Universally known sportspersons...

[SD619]

All around the world, people watch and enjoy a variety of sports, some more famous/popular that the others. Each of these sports have their own legends and stars. But has any of them got world-wide recognition?

Football (or soccer, depending upon where you are from) is the most popular game in the world. But few people in countries in which it is not that popular (like the US) have much of an idea about who Messi or Maradona is. The other sport-stars suffer from the same.

The closest that anyone has come to universal recognition is Tiger Woods and that too because of his recent scandals.

Is there any universally known sportsperson?

Who is, in your opinion the most well-known sportsperson?

 

[Mustang Sally]

Oh, we're such arrogant Earthlings! The term "universal" has a dictionary definition of "pertaining to, extending to, or affecting the whole world."

But shouldn't the word pertain to the entire universe? Y'know, like, the galaxy and beyond? Only us humans would presume that references to our planet should automatically encompass the entire universe!

Still, the OP is on the right track with his question. As far as sportspeople who are universally known, I'd name Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, David Beckham......and I'd say the most recognizable sports character in history is Muhammad Ali.

 

[SD619]

As far as sportspeople who are universally known, I'd name Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, David Beckham

Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle are not that well known in all parts of the 'Earth'. Undoubtedly, they are baseball legends but baseball has quite a limited following, especially outside the US. In the same page, Sir Don Bradman is regarded as the greatest cricketer ever, but I doubt if many of the users of this forum have heard his name.

......and I'd say the most recognizable sports character in history is Muhammad Ali.

I agree to a great extent with this statement. Boxing is quite a well known sports and is does not that many resources as others.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

You'll have to go with either golfers or tennis players for this. Tiger Woods is a great example because Golf is telecasted in almost every country. Roger Federer or Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf and Boris Becker from another generation could have been the ones known all over this world due to Tennis' popularity as a whole. David Beckham, I understand has some popularity in the States now and had some popularity earlier as well due to his marriage to Victoria but I guess the average guy in the US has little idea of what exactly Beckham or any other footballer is. The same can be said about Michael Jordan outside the States. Everyone outside the US knows he is somebody big, but they have no idea about how big he is and how much he has contributed to BasketBall. Cricketers like Bradman, Tendulkar or Lara are the worst sufferers in this case because despite it being the second most popular game in the world, it's really famous in like 10 countries of the world.

It's between Woods or Federer among current sportspersons but I'll go with Federer because there are quite a lot of people who consider Golf as a boring sport while I have never heard that complaint with Tennis. And Federer is also a real gentleman like figure and that certainly helps his image more.

 

[Lugar]

What about athletes, I'd add Usain Bolt to that list of current Universal sportstars and Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson for Universal sportstars of the past.

Usain Bolt is currently the face of athletics. His performances in the Olympics and World championships when he destroyed world records in the 100 and 200 for fun captured nearly everyones attention.

Carl Lewis was a 9 time Olympic Gold medalist his achevements in the sport will never be forgotten. Michael Johnston is another legend and was the defining moment of the 96 olympics in Atlanta

 

[Барбоса]

I would say that there are remarkably few sportsmen and women that have been truly global names.

Apart from maybe Michael Jordan, and even he is a stretch, I would say that there are no competitors from the American sports known world wide. The same goes for Commonwealth sports like rugby and cricket that are arguably more popular than any American sport. Virtually no one in continental North America will know who or even what sport greats like Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Ian Botham, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Dan Carter, David Campesi, Francoise Pienaar (even with Matt Damon playing him) play or played.

I might even question the inclusion of many athletes as regions like North America and Asia can be incredibly uninterested in global athletics when they have no national interest in it or it is not the Olympics. I am curious to know just how well reported Usain Bolt's DQ in the World 100 metre final was in such countries.

I think most of the potential names have already been mentioned - Muhammed Ali, Tiger Woods, Federer, Nadal and possibly Beckham. It is worth mentioning that it could be argued that none of these men are well known solely for their sporting prowess. Ali was as well known for charismatic TV appearances and his controversial stances on certain issues, most famously the draft. Tiger Woods gained more exposure from his marketing and then his indiscretions that he ever got from from actually playing golf. Federer and Nadal perhaps gained most attention from their tennis and it could be argued that the latter gained a lot of his attention for challenging and surpassing the former, although they both used marketing as well. Beckham is easily more known world wide for being a walking fashion show and marrying a Spice Girl rather than a footballer.

The other I would add to that list from the world of football is Pele. He is still considered the greatest player ever and is perhaps still the only footballer that many Americans can name (if not pronounce).

 

[tommyh]

does anyone else think that maybe yao ming would fit into this topic.He is the biggest hit in china when he was playing basketball they were getting up at 3 am just to watch him play.I rember when him and shaq had games they were great to watch

 

[Big Sexy]

Pele, Ali, and Michael Jordan are the three names that spring to mind over everyone else. Soccer and basketball are probably the two most popular sports as a whole worldwide and boxing also has a major international presence. All three of those guys also have personalities and accomplishments outside of their respective sports that allow them to be known universally.

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

I am going to say David Beckham as my choice. Everyone in the world watches soccer, futbol, FIFA and this guy has to be well known by the entire world. I won't say universe since us humans have no clue whether life is out there or not. So this is why my choice is him. He even has a movie out I think it is called Bend it like Beckham. He is well known from Europe, married a former Spice Girl to make his name even more widespread. I am sure they're plenty of people who know who this guy is.

I also want to give a note for the cyclist and cancer beater who started the Live Strong (or I think he started it) Lance Armstrong.

