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Bill Russell
- Bill Russell is not always in the conversation when basketball fans talk about the greatest player ever, but there are many reasons why they should.
Larry Bird
- The Boston Celtics had a legacy of winning long before Larry Bird got there, but when you won as many the championships as they had, the bar is set pretty high. Bird not only cleared it, but he also set a new level for Celtics fans.
Babe Ruth
- Babe Ruth was not the first star in Baseball, but he was the first man of the game who transcended the sport. "The Sultan of Swat" began his career as a Pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, but as the 1910s closed, he transitioned into the game's first great power hitter, though for the New York Yankees, who purchased his contract from Boston.
Jackie Robinson
After World War II, many within Major League Baseball knew that it was time to re-integrate (there had been black players in the Majors in the 1880s), and it was the Brooklyn Dodgers who took that first step with Jackie Robinson, a second baseman with the Kansas City Monarchs.
Jesse Owens
In 1935, Owens was enrolled at Ohio State set records in the 100 m dash and long jump, and there was no doubt that he was the top athlete in track and field. Owens went into the 1936 Berlin Olympics as the heavy favorite in what would be politically charged games. These were the games held in Nazi Germany, and its leader, Adolf Hitler, would be in attendance.
Jim Brown
How good an athlete was Jim Brown? When he was a star fullback at Syracuse, he also lettered in basketball, track, and lacrosse.
Jim Thorpe
The Associated Press named Jim Thorpe the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th Century, and with the myriad of sports that he excelled in, it should have been an easy vote.
Hank Aaron
- After a brief time with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro Leagues, Hank Aaron would become the greatest player in Atlanta Braves history, which is no small feat considering the Braves are an organization spanning well over a century. Aaron became one of the most prolific hitters in the game of Baseball, collecting over 3,771 Hits with 755 Home Runs, a batting combination that has no equal. A master of consistency, Aaron had 15 30-Home Run Seasons, 14 seasons where he batted over .300, and he was named to every All-Star Game from 1955 to 1975. Aaron was named the National League MVP in 1957, the same year led the Milwaukee Braves to their only title while playing in Wisconsin, and from 1955 to 1973, Aaron always received an MVP vote. When Aaron was chasing Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record of 714, he received numerous death threats, all based on the color of his skin. Aaron did set the home run record, and did so with class and dignity that will always be celebrated.
Michael Jordan
Six NBA titles, six NBA Finals MVPs, and five MVPs. There are many fans and pundits who believe that Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all-time, and they might be right.
Muhammad Ali
We have other nominated athletes who transcended sports, but there is still only one Muhammad Ali.