A Poll for America's greats of all time

[Spartan]

I make this poll because i obviously want to learn more about American sports and history and also for the fun of the thing.<div>
</div><div>Ok so according to your opinion, who are the greatest MALE AMERICANS (regardless race) of all time in the following sports? Unbiased answers will be appreciated.</div><div>
</div><div>American Football : I have no idea</div><div>
</div><div>Baseball : Don't know much but it must be Babe Ruth from what i see and hear</div><div>
</div><div>Basketball: I am afraid Michael Jordan is

</div><div>
</div><div>Ice Hockey : I have no idea, Wayne Gretzky is Canadian, so I need the American greatest</div><div>
</div><div>Soccer: Alexi Lalas i think, because of his pioneer status for the sport in the US</div><div>
</div><div>Volleyball: Karch Kiraly, best of all time period.</div><div>
</div><div>Swimming: Cullen Jones

Michael "the phenomenon" Phelps of course</div><div>
</div><div>MMA: Randy Couture all the way babe</div><div>
</div><div>Boxing: I might sound biased in here, but to me is Harry Greb, easily.</div><div>
</div><div>Tennis: Pete Sampras, easily</div><div>
</div><div>Golf: Jack Nicklaus, and the rest 99,99999% all times greats are whites too, excluding a mixed one.</div><div>
</div><div>Track and Field : I am afraid Carl Lewis is

Someone could make a case about Al Oerter and Jim Thorpe though.</div>Gymnastics : I have no idea</span><div>Wrestling: You can pick a professional and Olympic one.</font></div><div>Auto and Motor Sports: -</font></div><div>Lacrosse: -</font></div><div>Surfing: Kelly Slater</font></div><div>Skateboarding: Tony Hawk</font></div><div>Cycling: Lance Armstrong, of course.</font></div><div>Triathlon: -</font></div><div>Feel free to mention any other sport you feel i left out. I would like to hear about non so mainstream sports as hunting, fishing, bowling, horse racing and other American sports that are not very big in Europe.</font></div></span>
Edited by: Spartan

 

[The Hock]

Go away.

 

[Spartan]

Go away.

<div>
</div><div>What did i do this time?</div>

 

[whiteathlete33]

Hock, I think that was uncalled for. He's just trying to make a list of the best athletes in certain sports. I don't feel like he did anything wrong.

 

[space hillbilly]

Hock, I think that was uncalled for. He's just trying to make a list of the best athletes in certain sports. I don't feel like he did anything wrong.

Agreed!

 

[whiteathlete33]

In basketball you can make a case that Larry Bird was the best to ever play the game. In football I'd say it's a tossup between Steve Young and Peyton Manning.

 

[jaxvid]

I make this poll because i obviously want to learn more about American sports and history and also for the fun of the thing. <div></div><div>Ok so according to your opinion, who are the greatest MALE AMERICANS (regardless race) of all time in the following sports? Unbiased answers will be appreciated. </div><div></div><div>American Football : I have no idea</div><div></div><div>Baseball : Don't know much but it must be Babe Ruth from what i see and hear</div><div></div><div>Basketball: I am afraid Michael Jordan is 

</div><div></div><div>Ice Hockey : I have no idea, Wayne Gretzky is Canadian, so I need the American greatest</div><div></div><div>Soccer: Alexi Lalas i think, because of his pioneer status for the sport in the US</div><div></div><div>Volleyball: Karch Kiraly, best of all time period.</div><div></div><div>Swimming: Cullen Jones 

 Michael "the phenomenon" Phelps of course</div><div></div><div>MMA: Randy Couture all the way babe</div><div></div><div>Boxing: I might sound biased in here, but to me is Harry Greb, easily.</div><div></div><div>Tennis: Pete Sampras, easily</div><div></div><div>Golf: Jack Nicklaus, and the rest 99,99999% all times greats are whites too, excluding a mixed one.</div><div></div><div>Track and Field : I am afraid Carl Lewis is 

 Someone could make a case about Al Oerter and Jim Thorpe though.</div>&lt;span ="apple-style-span"="" style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: small; "&gt;Gymnastics : I have no idea&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span ="apple-style-span"="" style="line-height: 24px; font-family: sans-serif; "&gt;<div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Wrestling: You can pick a professional and Olympic one.</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Auto and Motor Sports: -</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Lacrosse: -</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Surfing: Kelly Slater</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Skateboarding: Tony Hawk</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Cycling: Lance Armstrong, of course.</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Triathlon: -</font></div><div>&lt;font ="apple-style-span"="" size="2"&gt;Feel free to mention any other sport you feel i left out. I would like to hear about non so mainstream sports as hunting, fishing, bowling, horse racing and other American sports that are not very big in Europe.</font></div>&lt;/span&gt;

Good post!

