View Full Version : TOP 5 Sportsmen Of All Time??
.5.Pele .4.Armstrong .3.Ali .2.Bolt .1.Woods just off the top of my head...try and keep it based on sporting achievements rather than who you like
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 15:28
.5.Pele .4.Armstrong .3.Ali .2.Bolt .1.Woods just off the top of my head...try and keep it based on sporting achievements rather than who you like
(a) Ali (first man to hold the world championship on 3 seperate occaissions)
(b) Spitz (swimming 1974 Olympics 7 golds)
(c) Banister (first man to break the 4 min mile)
(d) Coan (powerlifting over 70 world records)
(5) Chuck Norris (tenth dan black)
Westside.
(a) Ali (first man to hold the world championship on 3 seperate occaissions)
(b) Spitz (swimming 1974 Olympics 7 golds)
(c) Banister (first man to break the 4 min mile)
(d) Coan (powerlifting over 70 world records)
(5) Chuck Norris (tenth dan black)
Westside.
You missed out Snooker Players - Tennis Players - Golfers - Ice Skaters........why not if its the top 5 make it American or British or Irish........and Chuck Norris.......come on -
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 15:46
You missed out Snooker Players - Tennis Players - Golfers - Ice Skaters........why not if its the top 5 make it American or British or Irish........and Chuck Norris.......come on -
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
while i admire anyone or group who acheive a high level at any sport i have a preference for individual sports where there is no reliance on a team and also sports where the pain barrier is very high.Obviously there are others but he said top five.
Ali,boxing.I need say nothing here ,easily the greatest sportsman and person for that matter ever.
Sptiz,swimming,try and swim length after length after length after length ,nothging but looking down at the bottm of a pool.That takes enourmous dedication and to win 7 golds back in '74.Speaks volumes if you ask me.
Banister,running.Again alot of commitment needed and i have him down for mental more than running ability and i dont like running unless i have the shits then its handy.He broke a record everyone said was impossible.
Coan.This is my sport ,powerlifting.Untouchable.The guy lifted morfe weight than guys three classes above him.70 world records or more???????As far as im aware noone has dont that yet.
Norris.He is,as far as im aware the only western man to be a grand master and acheive a tenth black.
I dont know about you but i reckon these sports are a little harder on the body (with the exception of tennis maybe) than holding a cue or swinging a golf club and like i said they are individual sports too.No team.You either do it or not.Again just my preference.
Westside.
My top 5 sports men/women
Tiger Woods, now 32 years of age, has had an unprecedented career since becoming a professional golfer in the late summer of 1996. He has won 87 tournaments, 65 of those on the PGA.
Sevvy Ballesteros won five major tournaments between the years of 1979 and 1988, including The Masters twice. He was also successful in the Ryder Cup, helping the European team to five wins both as a player and captain.
Pele. He is the all-time top scorer in the history of the Brazil national football team and is the only footballer to be a part of three World Cup-winning teams. In 1962 he was part of the Brazilian squad but due to an injury suffered in the 2nd match did not play the whole tournament. In November 2007 Fifa announced that he would be awarded the 1962 medal retroactively, making him the only player in the world to have three World Cup winning medals
michael schumacher.After winning two championships with Benneton, Michael Schumacher moved to Ferrari in 1996 and won five consecutive drivers' titles with them from 2000–2004. Schumacher holds many records in Formula One, including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. Schumacher is the only Formula One driver to have an entire season of podium finishes, a feat he accomplished in 2002.
Martina Navratilova. She won 18 Grand slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam women's doubles titles (an all-time record), and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She reached the Wimbleton singles final 12 times, including 9 consecutive years from 1982 through 1990, and won the women's singles title at Wimbledon a record 9 times.
Qph would be proud..
