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Saluting Muhammad Ali yesterday made me dive into my memory bank to name my top 20 sportsmen of all time in date-of-birth order. Here goes.
Jim Thorpe (1888-1953)
Thorpe was voted by American ABC Sports fans as the Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century. Winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics in the decathlon and pentathlon, Thorpe went on to shine as a professional footballer, baseballer, and basketballer,
Babe Ruth (1895-1948)
He looked the least likely athlete, but he was a mighty baseballer. He struck 60 home runs in 1927, a record that stood for 34 years. The Babe was famous for nominating where his next homer would land, and he was invariably right on the money.
Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973)
The Flying Finn set 22 world records from the 1500 to 20ks and won nine gold and three silver from the 12 Olympic events he competed in across three Games – 1920, 1924, and 1928.
Jesse Owens (1913-1980)
He became famous for his four gold medals in the 100, 200, long jump, and relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in front of a fuming Adolf Hitler.
But for mine, his greatest feat was a 45-minute burst in Michigan in 1935 when he broke three world records and equalled one. He made new marks in the long jump of 8.13m that lasted 25 years, 220 (20.3) and 220 low hurdles with 22.6, the first to break 23 seconds, and equalled the 100m world record with 9.4.
Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001)
The Don was without peer as a Test batsman, averaging 99.94 in his stellar career. The next best is still daylight – Graeme Pollock (63.70), George Headley (60.83), and Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73), with Jacques Kallis the best of the current batsmen with 56.48.
Rocky Marciano (1923-1969)
The only world heavyweight boxing champion to retire undefeated, his 49 victories featured 43 knockouts and on the way he beat such great fighters as Joe Louis, Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, and Ezzard Charles. The Rock died in a light plane crash just short of his 46th birthday.
Ken Rosewall (1934)
Rosewall will never be matched for his longevity on the tennis circuit. He was in four Wimbledon finals between 1954 and 1974 (20 years apart) in five Australian Open finals 1953 to 1972 (19 years apart) in two US finals 1956 and 1984 (18 years apart) and two French finals in 1953 and 1969 (16 years apart).
Rod Laver (1938)
Laver is the only tennis player, male or female, to win two Grand Slams – the first in 1962 as an amateur, and the second in 1969 as a pro.
Herb Elliott (1938)
Elliot was never beaten over 1500 and the mile, capping his career with 1500 gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics by smashing his own world record with 3.35.6 to win by a record margin of 30 metres. He promptly retired at 23 saying he had nothing more to prove.
Pele (1940)
Pele was born Edison Arantes do Nascimento to become the world’s greatest football player with charisma that still glows worldwide. He scored 1220 goals between 1956 and 1974.
Jack Nicklaus (1940)
Nicklaus is the international golfing maestro. He captured 18 majors, and was runner up 19 times. No golfer will ever get within a binocular distance of those overall stats.
Muhammad Ali (1942)
Ali is the most charismatic boxer of all time, elevating the sport to new heights. He fought 61 times for five losses to Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes, and Trevor Berbick, the last three in his last four fights as the symptoms of Parklnson’s Disease surfaced.
Wayne Gretzky (1961)
The Candian has been universally claimed as the greatest ice hockey player of all time. His records are so long, it would take a full column to do them justice.
Sir Steve Redgrave (1962)
Redgrave won five Olympic gold medals for rowing at the 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 Games – a phenomenal feat.
Jahangir Kahn (1963)
Kahn swept all before him on the international squash courts, At one stage he won 555 matches in succession over a five year, eight month period.
Michael Jordan (1963)
Jordan is much like Wayne Gretsky. The NBA website claims “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketballer of all time”. His records are also too many to list here.
Roger Federer (1981)
The Swiss holds the world record by winning 17 Slam singles crowns. But reaching 18 of 19 successive finals from Wimbledon 2005 to the 2010 Australian Open is just as significant. So too is 23 successive Slam semis from Wimbledon 2004 to the 2010 Australian Open.
Michael Phelps (1985)
Phelps has won a record 22 medals with 18 gold, two silver, and two bronze in the pool from three Olympics in 2004, 2008 and 2012. The closest is gymnast Larisa Latynina with 18 medals – nine gold, five silver, and four bronze.
Usain Bolt (1986)
It’s impossible to believe any track athlete can break the Lightning Bolt’s world records of 9.58 over the 100, and 19.19 for the 200. The Jamaican is a freak of nature, and the most charismatic sportsman on the planet.
Lionel Messi (1987)
The world footballer of the year four times, and holder of the Guinness world record of 91 goals in a year. A football magician.