"The ESPN SportsCentury program in 1999 and 2000 created a list of the Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century. The list was limited to North American athletes. Although athletes from the US have dominated world sport in many areas, there would still be many athletes from the rest of the world worthy of being on the top athletes of the 20th century list."
Name The Top 20th Century Athletes according to ESPN
1 Michael Jordan basketball
2 Babe Ruth baseball
3 Muhammad Ali boxing
4 Jim Brown American football
5 Wayne Gretzky ice hockey
6 Jesse Owens track and field
7 Jim Thorpe baseball / track and field / American football
8 Willie Mays baseball
9 Jack Nicklaus golf
10 Babe Zaharias golf / track and field
12 Carl Lewis track and field
13 Wilt Chamberlain basketball
14 Hank Aaron baseball
15 Jackie Robinson baseball
16 Ted Williams baseball
17 Magic Johnson basketball
18 Bill Russell basketball
20 Ty Cobb baseball
21 Gordie Howe ice hockey
22 Joe DiMaggio baseball
25 Joe Montana American football
26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar basketball
27 Jerry Rice American football
28 Red Grange American football
29 Arnold Palmer golf
30 Larry Bird basketball
31 Bobby Orr ice hockey
33 Mark Spitz swimming
34 Lou Gehrig American football(!) copied straight from the webpage
35 Secretariat Horse
39 Walter Payton American football
42 Sandy Koufax baseball
48 Pete Sampras tennis
49 O J Simpson American football
55 Mario Lemieux ice hockey
59 Billie Jean King tennis
75 Dan Marino American football
76 Barry Sanders American football
81 Jimmy Connors tennis
85 Maurice Richard ice hockey
88 Joe Namath American Football
NO GOOD
Tiger Woods (too early in his career, 2000 was his true breakout year)
Mike Tyson (im surprised he's not there)
Nolan Ryan (also surprised)
Arthur Ashe
John McEnroe
Terry Sawchuk I guess (Im sure he is famous in Canadia)
"The ESPN SportsCentury program in 1999 and 2000 created a list of the Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century. The list was limited to North American athletes. Although athletes from the US have dominated world sport in many areas, there would still be many athletes from the rest of the world worthy of being on the top athletes of the 20th century list."
Name The Top 20th Century Athletes according to ESPN
1 Michael Jordan basketball
2 Babe Ruth baseball
3 Muhammad Ali boxing
4 Jim Brown American football
5 Wayne Gretzky ice hockey
6 Jesse Owens track and field
7 Jim Thorpe baseball / track and field / American football
8 Willie Mays baseball
9 Jack Nicklaus golf
10 Babe Zaharias golf / track and field
11 Joe Louis boxing
12 Carl Lewis track and field
13 Wilt Chamberlain basketball
14 Hank Aaron baseball
15 Jackie Robinson baseball
16 Ted Williams baseball
17 Magic Johnson basketball
18 Bill Russell basketball
20 Ty Cobb baseball
21 Gordie Howe ice hockey
22 Joe DiMaggio baseball
25 Joe Montana American football
26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar basketball
27 Jerry Rice American football
28 Red Grange American football
29 Arnold Palmer golf
30 Larry Bird basketball
31 Bobby Orr ice hockey
33 Mark Spitz swimming
34 Lou Gehrig American football(!) copied straight from the webpage
35 Secretariat Horse
39 Walter Payton American football
42 Sandy Koufax baseball
44 Bobby Jones golf
48 Pete Sampras tennis
49 O J Simpson American football
55 Mario Lemieux ice hockey
59 Billie Jean King tennis
75 Dan Marino American football
76 Barry Sanders American football
81 Jimmy Connors tennis
85 Maurice Richard ice hockey
88 Joe Namath American Football
NO GOOD
Tiger Woods (too early in his career, 2000 was his true breakout year)
Mike Tyson (im surprised he's not there)
Nolan Ryan (also surprised)
Arthur Ashe
John McEnroe
Terry Sawchuk I guess (Im sure he is famous in Canadia)
"The ESPN SportsCentury program in 1999 and 2000 created a list of the Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century. The list was limited to North American athletes. Although athletes from the US have dominated world sport in many areas, there would still be many athletes from the rest of the world worthy of being on the top athletes of the 20th century list."
Name The Top 20th Century Athletes according to ESPN
1 Michael Jordan basketball
2 Babe Ruth baseball
3 Muhammad Ali boxing
4 Jim Brown American football
5 Wayne Gretzky ice hockey
6 Jesse Owens track and field
7 Jim Thorpe baseball / track and field / American football
8 Willie Mays baseball
9 Jack Nicklaus golf
10 Babe Zaharias golf / track and field
11 Joe Louis boxing
12 Carl Lewis track and field
13 Wilt Chamberlain basketball
14 Hank Aaron baseball
15 Jackie Robinson baseball
16 Ted Williams baseball
17 Magic Johnson basketball
18 Bill Russell basketball
20 Ty Cobb baseball
21 Gordie Howe ice hockey
22 Joe DiMaggio baseball
25 Joe Montana American football
26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar basketball
27 Jerry Rice American football
28 Red Grange American football
29 Arnold Palmer golf
30 Larry Bird basketball
31 Bobby Orr ice hockey
33 Mark Spitz swimming
34 Lou Gehrig American football(!) copied straight from the webpage
35 Secretariat Horse
39 Walter Payton American football
42 Sandy Koufax baseball
44 Bobby Jones golf
48 Pete Sampras tennis
49 O J Simpson American football
51 Rocky Marciano boxing
55 Mario Lemieux ice hockey
59 Billie Jean King tennis
75 Dan Marino American football
76 Barry Sanders American football
77 Cy Young baseball
81 Jimmy Connors tennis
85 Maurice Richard ice hockey
88 Joe Namath American Football
NO GOOD
Tiger Woods (too early in his career, 2000 was his true breakout year)
Mike Tyson (im surprised he's not there)
Nolan Ryan (also surprised)
Arthur Ashe
John McEnroe
Terry Sawchuk I guess (Im sure he is famous in Canadia)