Skill over Braun...Tiger Woods is easily the best sportsman ever in my opinion anyway..His mental strength physical attributes and his attitude never to lose is unrivaled + he can do amazing things with a ball and a club although I know it can be hard for people to understand who do not like or watch golf..As well as his 14 majors he will be the first sportsman ever to be a billionaire...He has changed the golf world as well and has brought in millions of kids that otherwise would not play the game...In the US open this year he played on 1 leg and won.....There is no such thing as disabled people only people who have met Chuck Norris...Chuck Norris does not grow hair on his balls Hair does not grow on steel...
Skill over Braun...Tiger Woods is easily the best sportsman ever in my opinion anyway..His mental strength physical attributes and his attitude never to lose is unrivaled + he can do amazing things with a ball and a club although I know it can be hard for people to understand who do not like or watch golf..As well as his 14 majors he will be the first sportsman ever to be a billionaire...He has changed the golf world as well and has brought in millions of kids that otherwise would not play the game...In the US open this year he played on 1 leg and won.....There is no such thing as disabled people only people who have met Chuck Norris...Chuck Norris does not grow hair on his balls Hair does not grow on steel...
Its a bit like Padraig Harrington not being classed as an athlete.. when we did nothing in the world cup in 1990, the Irish squad returned to a heros welcome, when Harrington won his third Major, he returned to nothing.. something very wrong here.
He spends more time training and practising than any olympic athlete.
Westside would Michael Phelps not be a better example of a swimmer...And what Usain Bolt did during the summer was fairly spectacular
I actually know Padraig without going into much detail...Padraig studied accoutancy before going pro at the age of 26 (which is old enough for pro golfers) he was never regarded as a world class golfer but with the incredible amount of hardwork and dedication he became what he is today..He is always last on the pratice ground..Let me tell you a good story about him..When he was a amateur with Stackstown they were playing another club(cant remember the club) in a senior match..Padraig was on the 16 tee and he was 2 down..i.e. 2 down with 3 to play..The manager of the other team was heard saying by Padraig All the talk about Padraig Harrington this guy is useless(something along those lines) anyway Padraig took it very personal and so he finished birdie birdie birdie and won....He is Irelands best sportsman
I actually know Padraig without going into much detail...Padraig studied accoutancy before going pro at the age of 26 (which is old enough for pro golfers) he was never regarded as a world class golfer but with the incredible amount of hardwork and dedication he became what he is today..He is always last on the pratice ground..Let me tell you a good story about him..When he was a amateur with Stackstown they were playing another club(cant remember the club) in a senior match..Padraig was on the 16 tee and he was 2 down..i.e. 2 down with 3 to play..The manager of the other team was heard saying by Padraig All the talk about Padraig Harrington this guy is useless(something along those lines) anyway Padraig took it very personal and so he finished birdie birdie birdie and won....He is Irelands best sportsman
Again, without going into any detail, i have played in his charity outing and met him a few times..
He is a real embassador for Irish sport.
Top bloke.He really is a sportsman you can like
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 18:20
Westside would Michael Phelps not be a better example of a swimmer...And what Usain Bolt did during the summer was fairly spectacular
in the hope that the others do the same thing and get winded? 17000 calories per day?Whatever.
Hes a fine swimmer but Spitz did the big one first and it took all these years to beat it.Same goes for Banisters 4 min mile.Lots of ppl did it,jesus i did it the other week when i saw an ex soon to be mother in law but Banister was the one who set the tempo and setting the tempo requires going into the unknown and that takes that extra bit of mentality.
Go to the unknown,The where?????
Westside.
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 18:21
Top bloke.He really is a sportsman you can like
Thanks for the compliment Poppy.
His head is in the right place,
Westside.
5. Martina Navratilova. She won 18 Grand slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam women's doubles titles (an all-time record), and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She reached the Wimbleton singles final 12 times, including 9 consecutive years from 1982 through 1990, and won the women's singles title at Wimbledon a record 9 times. Thanks Eps
4. Jack Nicklaus. Set the bar for Tiger to aim at. and did it against the calibre of golfer like Player, Palmer, Watson and Trevino. Woods beating flakey opponents like Mickleson, Els and Monty doesnt stack up. Maybe Harrington can make him work to win.
