Who was the greatest athlete of our time? And Why?
Tomorrow we have a meeting with a person who IMO is one of them and someone who will surely be named in this thread.
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Can we start with JIM THORPE and JACKIE ROBINSON
quote:Originally posted by TRhit:
Can we start with JIM THORPE and JACKIE ROBINSON
Careful...you're giving away your age there.
Our time for most of the people here is since 1955.
Besides, while Robinson should be in a conversation about the greatest man of our time because of his character on and off the field, I think most observers would argue that he wasn't even the best athlete in the Negro Leagues and other, more talented, athletes were bypassed by MLB because it was believed that Robinson had a better emotional ability to handle some of the venom that would be directed at him than those other players did.
Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Monte Irvin...all may have been better athletes than Jackie Robinson.
I'd have to cast a vote for Michael Jordan as the overall athlete...in baseball--in my lifetime--it would be hard to beat Willie Mays in his prime.
I'm not quite as old as TR, so his fine selections aren't really in my time.
A little more seriously, my first inclination is to go with the dual-sport guys, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. I think one has to be pretty special to compete as they did at the top of two major sports. But, they may not be the greatest.
You have me losing sleep over this one, PG. There are many good ones that it may be. Of course, I'd like to think I know a future candidate.
bigdaddy
Are you aware of what a great football player and track star Jackie Robinson was/
I am one of the biggest Willie Mays fans in the world but I am not sure he was that great an athlete in comparison to Jackie or even Bo Jackson
Are you aware of what a great football player and track star Jackie Robinson was/
I am one of the biggest Willie Mays fans in the world but I am not sure he was that great an athlete in comparison to Jackie or even Bo Jackson
Deion Sanders
Bo Jackson
Josh Booty
Dave Winfield
Charlie Ward
John Elway
Chris Weinke
Brian Jordon
Bo Jackson
Josh Booty
Dave Winfield
Charlie Ward
John Elway
Chris Weinke
Brian Jordon
KD,
That's a good list. I forgot all about Dave Winfield. Wasn't he drafted in three sports?
BTW, the name I was looking for has already been named a few times. I think he was arguably the best athlete ever and will give the reasons later.
IMO... the greatest athlete has to have excelled at more than one sport, but maybe others think differently. BTW, does it have to be a male?
That's a good list. I forgot all about Dave Winfield. Wasn't he drafted in three sports?
BTW, the name I was looking for has already been named a few times. I think he was arguably the best athlete ever and will give the reasons later.
IMO... the greatest athlete has to have excelled at more than one sport, but maybe others think differently. BTW, does it have to be a male?
I would put Tiger Woods on the list, as the most dominant athlete for a decade now. He will eclipse every record in the sport by multiples. Golf is an individual's sport without teammates. No one has or will dominate the sport like he has for the last 10 years, or will for the next 10 years, for a long long time. For me Tiger is at the top of the list.
I would go with the following:
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jim Brown
Secretariat
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jim Brown
Secretariat
To me Golfers are not athletes--they are skilled individuals with a very unique skill
How fast is Tiger?
How high can he leap?
How fast is Tiger?
How high can he leap?
Golfers may not be athletes, but Tiger Woods darn sure is an athlete. He would be on my list.
quote:Originally posted by itsinthegame:
I would go with the following:
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Jim Brown
Secretariat
Good list except for the horse
When Jim Brown was recruited by Syracuse while still in 11th grade, his coach told him he was already better than anyone on the Syracuse football team or anyone in their entire conference. Woody Hayes was also desperately after him. Some claim he is the greatest LaCrosse player of all time. I can tell PG is going with Bo Jackson but I don't see him in the same category as Jim Brown. If you want to argue Bo's baseball skills, that is a good point but I am still not sure there has ever been one as good as Jim Brown.
There are probably some boxers who should be on the list. Notably, Muhamed Ali and Joe Lewis.
I had the privilege of seeing Jim Brown play in HS as well as in college-- he was a man among boys---I grew up in Long Island where lacrosse was and is still king. They still talk about him-
Here are some other names, but I'm not suggesting they're the G.O.A.T. BTW I think PG's talking about Bo. He can cook too! 
Koufax was a pretty good basketball player before he was signed by the Dodgers.
How about Frank Thomas? He could have played in the NFL. ANd Mark Hendrickson played in the NBA before he pitched in MLB.
Koufax was a pretty good basketball player before he was signed by the Dodgers.
