[Closed] who would you vote greatest sportsperson in history?

Pie monster, good call on Owens, or how about Major Taylor?

Schumacher picked Senna as the best but has also been quoted as saying the only driver he really feared was Mika Hakkinen

I think he said this as mika was his biggest rival he fought against all season, for multiple seasons.
In the early 90's senna and Schumacher locked horns on occasion, but never went head to head for the championship.

which does cricket fall into...?
and football..?

You've got to play the numbers, right? Frinstance, it can't be Redgrave, because he's great but only at a sport nobody does. Whereas Pele, Zidane etc are all greats, at the world's most popular sport. If 100,000 times more people did rowing, would Redgrave still be in the top 100 of rowers?

Only slightly trolling.

Reinhold Messner

A mad machine of a man

Pele, obviously. Honorable mentions to Bradman and Gretsky for being miles better than anyone else in their chosen niche. But everyone plays football, and Pele is thus far better than everyone else at it.

On this subject, BBC2 8pm, Racing Legends - Stirling Moss

I think fishing has the highest number of participents....now we need 3 cats game sport and hobby...

I have to agree with this. Federer in his pomp hit shots that you wouldn't thought possible.

Could say the same about Lin Dan.

I feel sorry for anyone who's ever had to play him.

Phil The Power Taylor has dominated Darts for over 20 years, surely got to be considered as a true great. And before you say darts isn't a sport, it's shown on Sky Sports so its a sport.

it's shown on Sky Sports so its a sport

Jessie Owens for shoving it right up Hitlers ass

Always thought Ed Moses was pretty special, I'd say Owens though.

Actually going to the games in Berlin during those times let alone doing what he did there

Ask Zinadine Zidane. He'll tell you....

... Paul Scholes

(and who am I to disagree)

Funny that, because Juan Sebastien Veron would say exactly the same thing. Add to that the fact that Xavi had his poster on the wall above his bed and it all starts to add up. And I'm a bleeding Arsenal fan. Which of course means Scholesy is just pipped to the post by Ian Wright. Which, as I'm sure you will doubtless all agree, is only right and proper 😉

Jessie Owens, congratulated on his success by Hitler, snubbed by his own president.

All Zidane said about Scholes is that he was the player he regretted most not having played with, not that he was the best.

There is only one G.O.A.T in my mind...

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[url= http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan ]Michael Jordan[/url]

Dominated his sport winning pretty much everything available both individually and as part of a team, retired on top of his game then came back and did it all again!

Djamolidine Abdoujaparov

Ole Einer Bjorndalen would have to be up there somewhere too

not only did he win absolutely everything that was there to be won, he did it with a style and grace that will never be equaled. i got to see him perform live too, a religious experience.

god.

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[b]Ali[/b]

Oh sorry, I've changed my opinion because some random mountain biker told me I was wrong 🙄
How about providing your Greatest Sportsman instead of telling other people what their opinions should be?

(Yes, I'm new here)

Lester Piggot won his first race at the age of 12, won the Derby at 18, champion jockey 11 times, holds the all time record for most classic victories then at the age 56 (ish cant remember exactly) he came out of retirement and withina week won the worlds richest mile race yet again schooling the yanks on how to time run He was also properly odd which also aids greatness imo.

Jeannie Longo - although she's coming under some scrutiny now.
Someone already mentioned Wayne Gretsky

Those two absolutely dominated their sports for a long time.

It's still Ali.

Ali if it was greatest sports personality.
Others have a better claim on the basis of their actual achievements.

As usually happens with such threads most posts are 'here's my favourite sportsperson' rather than serious suggestions for greatest which is impossible to decide on anyway. Fun to try though.

Emil Zatopek, no doubt.

edit: He won the 5000m, 10000m and Marathon at the same Olympics never having raced a Marathon before.
He suffered terribly under the Czechoslovakian rule and actually gave one of his Olympic medals to Ron Clark claiming he deserved it more.
An incredible athlete, incredible determination in the face of adversity and modest.

There is only one G.O.A.T in my mind...

Mine too.

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But, perhaps better in many ways....

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But, really, in all seriousness, why has nobody mentioned

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But, talking of fishermen, I'll go for Chris Yates, for matchmen, hasn't Alan Scotthorne got one more world title than Bob Nudd?