3. Eddy Merkcx. Set records that defied belief. Armstrong won more Tours de France but concentrated on one race a year. This pales when compared to the great Belgians achievements. Cycling Hall of Fame.com (http://www.cyclinghalloffame.com/riders/rider_bio.asp?rider_id=1)
2. Pele. No need to add to Eps bio.
1. Ali. Just the name says it all. THE one and only truly worldwide legend!
Alec Horan
18-11-08, 18:48
in no particular order
phil taylor - donald bradman - emil zapotek - pele - diego maradona
When Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, his first question to an Australian visitor was, "Is Sir Donald Bradman still alive?"
Phil Taylor! Higher up the list than Ali? Is the 12 time world cluedo champion allowed for consideration?
funnights74
18-11-08, 19:12
5 Muhammid Ali, Easily the best boxer that has ever Lived,You all know why. No need to go into the details
4 Michael Schumacher, Top f1 driver by a mile, won gp's and titles that no other driver would have won in an equal car.
3 Pele, Need i say more
2 Bobby Fischer, Ok i know that this is a strange one but i am a huge chess fan and what this man achieved over a chess board has still not been surpassed. And for those of you who think that chess is not a sport then try training for an event for months, travelling the globe to various tournaments, and the mental strain that it takes is simply unreal. I know that his political views were dispicable but this poll is about sports alone.
1 Eddy Merckx Again i confess to being a huge cycling fan so this was an easy choice for me, what this man achieved between 1964 - 1974 is beyond words, 5 tours de france, 3 tours of Italy,3 tours of spain, 3 world championships, add to this countless one day races, including 3 paris - roubaix, a one day race that normal athletes should not even consider attempting. I saw a few choices for Lance Armstrong and while i respect what he achieved after the cancer battle he went through lance was a 1 race a year man, he concentrated on the tour de france, Merckx won races from january to november year after year.
Alec Horan
18-11-08, 19:16
Phil Taylor! Higher up the list than Ali? Is the 12 time world cluedo champion allowed for consideration?
Ali was a great self publicist - I'll give him that ; but Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer ever.
Your somewhat facetious reference to Cluedo got me thinking there might be a place for Chess genius Bobby Fischer on this thread.
Phil Taylor ? Well I think if Jack Nicklaus/ Tiger Woods/ Michael Schumacher are worthy of inclusion then, quite frankly, Taylors record by comparison is far far superior to theirs in his own particular sport.
Nobody mentioned Henry Sheflin yet ?
and what about Roger Federer ?
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 20:07
5 Muhammid Ali, Easily the best boxer that has ever Lived,You all know why. No need to go into the details
4 Michael Schumacher, Top f1 driver by a mile, won gp's and titles that no other driver would have won in an equal car.
3 Pele, Need i say more
2 Bobby Fischer, Ok i know that this is a strange one but i am a huge chess fan and what this man achieved over a chess board has still not been surpassed. And for those of you who think that chess is not a sport then try training for an event for months, travelling the globe to various tournaments, and the mental strain that it takes is simply unreal. I know that his political views were dispicable but this poll is about sports alone.
1 Eddy Merckx Again i confess to being a huge cycling fan so this was an easy choice for me, what this man achieved between 1964 - 1974 is beyond words, 5 tours de france, 3 tours of Italy,3 tours of spain, 3 world championships, add to this countless one day races, including 3 paris - roubaix, a one day race that normal athletes should not even consider attempting. I saw a few choices for Lance Armstrong and while i respect what he achieved after the cancer battle he went through lance was a 1 race a year man, he concentrated on the tour de france, Merckx won races from january to november year after year.