How about Frank Thomas? He could have played in the NFL. ANd Mark Hendrickson played in the NBA before he pitched in MLB.
Lance Armstrong
Muhammed Ali
Danny Ainge (Not as good a two-sport choice as Bo Jackson, but he held his own in baseball and starred in basketball)
Bobby Orr
Muhammed Ali
Danny Ainge (Not as good a two-sport choice as Bo Jackson, but he held his own in baseball and starred in basketball)
Bobby Orr
PG did not say the greatest baseball player of our time, but the greatest athlete.
I recently heard someone else say they thought that Tiger Woods would go down in history as being the greatest athlete of our time. Same reasons that Dad04 stated.
I am not sure that you have to jump, get knocked down or throw a ball to be a great athlete.
Ok I give up who is it?
I recently heard someone else say they thought that Tiger Woods would go down in history as being the greatest athlete of our time. Same reasons that Dad04 stated.
I am not sure that you have to jump, get knocked down or throw a ball to be a great athlete.
Ok I give up who is it?
You're right CD,
Bo Jackson would be my pick, but there are many deserving athletes and could understand why others might think differently.
Here is why Bo...
From an ESPN article…
Jackson was the first athlete named to play in the All-Star Game of two major sports. Not bad for a guy who won a Heisman Trophy and became a 1998 College Football Hall of Fame inductee in a sport he described as his "hobby."
His career
He hit 107 homers for the Royals from 1987 through '90, when he also played pro football.
He is the only player in NFL history to have two rushing touchdowns of 90 yards or more, with a 91-yarder coming when he ran for a Raiders record 221 yards against Seattle a month into his pro football career.
At McAdory High School in McCalla, Ala., he claimed two state decathlon championships.
The New York Yankees, selected him in the second round of the June 1982 draft. But he went to Auburn.
In college he won football's biggest award, the Heisman Trophy
Another comment from that ESPN article
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Jackson the first selection of the 1986 NFL draft. But Jackson rejected their five-year, multi-million dollar contract. "My first love is baseball," he said, "and it has always been a dream of mine to be a major-league player."
After spending only 53 games in the minors, Jackson made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and got an infield single off Steve Carlton in his first at-bat.
By 1989, Jackson was a baseball All-Star. And the All-Star Game MVP.
1990 – NFL Pro Bowl selection.
He received an artificial hip in 1992
In his first game back in 1993, Jackson hit a pinch-hit home run in his first AB since the operation.
He hit 16 homers that year with a new artificial hip.
Jackson then hit .279 with 13 homers in 201 at-bats for the Angels in the next year.
Athletic ability….
Jackson recorded the fastest 60 yd time ever recorded by a baseball player 6.13
Jackson received an 80 grade for power
This made Jackson possibly the only 80 power, 80 speed player in history.
He had a very strong arm
He was both a power and speed runner in football
He was a MLB all star
He was an NFL all star
He won the Heisman Trophy
He was a track star
He came back and played MLB with an artificial hip.
So if we consider speed, power, agility, perseverance, and all other components involved in athletics, there can’t be many in his class. There has never been anyone who excelled more at two major professional sports at the same time.
He’s now a championship caliber bow hunter.
Bo Jackson would be my pick, but there are many deserving athletes and could understand why others might think differently.
Here is why Bo...
From an ESPN article…
Jackson was the first athlete named to play in the All-Star Game of two major sports. Not bad for a guy who won a Heisman Trophy and became a 1998 College Football Hall of Fame inductee in a sport he described as his "hobby."
His career
He hit 107 homers for the Royals from 1987 through '90, when he also played pro football.
He is the only player in NFL history to have two rushing touchdowns of 90 yards or more, with a 91-yarder coming when he ran for a Raiders record 221 yards against Seattle a month into his pro football career.
At McAdory High School in McCalla, Ala., he claimed two state decathlon championships.
The New York Yankees, selected him in the second round of the June 1982 draft. But he went to Auburn.
In college he won football's biggest award, the Heisman Trophy
Another comment from that ESPN article
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Jackson the first selection of the 1986 NFL draft. But Jackson rejected their five-year, multi-million dollar contract. "My first love is baseball," he said, "and it has always been a dream of mine to be a major-league player."
After spending only 53 games in the minors, Jackson made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 1986, and got an infield single off Steve Carlton in his first at-bat.