Rodney Mullen.

Definitely not Ali....he was fighting at one of many weights and lost a number of fights. Not even the best Boxer....good as he was was!

Phil 'The Power' Taylor does take a lot of beating, with 16 world championships and he only took the game up when he was 26....amazing!

However, its not really a sport, so you have to go for mass participation sports where money is not required to buy good equipment, so no cars, bikes etc.

That leave football and running. Lots of different distances for running so impossible to choose one...although Bolt must be right up there.

Which leaves footie........Pele, Maradona or Messi?

I think I'd have to to for Maradona, despite being a cheating, drug taking little b@stard, he really was from another planet! Messi is getting close though!

But, talking of fishermen, I'll go for Chris Yates

agreed, you couldn't find a more sporting chap

Muhammad Ali.

For the strength that he demonstrated in and out of the ring in the face of unimaginable opposition.

I’m not one for idolatry, but the man is a LEGEND.

However, its not really a sport,

True, but,

so you have to go for mass participation sports where money is not required to buy good equipment,

Why? Does not compute. Sorry.

But, talking of fishermen, I'll go for Chris Yates
agreed, you couldn't find a more sporting chap

I read 'Casting at the Sun' every few years and every time I finish and think "Yeah. There's a truly happy, peaceful man"
Him and John Wilson are probably the only 2 people I'm really jealous of.

Bjørn Dæhlie

I think fishing has the highest number of participents

I often see that suggested, but I don't think it's actually true - strangely enough as we tend to see ourselves as a minority I think there are actually more cyclists.

Why? Does not compute. Sorry.

Well, its obvious....if you have to have a bike or a car or a horse etc. that would rule out the entire continent of Africa and 50% of most other continents too. You have to choose a sport that is 'world inclusive', a natural sport like running or boxing that is available to all. Football is one of the few that can be included, as a ball is pretty much available anywhere.

Only when they have taken on the world can they they call themselves the greatest.

Definitely not Ali....he was fighting at one of many weights and lost a number of fights. Not even the best Boxer....good as he was was!

Phil 'The Power' Taylor does take a lot of beating, with 16 world championships and he only took the game up when he was 26....amazing!

It's a headscratcher and no mistake that one. Hard to separate them.

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I read 'Casting at the Sun' every few years and every time I finish and think "Yeah. There's a truly happy, peaceful man"

I've got a VHS box set of the 'Passion For Angling' series he did with Bob James and Hugh Miles up in the attic..

a must have

Greatest competitor Lance or Schu

Greatest Sportsman?

Ellen McArthur, Zinardi, Richard Burns or Damon Hill.

All for different reasons to me.

Any TT competitor, the insane bastards.

Brian Jacks!

I've got a VHS box set of the 'Passion For Angling' series he did with Bob James and Hugh Miles up in the attic..

Yeah, I remember that. 🙂

No one mentioned John Surtees yet?

Only person to be World Champion on 2 and 4 wheels - at the highest level as well:

[b]
Grand Prix motorcycle racing career:[/b]
Active years 1952 - 1960
Teams Norton, MV Agusta
Grands Prix 49
Championships 350cc - 1958, 1959, 1960
500cc- 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960
Wins 38
Podium finishes 45
Fastest laps 34
First Grand Prix 1952 500cc Ulster Grand Prix
First win 1955 250cc Ulster Grand Prix
Last win 1960 500cc Nations Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix 1960 500cc Nations Grand Prix

[b]Formula One World Championship career[/b]
Active years 1960 - 1972
Teams Lotus, Cooper, Lola, Ferrari,Honda, BRM, McLaren, Surtees
Races 113 (111 starts)
Championships 1 (1964)
Wins 6
Podiums 24
Career points 180
Pole positions 8
Fastest laps 10
First race 1960 Monaco Grand Prix
First win 1963 German Grand Prix
Last win 1967 Italian Grand Prix
Last race 1972 Italian Grand Prix

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[img] [/img]

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I know most of you won't care about the NHL and ice hockey, but Ken Dryden, the goalie for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s, as well as the Canadian national team during the 1972 USSR/Canada summit series, deserves to be better known outside hockey circles. I would encourage you all to take a look at Wayne Gretzky as well.