I agree with most of your choices. Except:

boxing: Rocky Marciano, retired as undefeated heavyweight champion

track and field: not Carl Lewis, he was only a sprinter/high jumper and he was a steroid user. Instead I would pick Bruce Jenner, 1976 decathalon gold medal winner or Bob Mathais, decathalon gold medal winner in TWO Olympics and also a great college football player.

For ice hockey I would suggest Pat Lafontaine, or Brian Leetch, and my own personal favorite Chris Chelios.

Autosports: AJ Foyt

 

[DixieDestroyer]

IMO...Joe Montana & Dick Butkus (football), Larry Bird (basketball), Ty Cobb (baseball), Wayne Gretzky (hockey), Boxing (Marciano, Klitchsko Brothers), Track (Bruce Jenner), amatuer wrestling (Dan Gable, Alexander Karelin), Auto Racing (Richard Petty, Mario Andretti), Golf (Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer), Fishing (Bill Dance), Hunting (Fred Bear), Tennis (Roger Federer), "Pro Wrasslin" (Lou Thesz, Ric Flair) & MMA (Fedor Emelianko).


Edited by: DixieDestroyer

 

[screamingeagle]

Auto racing: A.J. Foyt. He won the Indy 500 4 times, won at Daytona and Lemans and lots of other places.
Track and Field: Bob Mathias: won Olympic decatholon twice.

 

[Average American]

I know this is an old thread.. but I like it

In baseball (imo), agreed Ruth is the greatest player (going away). A dominant pitcher & power hitter.. one of his Red Sox shutout pitching performances stood until 1978 (60+ years).. everyone already knows his stature as a HR hitter. He hit more home runs than entire teams, which is a feat that will never be replicated in modern baseball.

my more debatable pick, would be in pro football.. I believe Brady is the greatest QB ever, and could retire the greatest player ever with a couple more good seasons. 5 conference championships in the free agency era, 3 Lombardis, a perfect regular season record (that included 50 tds to only 8 ints).. the pocket presence, accuracy, end-of-game leadership, the ability to elevate unknown receivers.

Spending his entire career in one of the most treacherous weather environments.. while P. Manning was passing in a wind-less, heated dome, & all the other domed QBs of his era get 8 easier indoor games, etc.. my 2cents..

 

[Carolina Speed]

I know this is an old thread.. but I like it

In baseball (imo), agreed Ruth is the greatest player (going away). A dominant pitcher & power hitter.. one of his Red Sox shutout pitching performances stood until 1978 (60+ years).. everyone already knows his stature as a HR hitter. He hit more home runs than entire teams, which is a feat that will never be replicated in modern baseball.

my more debatable pick, would be in pro football.. I believe Brady is the greatest QB ever, and could retire the greatest player ever with a couple more good seasons. 5 conference championships in the free agency era, 3 Lombardis, a perfect regular season record (that included 50 tds to only 8 ints).. the pocket presence, accuracy, end-of-game leadership, the ability to elevate unknown receivers.

Spending his entire career in one of the most treacherous weather environments.. while P. Manning was passing in a wind-less, heated dome, & all the other domed QBs of his era get 8 easier indoor games, etc.. my 2cents..

Yeah AA, I like it too. I'm an old-timer and I think it's difficult to compare QB's sometimes, because of the different era's in which they played.

If I was a betting man, my money would be on Dallas Cowboy QB Roger Staubach.

After winning The Heisman at Navy, Staubach could have requested stateside service, but elected to serve a year in Vietnam and finished out his 4 years of required service to the Navy.

Staubach didn't enter the NFL until age 27, wasn't a fulltime starter until 29 and missed most of the next season, then went on to play only 7 more years in his 30's

Staubach was a part of 5 Super Bowl teams, winning 2 of the 4 he started in. Would have won a third, but a perfect dropped pass to TE Jackie Smith in the end zone ended what would have been a 3rd title for Staubach.

Staubach was the first to win the Heisman and the Super Bowl MVP. Won 75% of his games and the NFL in passer rating 4 times, rushed for over 2,200 yards, averaging 5.5 yards/carry.

I don't know if any QB did more past the age of 29, maybe Steve Young, than Staubach. We'll always wonder what he could have done between the ages off 22-28, most players prime, maybe nothing, but I doubt it.

For me the best QB of all-time is Roger the Dodger!