If there is any human as close to God in terms of power its him.What i loved about Ali was not the way he won but the way is lost.If he lost ,no excuses,none,he just admitted being beaten by a better man on the day and came back to win next time.
Do you know that this man,who has Parkinson Disease is still in the gym,still exercising and still htiing the bags.Yes still hitting the punchbag.Next time someone gives an excuse not to be able to do something they need only think of this.
How many ppl would throw away the best part of their careers because they did not want to go against their beliefs.
And it took the Olympic Committee thirty or so years to give him back his gold medal that he threw into the river again because of his beliefs.
Ali stuck with his guns no matter what,always lost with dignity to come back and win like a true champ.Despite the fact that he is literally paralyised at times he still goes out of his way to help others.He is class from head to toe.
He has five wives too,
Westside.
Peter The Perfect Plumber
18-11-08, 20:08
Jack Nicklaus
Westside.......
Again, without going into any detail, i have played in his charity outing and met him a few times..
He is a real embassador for Irish sport.
I know the south is the south the north the north but what about Georgie Best.....Irish
Irish footballers - yes i know you hate Dunne but he done good. (footie talk there)
Eddie Irvine........great driver........ Owner irish Eddie Jordan......
Sorry i know this is really terrible to say but i dont know any other Irish Sportsmen
there are Rugby Players that are good........ is there an O' Driscoll - apologies is if I
spelt that wrong.......
Thats my lot......... you are the Irish guys......... stuck now.....
Liz xx
Good point Liz..Pele once said that Geogrie was the best ever...Please tennis players:p:p
Good point Liz..Pele once said that Geogrie was the best ever...Please tennis players:p:p
Isn't Sonia O'Sullivan an irish lady too.........not a tennis player though but Irish -
Dont think there are or were ever any really great Irish tennis players....... could
always google but i dont think that there were any.
xxx Lizzy
carlos marvado
18-11-08, 22:06
Sergey Bubka, Abebe Bekela, Eddy Merkcx, Michael Schmacher, Ali.
thehighwayman
18-11-08, 22:42
Muhamed Ali, Michael Schumacher, Roger Federer, Joe Calzaghe, Thierry Henry.
Bigbadjohn
18-11-08, 22:48
Joey dunlop, george best, willie john mcbride, pat jennings, barry mcguigan :)
ninebythree
18-11-08, 23:07
my five
pele
ali
tiger
carl lewis
armstrong
nbt
Alec Horan
18-11-08, 23:12
my five
pele
ali
tiger
carl lewis
armstrong
nbt
almost racist - something against honkys ?:)
and armstrong would not be there if arconada wasn't such a bad keeper :D
ninebythree
19-11-08, 00:13
what about worse five sportmen.
leinster rugby team
eddie the eagle
leinster rugby team
tim henman
leinster rugby team
nbt
Joey dunlop, george best, willie john mcbride, pat jennings, barry mcguigan :)
Almost racist. anything against the rest of the world outside little britain?
Ali was a great self publicist - I'll give him that ; but Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest boxer ever.
Your somewhat facetious reference to Cluedo got me thinking there might be a place for Chess genius Bobby Fischer on this thread.
Phil Taylor ? Well I think if Jack Nicklaus/ Tiger Woods/ Michael Schumacher are worthy of inclusion then, quite frankly, Taylors record by comparison is far far superior to theirs in his own particular sport.
Nobody mentioned Henry Sheflin yet ?
and what about Roger Federer ?
Nothing facetious about it, Sport should involve some physical effort or conditioning. Golf does, F1 does but chess nor darts don't
galwayboy23
19-11-08, 00:24
mohammed ali,tiger woods,lance armstrong,babe ruth,michael jordan
ninebythree
19-11-08, 00:32
.
Phil Taylor ? Well I think if Jack Nicklaus/ Tiger Woods/ Michael Schumacher are worthy of inclusion then, quite frankly, Taylors record by comparison is far far superior to theirs in his own particular sport.
