Rec and Sports

The Five Most Influential Athletes Ever

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.

When we didn’t live to see the impact these athletes made, we can’t fully appreciate what they did for the sports world. Still, their legends have been chronicled and it’s clear that many men during the 20th century were just as big in the world as the current stars of our favorite sports.

It’s hard to narrow this list down to five, but these are the five men who I think had more meaning to their sports than any others. This is all subject to opinion, and I’d love to hear yours.

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.

As far as boxing goes, Muhammad Ali was the most high profile boxer to ever grace the sport. His personality and charisma were second to none, and the same can be said about his boxing skills.

In the soccer world, most will agree that Pele was the best man to ever play the sport. While soccer isn’t as big in the US, this is the world’s biggest sport. Pele could by and large be considered the most influential athlete in the world.

Coming in second is Babe Ruth. How often do you hear someone’s name mentioned as often as the Babe’s, when they haven’t done anything in over 70 years? This is all due to the fact that he was the most recognizable baseball figure to ever live.

You probably know who comes next. The legendary basketball player who is hands down seen as the greatest of all time. Michael Jordan was a hard worker, a clutch player, and highly marketable.

More about the author: A major sports fan, he also writes about bathroom light fixtures and bathroom ceiling lights.

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