 

[x24hrs2livex]

Pele, Ali, and Michael Jordan are the three names that spring to mind over everyone else. Soccer and basketball are probably the two most popular sports as a whole worldwide and boxing also has a major international presence. All three of those guys also have personalities and accomplishments outside of their respective sports that allow them to be known universally.

As always you hit the nail on the head. Beckham as a bigger star than any of these 3 guys? Not likely.

Tiger and Yao could possibly be put into their category. And as far as Bolt, Johnson and Lewis go...NO. If any Olympic star were to be on this list it be Michael Phelps. He has gotten way more media attention than the previously mentioned

Michael Jordan wins hands down though. I mean without him where would Nike be?

 

[sikkbones]

how has Hulk Hogan not been mentioned in this thread... he was very well known in the 80s and due to outside and projects and movies he is well known to people that don't even watch wrestling.... i would say of all the names mentioned here with the exception of ali and tiger he is better known world wide than all of those names combined...

also another name or two that is pretty well known world wide... for all the wrong reasons has to be mike tyson and oj simpson...

of course im guessing OJ simpson is more known for the trial worldwide than for anything he ever did in the NFL....

at least tyson its for the jail time and holyfelds ear.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Muhammed Ali and Pele are the 2 that first jump to mind for me. They are sporting icons known all over the world.

Pele is the biggest star of all time in the most popular game on the planet. Everyone knows him, he is a true legend in the sporting world even 30 years after his retirement. Same with Ali, his accomplishments are known throughout the world and he is quite rightly regarded as the greatest in his sport that has ever lived.

In the modern era, you have to look at David Beckham. While not as good as Pele, Beckham's celebrity goes far beyond the game of football. He is a cultural icon as much as a sporting icon and has managed his personal brand better than any other sportsman on the planet. Beckham is everywhere, and has been for a decade now.

Michael Jordan is another who everyone knows whether they like basketball or not. An absolute icon, and I would say Tiger Woods must be up there as one of the most well known sportsmen on the planet, as well as Diego Maradona and I expect Lionel Messi will end up at that level too. What he has accomplished at the age of just 24 years old frightening.

 

[Jessie Lynn DivaGirl]

Being the baseball nut I am I think a I know a few.

Jackie Robinson

Roberto Clemente

Hell yes they are well known. Robinson was the first known black player in majorr league baseball and Clemente is a national hero if I'm not mistaken.

Wayne Gretzky

Yeah, that's all I know

 

[Барбоса]

Being the baseball nut I am I think a I know a few.

Jackie Robinson

Roberto Clemente

Hell yes they are well known. Robinson was the first known black player in majorr league baseball and Clemente is a national hero if I'm not mistaken.

Despite being a non-American, I pride myself on knowing something about American sport but I do not know who these two are so it can hardly be expected that anyone outside North America will. A national hero to a certain country is not necessarily known outside that country.

As I have already said, to expect the whole world to know a baseball player is to expect an American to know a cricketer or rugby player.

As for Gretsky, I would put him in the same category as but slightly below Michael Jordan. A legend in his chosen sport that many people will have heard of but his chosen sport is hardly the most popular all around the world.

 

[sikkbones]

i don't think Wayne Gretzky is as famous as he once was.. especially with younger people, it has been about 20 or 30 years since he was with the Oilers... and He hasn't been on the ice in about a decade, and he wasn't exactly making headlines with the rangers anyways.

 

[Big Sexy]

as well as Diego Maradona and I expect Lionel Messi will end up at that level too. What he has accomplished at the age of just 24 years old frightening.

I have no clue who those two guys are. It seems like the names that have come up the most from American and International posters are Ali and Pele. Jordan also seems to be just behind those two.

 

[Trill Co$by]

I'm really surprised that John Madden hasn't been thrown into the list of names... then again, he's an active sportsperson, but neither is Muhammad Ali.

I say Madden for the simple fact that the Football game named after the guy is sold around the world with a great amount of revenue coming in form all countries. People may not know everything about John Madden, but when you say his name you'll either think of the video game that shares his name or American Football.

 

[x24hrs2livex]

Despite being a non-American, I pride myself on knowing something about American sport but I do not know who these two are so it can hardly be expected that anyone outside North America will. A national hero to a certain country is not necessarily known outside that country.

As I have already said, to expect the whole world to know a baseball player is to expect an American to know a cricketer or rugby player.

As for Gretsky, I would put him in the same category as but slightly below Michael Jordan. A legend in his chosen sport that many people will have heard of but his chosen sport is hardly the most popular all around the world.

I know who Jackie is and would recognize him almost anywhere but dont think he is that widely known to alot of people in America or outside. Of course most American Sports fans know he is the first Black baseball player but could they really pick him out in a photo array?

And as far as Clemente goes I know his story and all but if you showed me pictured of any random spanish guy and said hey thats Roberto Clemente Id believe you.

And who is Lionel Messi? What does he do? I am not a huge of Soccer fan but do follow WTA, ATP, MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL a little bit of golf but havent heard of him in any of those sports

 

[sikkbones]

I'm really surprised that John Madden hasn't been thrown into the list of names... then again, he's an active sportsperson, but neither is Muhammad Ali.

I say Madden for the simple fact that the Football game named after the guy is sold around the world with a great amount of revenue coming in form all countries. People may not know everything about John Madden, but when you say his name you'll either think of the video game that shares his name or American Football.

i'm canadian and it took me years to realize that john madden was a real person and not just some licensed footwear, and it's highly doubtful most of the civilized world cares about american football.