The Top Athletes of the Past 100 Years
November 4th, 2009 by Anthony Penn
Considering that just about none of us were alive at the turn of the 20th century, it’s hard to write this article without at least a trace of bias.
If we weren’t around to see these athletes in action, we’ll never really know just how much they meant to the world at the time. Despite the fact that we’ve heard all of the stories, it simply isn’t the same. Having said that, I’m going to do my best to account for this too.
These are the five most influential athletes in sports history, in my opinion of course. If you have thoughts of your own, by all means share them.
The oldest of the bunch here is Ty Cobb. He came before Babe Ruth and played a major role in making baseball the biggest sport in the country at the time. If not for Cobb, Babe Ruth might not have enjoyed the big stage.
Next, we’ll rewind by about 40 years and recognize the impact that Muhammad Ali had on the entire world. While boxing isn’t as big today as it was back then, it’s partly due to the fact that no boxer today possesses the blend of talent and character that Muhammad Ali had.
Pele. He did for soccer what Michael Jordan did for basketball and Babe Ruth did for baseball. Probably the greatest soccer player to ever don a uniform, this Brazilian legend will live on forever.
In baseball, no one gets more credit for shaping the sport than Babe Ruth does. He changed the way people watched the sport, and turned it into the biggest thing in the country. He also helped the Yankees to a dynasty that still lives on to this day.
In the basketball world, everyone wants to be like Mike. Many of us were fortunate enough to see him in action, and Jordan was the kind of athlete whose talent is witnessed once in a lifetime.
More about the author: A major sports fan, he also writes about bathroom light fixtures and bathroom ceiling lights.
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