 

[Charles Martel]

Best Americans in Boxing:

Willie Pep, Gene Tunney, Harry Greb, Rocky Marciano

Best in Baseball:

Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams

Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, Grover Cleveland Alexander

 

[Wes Woodhead]

Sammy Baugh is by far the greatest football player of all time. One of the greatest QBs, DBs, and Punters of all time, and all at the same time. His equal hasnt put on pads since he retired.

 

[Average American]

Sammy Baugh is by far the greatest football player of all time. One of the greatest QBs, DBs, and Punters of all time, and all at the same time. His equal hasnt put on pads since he retired.

Good call.. Baugh is as complete as they ever came. :first:
Dominant passer of the late 30s/early 40s.. but I think his punting numbers are out of context. I think back then, teams didn't care as much about using all 3 downs, and would quick-kick more often (?) Baugh had some ridiculous 75, 80+ yard quick kicked punts.. where I assume balls would roll unfielded.

I remember Randall Cunningham had damn near a 100 yard quick kick, which inflated his punting numbers out of context. He kicked occasional, long quick kicks..
but I'm not sure, was Baugh the full time punter (?) I guess even without the punting, he's still viewed as the greatest of his era ~

 

[Carolina Speed]

But Babe Ruth was the greatest of them all. He hit more home runs than the whole rest of the league put together. He was also one of the greatest pitchers of all time. People today don't remember how great he was. He was baseball; he symbolized America. When he visited Japan in the 1930's the crowds were so vast that many people were trampled to death. The Emporer was there too. The Japanese people loved baseball and they loved Ruth and they loved America. The war was orchestrated by the international bankers. War is a racket - and Babe Ruth is baseball.

Maybe Ruth was the greatest, but I believe Cobb was the best and certainly more athletic. Cobb kept his body in great condition and used his speed and athleticism to make the game exciting. Cobb was also very intelligent, being called an intellectual giant! Although I certainly respect what Ruth did, he cared nothing for his health and he too made the game exciting with his power.

Cobb played mostly in the dead ball era and was not lucky to play with a more lively ball, however, at the age of 38 Cobb said he would intentionally go for the fences, something he rarely did in his prime. He hit 5 homeruns in 2 days and had 9 consecutive hits over the first three games. Cobb held the AL record for total bases for 1 game with 16, until Josh Hamilton broke it in 2012 with 18. After proving he could hit homeruns if and when he wanted to, he promptly went back to his bunting and hitting and running style.

Ruth led the league 96 times in 10 different categories, Cobb led the league 84 times in 11 different categories, including stolen bases. Something Ruth never did.

Cobb also won the triple crown, something Ruth never did. However, Ruth pitched and Cobb didn't.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Maybe Ruth was the greatest, but I believe Cobb was the best and certainly more athletic. Cobb kept his body in great condition and used his speed and athleticism to make the game exciting. Cobb was also very intelligent, being called an intellectual giant! Although I certainly respect what Ruth did, he cared nothing for his health and he too made the game exciting with his power.

Cobb played mostly in the dead ball era and was not lucky to play with a more lively ball, however, at the age of 38 Cobb said he would intentionally go for the fences, something he rarely did in his prime. He hit 5 homeruns in 2 days and had 9 consecutive hits over the first three games. Cobb held the AL record for total bases for 2 games with 16, until Josh Hamilton broke it in 2012 with 18. After proving he could hit homeruns if and when he wanted to, he promptly went back to his bunting and hitting and running style.

Ruth led the league 96 times in 10 different categories, Cobb led the league 84 times in 11 different categories, including stolen bases. Something Ruth never did.

Cobb also won the triple crown, something Ruth never did. However, Ruth pitched and Cobb didn't.

Outstanding overview of the "Georgia Peach". I've always thought him the best ever...whilst Ruth gets much more hype.

It reminds me of how all the DWFs claim Jordan is the best hoopster of all time. However, Larry "Legend" was better than MJ in 4 of 8 major stats (rebounds, assists, 3 PT% & FT%). They're tied at 2 (FG% & BPG), & Jordan leads in only points & steals. Bird could've outscored MJ (career & PPG), but chose to be a true team player. Bird was indeed the best basketball player of all time.

 

[Average American]

Maybe Ruth was the greatest, but I believe Cobb was the best and certainly more athletic. Cobb kept his body in great condition...

True.. I think Cobb's longevity is overlooked/forgotten. The guy had 24 productive seasons in the big leagues. That's unique durability & discipline. Cobb was still hitting .300 in his early 40s.. & with fewer medical luxuries/supplements in the first quarter of the 20th century, getting to 40 healthy (and staying healthy) was probably harder than for modern athletes..