# Best athlete ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 1, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245 "2019-12-01T21:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/41 "2019-12-05T15:23:57Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > BTW Jaromir Jagr is still playing at age 47 in the Czech league. Gretzky retired at 38 and he was still playing well, 62 points in 70 games. I saw a rare event , a game where Gretzky was ejected. Kings vs Jets? If so I was at that game too. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/42 "2019-12-05T16:27:37Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > If you want to talk about a single sport how about Al Oerter? He won Olympic gold in the discus in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968. And I believe in 1968 he had a broken rib. So yes, good example both of greatness and the ability to overcome adversity. ISTM that, as sports develop, the top performers are going to be dominated by people who are freakishly well-adapted to that particular sport. Thus there are going to be fewer and fewer top performers in multiple endeavors as time goes on. Only in closely related sports requiring the same physical attributes, like sprinting and long jump, and not in sports that are highly technical. A hundred years ago Jim Thorpe could do it - nowadays the competition is too fierce. An argument could be made that someone who was third- or fourth-best in several sports is the greatest athlete nowadays. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/43 "2019-12-05T17:01:07Z")
I think Thorpe is the obvious answer. Dave Winfield is the only athlete ever drafted by four different pro sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA and ABA). ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/44 "2019-12-05T17:22:55Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > There is something to be said for Babe Ruth. He was a great pitcher and then the greatest hitter in baseball history. I dont see how its fair, to either those athletes of Ruths generation (and beyond) or to those athletes of todays generation, to take the best players of each and try to compare them side by side to determine the “best of all time”. It is apples to oranges to it core. I mean, Babe Ruth _might_ be the greatest batter and baseball player of all time but we only have the training, nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle, technology and healthcare affects and markers of the early 20th century to apply to Ruth. We can only speculate (pretty meaninglessly) as to how his performance and stats would be buoyed if he had played in todays more sophisticated era where all those markers and affects are much better understood and and manipulated and controlled than in Ruth’s time. But even that isnt enough. If you transport Ruth and all this potential to a more modern time with more learned, sophisticated means of caring for and getting the most potential out of the human body, well then you’d also have to account for all of his competiton as having much more utilized potential with better outcomes and affects. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/45 "2019-12-06T15:32:48Z")
In addition to Ambivalid, you need to put the metrics into the context of the time. For example when Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs that was more than any other **team**. In 2019 a comparable hitter would have to hit over 307 home runs. In juxtaposition, how would the pitching stats of those days compare to modern days where pitchers are expected to pitch a lot less? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/46 "2019-12-06T15:58:20Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > In addition to Ambivalid, you need to put the metrics into the context of the time. For example when Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs that was more than any other **team**. In 2019 a comparable hitter would have to hit over 307 home runs. In juxtaposition, how would the pitching stats of those days compare to modern days where pitchers are expected to pitch a lot less? [Baseball Reference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/) 1927 innings pitched leader-Charlie Root with 309 2019 innings pitched leader-Max Scherzer with 220 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/47 "2019-12-06T18:15:50Z")
[Jimmy Jacobs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Jacobs_(handballer)). He was the most dominating four-wall handball player of all time, never losing a match for fourteen years. Those who watched him said he could have dominated in any sport he tried. Cus D’Amato – one of the top boxing trainers of all time – tried to set him up to face the light-heavyweight champion so he could become the first person to become a champion in his first fight (the deal fell through). Outside of sports, he had the largest collection of boxing films ever amassed. If you see footage of boxing that wasn’t broadcast on TV, it comes from his collection. And his comic book collection had half a million (at least) issues at his death. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/48 "2019-12-06T22:08:54Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [Jimmy Jacobs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Jacobs_(handballer)). He was the most dominating four-wall handball player of all time, never losing a match for fourteen years. Those who watched him said he could have dominated in any sport he tried. > > Cus D’Amato – one of the top boxing trainers of all time – tried to set him up to face the light-heavyweight champion so he could become the first person to become a champion in his first fight (the deal fell through). > > Outside of sports, he had the largest collection of boxing films ever amassed. If you see footage of boxing that wasn’t broadcast on TV, it comes from his collection. And his comic book collection had half a million (at least) issues at his death. He also made boxing documentaries, three of which were nominated for Academy Awards. As if all that other stuff wasn’t enough. He may be the coolest person ever. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/49 "2019-12-06T23:14:10Z")