By 1989, Jackson was a baseball All-Star. And the All-Star Game MVP.
1990 – NFL Pro Bowl selection.
He received an artificial hip in 1992
In his first game back in 1993, Jackson hit a pinch-hit home run in his first AB since the operation.
He hit 16 homers that year with a new artificial hip.
Jackson then hit .279 with 13 homers in 201 at-bats for the Angels in the next year.
Athletic ability….
Jackson recorded the fastest 60 yd time ever recorded by a baseball player 6.13
Jackson received an 80 grade for power
This made Jackson possibly the only 80 power, 80 speed player in history.
He had a very strong arm
He was both a power and speed runner in football
He was a MLB all star
He was an NFL all star
He won the Heisman Trophy
He was a track star
He came back and played MLB with an artificial hip.
So if we consider speed, power, agility, perseverance, and all other components involved in athletics, there can’t be many in his class. There has never been anyone who excelled more at two major professional sports at the same time.
He’s now a championship caliber bow hunter.
That's pretty convincing, PG!
Bo Jackson. Imo the greatest athlete of our time.
Thanks, but Jim Brown would be a great pick too.IMO
Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Willie Mays, etc are all among the greatest in their sports. But Bo was a All star MLB Centerfielder and an All Pro NFL running back. There have been better at each sport, but no one better at both! Deion Sanders would come in second IMO. But he was just a speed guy, where Bo was a speed and power guy.
Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Willie Mays, etc are all among the greatest in their sports. But Bo was a All star MLB Centerfielder and an All Pro NFL running back. There have been better at each sport, but no one better at both! Deion Sanders would come in second IMO. But he was just a speed guy, where Bo was a speed and power guy.
I didn't need anybody to tell me ... and as an Auburn graduate, it is easy for me to say ...Bo Jackson is the greatest athlete of our time.
If there is any doubt, rest assured that had Bo not been injured he would have removed all of it.
If there is any doubt, rest assured that had Bo not been injured he would have removed all of it.
Unfortunately Bo Jackson was not able to finish his legacy, but he was a freak of nature before his injury.
It is indeed hard to overcome the baseball abilities of Bo Jackson. FWIW:
quote:Jim Brown is to running backs what Superman is to cartoon heroes. Standing 6-foot-2 and packing 230 hard pounds on his square-shouldered frame, he was an explosive fullback, combining outstanding speed with awesome power.
Brown played only nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns -- and led the NFL in rushing eight times. He averaged 104 yards a game, an NFL record 5.2 yards a pop. He ran for at least 100 yards in 58 of his 118 regular-season games (he never missed a game). He ran for 237 yards in a game twice, scored five touchdowns in another game and four times scored four touchdowns. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in seven seasons, scorching opponents for 1,527 yards in one 12-game season and 1,863 in a 14-game season.
"For mercurial speed, airy nimbleness, and explosive violence in one package of undistilled evil, there is no other like Mr. Brown," wrote Pulitzer Prize winning sports columnist Red Smith.
Unlike most athletes, Brown retired when he was on top. At age 30, he decided he'd rather star in movies than on a football field. When he left the game before the 1966 season, no player had ever ran for as many yards (12,312) or scored more touchdowns (126) or rushing touchdowns (106). "And he played at a time when defenses were set against the run first and the pass second," said Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers.
Amazingly, football might not have been Brown's best sport. Some say he was a more talented lacrosse player, and he is the only person to be inducted into the halls of fame for pro football, college football and lacrosse.
I believe had Bo Jackson stuck to football he would have been the greatest running back of all time. Had he stuck to baseball be probably would have been a Hall of Famer. The guy never let his body rest and recuperate.
Bo Jackson is my number one pure athlete, and Jessie Owens very close, because what he did in Germany in 1937 in from of Hittler may be one of the greater moments in sports history.
Bo suffered a freak injury. Its easy for people to forget but before he got hurt he was simply amazing. He could run over you , around you and past anyone. He was a stud at whatever he wanted to do. Bo made other outstanding professional athletes look like middle school players.
Bo Jackson is a very good choice. I'm convinced.
The following is a list off the top of my head of athletes in the last 50 years or so that were so dominant that I think they were 20-30 years ahead of their time in their sport.
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
Oscar Robertson
Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar)
Wilt Chamberlain
Wayne Gretzky
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Mickey Mantle
Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Certainly there were others. Those came to my mind pretty quickly.
