across different skill tests not just a single skill test.

So my nominations for instance- Thorpe won Decathalon and Pentathalon and then played baseball and NFL at top level. Duke revolutionized swimming after already being a surfing legend and in 1932 was even an alternate for water polo. To me that is the epitome of athletic achievement.

So how do Ruth and Woods qualify as top tier athletes? For me those two names really stand out as not belonging compared to the rest of the list no?
 
Raoul said:
If longevity was a factor then it should be someone else. But strictly in terms of the biggest freak of an athlete it would have to be Bo.

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hands down one of my favourite documentaries ever. might watch it just now actually. I had never heard of him until that ESPN thing and then came across that 30/30, phenomenal viewing.
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
@Arbitrium

What is your qualification for Babe Ruth and Tiger Woods as athletes?

I could understand their nomination if the category was Greatest Sportsmen but athlete I am not sure.
To me they both represent mastering of a specific sporting skill rather than being an great athlete. I look at athlete myself as more of a general category of physical performance across different skill tests not just a single skill test.

So my nominations for instance- Thorpe won Decathalon and Pentathalon and then played baseball and NFL at top level. Duke revolutionized swimming after already being a surfing legend and in 1932 was even an alternate for water polo. To me that is the epitome of athletic achievement.

So how do Ruth and Woods qualify as top tier athletes? For me those two names really stand out as not belonging compared to the rest of the list no?
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title changed.
 
Raoul said:
If longevity was a factor then it should be someone else. But strictly in terms of the biggest freak of an athlete it would have to be Bo.

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Iirc my dad saw him throw a ball from the outfield right past first/third to home back when we lived out in California. Don't think he got the guy out but no one cared. Well maybe bo did. Running up the wall is my favourite though.

The man was a marvel
 
Adding a few niche sports:

Alexander Karelin - Greco-Roman wrestling. Possibly the most dominant athlete in any physical sport ever.
Ronnie O'Sullivan - Snooker. Without a doubt the most naturally talented player ever.
Phil Taylor - Darts. 14-time World Champion. Says it all.
Raymond Ceulemans - Billiards. 35-time World Champion. Feck off, Phil Taylor.


Oh, and for a more popular sport, Eddy Merckx. What he did on a bike will never, ever, ever, ever, ever be replicated. No-one will ever get anywhere near it.
 
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Mike Trout and LeBron could stupidly play two sports in America....instead just the one at near GOAT level and yet Bo Jackson gets the press over them sometime.

Not entirely sure why Tiger Woods has to 'qualify' for Athlete status. He made the game you seemingly still think it is obsolete due to his athletic levels.

Then theres Jordan and Messi - the only two people in my lifetime, one of whom I didn't really have the choice, I'd pay to go and watch. Not sure that answers this really. Athletically Messi is behind loads.
 
I think there is a big difference between best athlete and best sportsman.

Who would you say is the mosy athletically freaky person ever in terms of speed, power, strength, acceleration, stamina etc?
 
RedRevongge said:
I think there is a big difference between best athlete and best sportsman.

Who would you say is the mosy athletically freaky person ever in terms of speed, power, strength, acceleration, stamina etc?
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AB de Villiers
 
Carl Lewis is a drug cheat, shouldn't even be discussed. Might as well put Lance Armstrong on the list.

What about Serena Williams or Don Bradman ?
 
I think one of the metrics that should be used is how far ahead they are of the next best person in the sport, and of all the names there Wayne Gretzky’s numbers are absurd.

He had 1963 assists in his career, and the next closest is 1247.

He had 894 goals and the next closest is 801.

For those who aren’t familiar with how it works in NHL, you get 1 point for every goal and assist. Gretzky finished on 2857 points. Second place all time Jaromir jagr has 1921, but played almost 250 games more.

His records IMO are the ones that seem most likely to never be broken.
 
If you're going to have a rugby player in the original list, it's probably Richie McCaw and not Lomu.
 
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