Who Would People Think Was The Most Successful Person In Sport

[gollob]

would you think Roger Federer, Phil Taylor perhaps even Mohamed Ali or even Rocky Marciano or even Michael Shomacker

[1581960]

Depends how you judge successful, for me it would be the happiest one, regardless of victories.

[tonyav]

I think it would depend on what sport is your favourite.

For me it would be Don Garlits.

[pixie374]

Harvey Smith

[Cloverjo]

I'd say Roger Federer. Others might have won more money, like Tiger Woods, but Roger seems to have a very happy home life and be a very good person.

[Buenchico]

Michael Phelps. (13 Olympic gold medals and 39 world records).

[Prudie]

What do you mean by successful? If money and fame then Beckham must be a contender although he does nothing for me. Schumacher was a god in his time.

[jno]

Don Bradman - his career average was 50% higher than the next best batsman. I can't think of any other sportsman who was that far ahead of the pack (over a career of 20 years, too - and that record still stands 70 years on).

[vulcan42]

I would say Jesse Owens. In 1935 he broke 5 world records and equalled a sixth in the space of 45 minutes. His long jump record would stand for 25 years. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics he won four gold medals, broke or equalled nine Olympic records and set 3 world records. He also proved to Hitler that you didn't need to be blonde Aryan to be successful.

[johnk]

Steve Redgrave, 5 gold medals at the Olympics, who can beat that?

[Cloverjo]

Quite a few people, johnk. :)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_Olympic_gold_medalists

However, I agree Redgrave is quite remarkable in winning golds in an endurance sport at five consecutive Olympics.

[Buenchico]

>>> 5 gold medals at the Olympics, who can beat that?

See my post above, John ;-)

[Bobsy]

John Surtees. World champion on Motor cycles and Formula one.

[New Judge]

"For me it would be Don Garlits."

"Big Daddy", tony? Is he still around?

[-Talbot-]

I think johnk is pointing out that Redgrave won in 5 consecutive Olympics.

[-Talbot-]

Personally, I think you can have contenders but no overall winner.

[tonyav]

Yes ''Big Daddy'' is still around, New Judge ( certainly was in July anyway ).
https://stevemckelvie.wordpress.com/2017/07/26/big-daddy-don-garlits-at-the-2017-great-race/

[ToraToraTora]

depends how you measure success I guess but I think it's people who set examples in their sport so unassailable that they will probably never be beaten and for that look no further than Don Bradman, 99.9% text average the next closest is miles away in the low 60s.

[ToraToraTora]

another contender is of course the legendary Sir Steve Redgrave, 5 gold in 5 separate Olympics spanning 20 years in one of the toughest of fitness sports.