The following is a list off the top of my head of athletes in the last 50 years or so that were so dominant that I think they were 20-30 years ahead of their time in their sport.
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
Oscar Robertson
Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar)
Wilt Chamberlain
Wayne Gretzky
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Mickey Mantle
Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Certainly there were others. Those came to my mind pretty quickly.
Wilt Chamberlain has to be on the list.
Obviously for basketball, but also…
He ran the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, threw the shotput 56 feet, triple jumped more than 50 feet, and won the high jump in the Big Eight track and field championships three straight years.
Volleyball player
And this self admitted feat…
His claim.... 20,000 women!
Can that possibly be true? That is one every day for about 55 years and he only lived for 63 years.
Some might be offended by that, but if true... That's mind boggling!
Obviously for basketball, but also…
He ran the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, threw the shotput 56 feet, triple jumped more than 50 feet, and won the high jump in the Big Eight track and field championships three straight years.
Volleyball player
And this self admitted feat…
His claim.... 20,000 women!
Can that possibly be true? That is one every day for about 55 years and he only lived for 63 years.
Some might be offended by that, but if true... That's mind boggling!
Gotta go with MJ.
PG:
Only possible if he did them in batches, if you know what I mean.
Only possible if he did them in batches, if you know what I mean.
Rob,
I don't understand, could you please explain!
I don't understand, could you please explain!
I'd have to go with the one man none of us would disagree with if he self-professed to be the greatest athlete..
..Bruce Lee
..Bruce Lee
Some left off:
Bruce Jenner
Mark Spitz
Edwin Moses
In terms of just pure athletic ability, taking nothing else into consideration, Randy Moss in his prime.
Alot of answers to this question.
Bruce Jenner
Mark Spitz
Edwin Moses
In terms of just pure athletic ability, taking nothing else into consideration, Randy Moss in his prime.
Alot of answers to this question.
Let's not forget the only man to win a World title in two different sports, Gene Conley.
From Wikpedia:
Donald Eugene Conley (born November 10, 1930) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons from 1952 to 1963 for four different teams. Conley was also played forward six seasons in the 1952-1953 season, and again from 1958 to 1964 for two teams in the National Basketball Association. He is best known for being the only person to win championships in two different sports, one with the Milwaukee Braves in the 1957 World Series and three Boston Celtics championships from 1959-61.
He also was the winning pitcher in the 1955 All-Star Game and was selected for the 1954 and 1959 games.
In 11 seasons pitching for the Braves, Phillies and Red Sox, Conley posted a 91-96 with 888 strikeouts and a 3.82 ERA in 1588.2 innings.
From Wikpedia:
Donald Eugene Conley (born November 10, 1930) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons from 1952 to 1963 for four different teams. Conley was also played forward six seasons in the 1952-1953 season, and again from 1958 to 1964 for two teams in the National Basketball Association. He is best known for being the only person to win championships in two different sports, one with the Milwaukee Braves in the 1957 World Series and three Boston Celtics championships from 1959-61.
He also was the winning pitcher in the 1955 All-Star Game and was selected for the 1954 and 1959 games.
In 11 seasons pitching for the Braves, Phillies and Red Sox, Conley posted a 91-96 with 888 strikeouts and a 3.82 ERA in 1588.2 innings.
Just in case you missed it on the 60 meter thread.
Kentucky Derby1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyqllleV6WA&feature=related
The Preakness1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOlWDz2KBw&feature=related
Belmont Stakes1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_ylcxgCaI&feature=related
The complete Triple Crown 1973
This video is hosted by Kieth Jackson, It's fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5hAkgZqtI&feature=related
Secretariat may of only been a Horse.
But he was all Athlete for sure.
EH
Kentucky Derby1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyqllleV6WA&feature=related
The Preakness1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOlWDz2KBw&feature=related
Belmont Stakes1973
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_ylcxgCaI&feature=related
The complete Triple Crown 1973
This video is hosted by Kieth Jackson, It's fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-5hAkgZqtI&feature=related
Secretariat may of only been a Horse.
But he was all Athlete for sure.
EH
HORSES ARE ANIMALS THEY ARE NOT ATHLETES !!!!
Watch the video and tell me he's not an Athlete.
He's Flesh and Blood isn't he.
EH
He's Flesh and Blood isn't he.
EH
What a minute are you telling me that Human's aren't Animal's??
Thats news to me.
EH
Thats news to me.
EH