Ooh, I know! Who was that bloke who won 5 Tour De Frances in a row? He must be a candidate, surely? [b]5[/b] TOUR DE FRANCE wins! Lance something...

Jack Johnson one of the greatest boxers of all time and overcame far more hurdles than Ali. First black heavy weight of the world.

As for the mention of Calzaghe, Jesus wept, Carl Froch is way more entertaining!

Paavo Nurmi
Apparently Zatopek used to train using the mantra "I am Nurmi".
Nurmi was possibly the most influential distance runner of all time.

He's no sportsman but Frankel was a pretty decent horse.

Shaun Palmer?

Medal record
Snowboarding
Winter X Games Medal Record
Gold 1997 Snow Mountain Bike Racing
Gold 1997 Snowboard Cross
Gold 1998 Snowboard Cross
Gold 1999 Snowboard Cross
Gold 2000 Ski Cross
Gold 2001 Ultracross
Gravity Games Medal Record
Gold 2002 Ski Cross
Snowboard World Cup Medal Record
Silver 2006 Snowboard Cross
Silver 2008 Snowboard Cross
Swatch World Halfpipe Championship
Gold 1990 Halfpipe
Mountain Biking
World Championships
Silver 1996 Downhill
Gold 1999 Dual Slalom Biking

Laird Hamilton

A modern candidate: Travis Pastrana

Gretzky still gets it for me,

1487 games played in the NHL
894 goals
1973 assists, thats 2867 points. He holds the NHL points record by miles & there's still no-one on the horizon to get anywhere near him
6 Stanley Cup Finals
4 Stanley cup wins. His list of other awards is just too long for me to show. He's won the 'Lady Bing' trophy 5 times (thats for the most sportsman like player)
The 'Art Ross' trophy 10 times (leading points scorer at the end of regular season.
The Hart Memorial trophy 9 times (MVP)
The Ted Lindsay award 5 times (most outstanding player)

Apparently he's pretty handy with the golf clubs too.

Ooh, I know! Who was that bloke who won 5 Tour De Frances in a row? He must be a candidate, surely? 5 TOUR DE FRANCE wins! Lance something...

I think you'll find that was Miguel Indurain. Nobody called Lance has ever won the TdF.

George Best - whilst at Manchester United
Mike Tyson

and as others have suggested:
Jean Michel Bayle (on a motocrosser)
Valentino Rossi (on anything except a Ducati)
John Surtees (in/on anything with an engine)

Bit futile trying to choose across disciplines and eras...

I'd probably see athletes as better sportspeople than others and would therefore offer Sergey "Keitel" Bubka as an alternative suggestion.
6 consecutive Worlds Championships spanning 17 years.
35 world records.
holds indoor and outdoor records that have stood for 20 years.

I'd probably see athletes as better sportspeople than others

Why?

What is the "unimaginable opposition" you speak of?

Racism.

Vietnam War.

The vast number of quality heavy weights that he battered.

That enough?

Alf Engers.

why?

Athletics is simple, pure and all about human strength and endurance. The orignal and the epitome of sport in my eyes.

Athletics is simple, pure and all about human strength and endurance. The orignal and the epitome of sport in my eyes

so skill, style and teamwork have nothing to do with sport ?

of course they do, I'm just offering an opinion as to why I think athletes are the greatest sportspeople. Their events are accessible, their achievements can easily be appreciated and therefore they readily inspire others.
what proportion of Sports Personalities over the years have been athletes? I bet it's quite high.

Fishing a sport? sitting on your ass not getting out of breath(or moving all day )and avoiding diy or mowing the lawn whilst trying to kill animals ? Does not seem much like a sport to me.It`s a pastime not a sport .

It's Beryl Burton. [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_Burton ]Check out her achievements.[/url]

You can be going on about Ice Hockey all you want, but most of the world couldn't give a shit about it.

Have people been mentioning surfers again? 😆

I propose Arrhichion of Phigalia, won a pankration match despite being dead; that's as hardcore as it gets.

Just revisiting this thread and seen the question Ali v Phil Taylor.

I had already answered this when I said the contenders had to come from a world sport, a natural sport, like running, boxing, football that any person on the planet had access to.

Only then, can you really say you're the best in the world. I still think Usain Bolt has a big claim as whilst distance running is important, the sprint it the blue riband event and he's the fastest EVER, regardless of medals.