Kids used to play multiple sports. Now a lot them play the same sport year round ,depending on weather. For example around here kids play indoor soccer when it’s cold. It’s not the same game but they can use many of the same skills. In places that are warm year round like Florida or LA area , they can play the same sport outdoors all year . ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/50 "2019-12-06T23:27:42Z")
[Reginald ‘Snowy’ Baker](https://www.sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame/member-profile/?memberID=338&memberType=athlete). > [@](#): > > Sydney born, Baker competed at either state or national level in 29 different sports and was an international in five of them. He competed for Australia in rugby union, diving, boxing, swimming and polo. Baker was also accomplished at rowing, equestrian events, athletics, cricket, yachting, fencing, surfing and hockey. He believed in his fathers maxim that varied activity and the enjoyment of good health was the law of life. He competed in 3 sports at the 1908 Olympic Games - diving, swimming and boxing, for which he earned a silver medal. At the age of 18 he won the Australian middleweight and heavyweight boxing titles on the same night. Although his Wikipedia entry notes: > [@](#): > > However, “His stature as an athlete depends largely upon the enormous range rather than the outstanding excellence of his activities; it was as an entrepreneur-showman, publicist and businessman that he seems in retrospect to have been most important.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/51 "2019-12-07T03:52:46Z")
There is obviously no objective answer, as every sport, whether team or individual, is some proportion of pure athletic ability (speed, quickness, jumping ability, reaction time, etc…) and esoteric skill (hitting a baseball/cricket ball, throwing/kicking a football, serving a tennis ball, etc.). With all those caveats, my answer for male athletes is Lebron James. For female athletes, it’s Serena Williams. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/52 "2019-12-08T00:53:14Z")
Jim Thorpe, hands down. But if for some reason JT doesn’t take it, it’s gotta be Bo Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![CastletonSnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ea924/32.png) [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/53 "2019-12-10T19:19:48Z")
Sorry to bump an old topic, but Herschel Walker was a great athlete, too. He might have been as good as Bo Jackson. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/m_on-lB4jRA/maxresdefault.jpg "Herschel Walker Career Highlights") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_on-lB4jRA) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/54 "2019-12-10T20:53:08Z")
> [@CastletonSnob](#): > > Sorry to bump an old topic, but Herschel Walker was a great athlete, too. He might have been as good as Bo Jackson. Yeah, he was another guy who was just damned good in so many areas. He was a ridiculously talented running back (and receiver and kick returner), of course, but also: - State champion (in high school) and All-American (in college) as a sprinter in track and field - Competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics on the U.S. bobsled team - Went 2-0 as a mixed martial arts fighter, at age 48 - Holds a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/55 "2019-12-10T22:59:29Z")
Walker is also a good cook! > **[UGA's Herschel Walker wins 'Rachael Vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook Off'](https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/uga-herschel-walker-wins-rachael-guy-celebrity-cook-off/Vq4IGZ1AHti3N5JdB0UgVP/)** > > Herschel Walker, who burned up the football field as a running back and 1982 Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Georgia, can heat up the kitchen as well. (Okay that’s not an athletic achievement.) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/56 "2019-12-19T06:37:41Z")
After seeing [this gif](https://gfycat.com/defenselesstintedermine-cristiano-ronaldo-sampdoria-header), maybe it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/57 "2019-12-19T18:13:33Z")
From _Napolean Dynamite_ - def the football uncle who said he could throw a football out to those mountains. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/58 "2019-12-20T17:27:06Z")
Regarding Bo Jackson: > [@Buck O'Neil in Baseball](#): > > I heard Ruth hit the ball. I’d never heard that sound before, and I was outside the fence but it was the sound of the bat that I had never heard before in my life. And the next time I heard that sound, I’m in Washington, D.C., in the dressing room and I heard that sound of a bat hitting the ball — sounded just like when Ruth hit the ball. I rushed out, got on nothing but a jockstrap, I rushed out — we were playing the Homestead Grays and it was Josh Gibson hitting the ball. And so I heard this sound again. > > Now I didn’t hear it anymore. I’m in Kansas City. I’m working for the Cubs at the time, and I was upstairs and I was coming down for the batting practice. And before I could get out there I heard this sound one more time that I had heard only twice in my life. Now, you know who this is? Bo Jackson. Bo Jackson swinging that bat. And now I heard this sound… And it was just a thrill for me. I said, here it is again. I heard it again. I only heard it three times in my life. > > But now, I’m living because I’m going to hear it again one day, if I live long enough. If that doesn’t make Bo Jackson sound epic, I don’t know what to tell you. entire interview: [https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/baseball/shadowball/oneil.html](https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/baseball/shadowball/oneil.html) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/59 "2019-12-20T19:28:19Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > After seeing [this gif](https://gfycat.com/defenselesstintedermine-cristiano-ronaldo-sampdoria-header), maybe it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. He didn’t stick the landing! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245/60 "2019-12-24T07:19:54Z")
I’m going with Bo Jackson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-athlete-ever/844245.md?page=4)