Settle bet - most famous US athlete, all time

[D. Bergin]

Is the question:

"The most famous US athlete, in the US?"

or

"The most famous US athlete, in the World?"





If it's the 1st one, maybe we can consider some baseball, football players....if it's the 2nd one, Babe Ruth might have a hard time cracking the Top 10.

[Ulidia]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Is the question:

"The most famous US athlete, in the US?"

or

"The most famous US athlete, in the World?"





If it's the 1st one, maybe we can consider some baseball, football players....if it's the 2nd one, Babe Ruth might have a hard time cracking the Top 10.

If it is from a World context, and you ignore more recent decades where globalisation has made that World smaller in terms of stars (so discounting Tiger Woods, Williams, even Jordan etc), then the most famous US sportsperson through the ages globally, or at least in Europe, is likely Jesse Owens.

Owens and the 1936 Olympics story transcends sport. I’m late 40s and, here in British Isles, everyone of my vintage would certainly know of Jesse Owen’s irrespective of whether they had any knowledge or interest in sports.


As an aside, in terms of baseball, when we talk about sports (mainly soccer) in the UK and when occasionally US sports have come up, I’ve sometimes referenced vintage baseball. Babe Ruth is the one common name that everyone appears to know. Very few of these people would know of Mickey Mantle.

In fact, a number of years ago I asked my mother (in her 70s) and my partner (in her 40s) which baseball players they could name. Neither has any interest in sport but both named Babe Ruth. The only other name referenced was Joe DiMaggio. Again, there is a recognition here partly for non-sport reasons i.e. the Marilyn Monroe connection and then Simon & Garfunkel song.



Interestingly, notwithstanding the Jesse Owens reference to transcending sport, very few people with an interest in sport on this side of the pond would have heard of Jackie Robinson.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Most famous world-wide, or in the US?

I think I lean towards Ali for global fame.

[steve B]

The global vs "local" thing is a solid dividing line.

Just in the US, I'd think Ruth, although many would be more popular briefly, I don't think brief fame counts. Or mor that it counts as an entirely different discussion.

Internationally I'd go with Ali. Jordan and Lebron are up there but I think it's too soon for them.

Then there's the who is the most popular right now question.

Right now locally? Maybe Caitlyn Clark? Getting tons of press, and a lot of attention.

early on? Major Taylor. Not as popular here, but very popular in Europe and Australia.

[D. Bergin]

Even during Babe Ruth's prime years, Jack Dempsey would have been more famous world-wide than him. Much more!

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Even during Babe Ruth's prime years, Jack Dempsey would have been more famous world-wide than him. Much more!

And he was literally forgotten about by the general public by the 1940s/50s.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

And he was literally forgotten about by the general public by the 1940s/50s.

No he wasn't