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Tom Boblitton what your definition includes...........
JUST what they did in their sport or what they did in their lifetimes, how they used their fame, who knows. 1000's of different ways to parse the data and the people. For someone just in their sport (multiple sports), I'd go with Didrickson or Jim Thorpe. For just in their sport(single sport), I'd go with Jordan. For all time (life inclusive) I'd have to go with Ali. In my viewpoint, what he's done since his sport days is far more important than the sporting days themselves.
Also don't forget that someone who chose to concentrate on a single sport may have been hugely successful in another had they chosen to go that route.
As Dennis Miller used to say, just my opionion.....I could be wrong........