The Sports 100

A comprehensive look back at the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century—newly revised!

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Who were the greatest athletes of the 20th century?





In The Sports 100, we have drawn on the expertise, experience, and insight of the sportswriters and photographers who have reported on these athletes for the world’s largest and most prestigious international news agency, the Associated Press to select 100 athletes who rose to the very top of their respective sports and are considered the very best.





Among our criteria was to look globally. Here are not only the greatest Americans who have thrilled spectators over the decades, but superstars from all over the world. Yes, there’s Muhammad Ali. But there’s also Nadia Comaneci and Jean-Claude Killy. There’s Hank Aaron, but Sonja Henie and Paavo Nurmi, too.

Another goal was to include many different sports, not only the major ones. Yes, there’s baseball, football, and basketball. But there’s also skating and auto racing and track.





And we insisted on searching the distant past as well as more recent history. Michael Jordan, of course. But we cannot forget Jim Thorpe, too.

One thing we did not want to do was to rank them. In some way, each and every one listed in this unique compilation is No. 1. Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, Jesse Owens, Rocky Marciano, Jackie Robinson, Rod Laver, Pele, Wayne Gretzky, Wilma Rudolph, and all the others.





The Sports 100 recalls for us, in stories and superb photographs, the athletes and their accomplishments, the most memorable sports figures and feats of a century.