Who are the top 10 greatest athletes of all time.?

Question

If you took every sport and every athlete, how would you rank the top ten. I would think Jordan would have to be on the list. I am not a big baseball fan but I would imagine with what Bonds has accomplished, he would make the cut. I would also put Jerry Rice and Muhammed Ali on the list. Sampras and Armstrong and Woods would also be on my list.

I guess my list would go.

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Michael Jordan
3. Tiger Woods
4. Pete Sampras
5. Lance Armstrong
6. Magic Johnson
7. Wayne Gretsky
8. Barry Bonds
9. Jerry Rice
10. (Young) Iron Mike Tyson

I know this is not a perfect. But what would you put down?

Answer 1

I think you have to have Bo Jackson who excelled at baseball and football blew his hip had hip replacement then played another 2 years of Major League baseball is a pretty awesome athlete deserving of top ten

Answer 2

You've made a pretty good list, so I'll have some duplicates. I'm probably a lot older than you, too (I'm 61), but I've been watching and playing most sports since the early 'fifties. How about this list?

1. Babe Ruth (baseball)
2. Muhammad Ali (boxing)
3. Wilt Chamberlain (basketball)
4. Willie Mays (baseball)
5. Michael Jordan (basketball)
6. Roger Federer (tennis)
7. Carl Lewis (track & field)
8. Jim Brown (football)
9. Dan Gable (wrestling)
10. Barry Bonds (baseball)

It's difficult to make a top-ten athletes list that doesn't include Ray Robinson, Pele, or Bill Russell, but I can't find anyone to cut.

Answer 3

Mine are, not necessarily in this order:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Michael Jordan
3. Babe Ruth
4. Joe Louis
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Pete Sampras
7. Tiger Woods
8. Carl Lewis
9. Rocky Marciano
10. Pele

Answer 4

I have to disagree with you with your list. Probably we have two different understading (definition) of "greatest athletes". This is how I break down as "greatest athletes":
--- Physically strong ** I mean way above other atheletes (agree?)
--- Also mentally strong **Way above other atheletes
--- Achievements ** It seem that people value this too much when rating athletes, this can be deadly wrong sometimes. I value this very little. Does any in your list that run across the dead valley, in Iron man competition....?

This is my list:
1. Bruce Lee -- No one come near his level of fitness both physically and mentally (You won't have another like him in another millenium or more, strongest person pound per pound)
2. Lance Armstrong -- Talk about endurance, top notch physical condition and achievements.
3. Muhammad Ali -- Mental toughness was at its best, he clown his opponent.
4. Micheal Jordan -- He came out of re re- retirement to compete with younger guys and came out on top.
5. Mike Tyson -- This guy is a beast, nuff said
6. Below here are people who won Iron Man competition or win marathon through dead valley or saharah desert.

*** I'd take out Tiger Woods, Pete Sampras, Barry bonds and all others out. No disrespect their achievements. They are "king" of their profession, but they are not "greatest atheletes". They don't have enough athelism in the word athelete. EXAMPLE: If Roger Federer breaks Sampras record he will be "greatest atheletes". The answer is NOOOO. He will be king of tenis but can't come near the level of other that I listed. The achievements don't count as much as the physical conditions that one obtain. If you go by achievement then Bill Russel will out MJ. Peace, research on Bruce Lee then let me know if I rank him correctly.

Answer 5

You simply cant put a tennis player on the list without Federer

And are you talking about who were the absolute best athelte in their prime, or who has the most successful (money, fame, acheivement) career. ?

Because Bo Jackson is certainly one of the best atheletes ever. So was deion sanders. L T certainly deserves a look.

And no mention of soccer (footballers) and that is by far the biggest sport.

You list looks like the richest atheltes of all time (except mike tyson)

Answer 6

In no particular order: Bo Jackson (soccer) Michael Jordan (b-ball) Muhammad Ali (boxer) Carl Lewis (song and field) Jackie Joyner-Kersey (song and field) Pele (futbol) Deion Sanders (soccer) Martina Navritilova (tennis) Pete Sampras (tennis) Ken Griffey Jr. (baseball)

Answer 7

I definitely like your list but I think I would leave off Bonds for multiple reasons ... we are talking top ten athletes ever ... so I think I would include at least one female somewhere (like Babe Didrikson Zaharias). So in no particular order:

Muhammad Ali
Lance Armstrong
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
Jackie Robinson
Bo Jackson
Dave Winfield (only person ever drafted by 3 pro sports ... MLB, NBA, and NFL)
Jim Brown
Wayne Gretzky
Babe Didrikson Zaharias

I would love to put on Barry Sanders (a personal favorite of mine). I think some people would choose Deion Sanders. I like my list though.

Answer 8

1.Jim Brown
2.Muhammad Ali
3.Wilt Chamberlain
4.Michael Jordan
5.Lance Armstrong
6.Wayne Gretzky
7. Wille Mays
8. Carl Lewis
9. Tiger Woods
10. Babe Ruth

Answer 9

Your list is missing many vital people such as Jim Brown and Michael Johnson.

Holy **** you don't even have Jim Thorpe.

Having Barry Bonds on your list makes it a joke.

Answer 10

not necessarily in this order

Jim Thorpe
Muhammad Ali
Michael Jordan
babe Ruth
Wayne Gretzky
Pele
Jim brown
wilt chamberlain
BO Jackson
Jerry rice

tiger would be number 11