U cant really consider taylor because for six of his world titles , barney was playing on the other organisation .
it was only that sky sports made the pdc a better organisation that the bdo.
nbt
Alec Horan
19-11-08, 00:46
U cant really consider taylor because for six of his world titles , barney was playing on the other organisation .
it was only that sky sports made the pdc a better organisation that the bdo.
nbt
ok lets continue that logic - did nicklaus win a grand slam whilst plying against tiger ?
did schumacher drive against senna.
did federer play sampras
did ali fight sugar (sugar woulda won)
Power v Barney
The two have played each other competitively 34 times, Taylor winning 24, van Barneveld winning 9 with 1 draw. In matches played with sets, Taylor leads 51 sets to 30 and in matchplay format Taylor is leading 138-99.
look at taylors averages / unlike a lot of sports these can answer any comparisons- nine darts finishes - challenge matches against bdo opposition - record against barney since he crossed over and the fact that at an age when he should be losing his powers he has, astonishingly, actually improved this year.
the elite of the bdo formed the pdc - nobody has left the pdc for the bdo.
Taylor-Barneveld rivalry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor-Barneveld_rivalry)
Good point Liz..Pele once said that Geogrie was the best ever...Please tennis players:p:p
Double checked and he is infact Irish John McEnroe........go on Poppy ask me another...............:):):)
ninebythree
19-11-08, 01:36
ok lets continue that logic - did nicklaus win a grand slam whilst plying against tiger ?
did schumacher drive against senna.
did federer play sampras
did ali fight sugar (sugar woulda won)
Power v Barney
The two have played each other competitively 34 times, Taylor winning 24, van Barneveld winning 9 with 1 draw. In matches played with sets, Taylor leads 51 sets to 30 and in matchplay format Taylor is leading 138-99.
look at taylors averages / unlike a lot of sports these can answer any comparisons- nine darts finishes - challenge matches against bdo opposition - record against barney since he crossed over and the fact that at an age when he should be losing his powers he has, astonishingly, actually improved this year.
the elite of the bdo formed the pdc - nobody has left the pdc for the bdo.
Taylor-Barneveld rivalry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor-Barneveld_rivalry)
i took barney as an example , how can u be top of ure sport if the organisation was split in two.
my point was the best of each organisation didnt compete against each other.
no one have left the pdc because of the money sky are throwing at it , wheras bbc are giving the bdo fuck all. hence no one leaves.
and besides darts isnt a real sport :D
nbt
mohammed ali,tiger woods,lance armstrong,babe ruth,michael jordan
Your not a Yank by any chance?:D
Peter The Perfect Plumber
19-11-08, 08:17
ok lets continue that logic - did nicklaus win a grand slam whilst plying against tiger ?
did schumacher drive against senna.
did federer play sampras
did ali fight sugar (sugar woulda won)
Power v Barney
The two have played each other competitively 34 times, Taylor winning 24, van Barneveld winning 9 with 1 draw. In matches played with sets, Taylor leads 51 sets to 30 and in matchplay format Taylor is leading 138-99.
look at taylors averages / unlike a lot of sports these can answer any comparisons- nine darts finishes - challenge matches against bdo opposition - record against barney since he crossed over and the fact that at an age when he should be losing his powers he has, astonishingly, actually improved this year.
the elite of the bdo formed the pdc - nobody has left the pdc for the bdo.
Taylor-Barneveld rivalry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor-Barneveld_rivalry)
Sugar beating Ali?No way.If he stayed away from Ali and got the points he would beat ali because i agree he was the best boxer of all time but Ali would have caught him and his weight advantage would have won it.I reckon ali by a knockdown mid way through the fight but if suagr stayed back and kept his distance who knows.Thaty wouldnt happen though because Ali wouldnt let him keep his distance.
Isnt this supposed to be about Opera????
Westside.
Peter The Perfect Plumber
19-11-08, 08:27
Nothing facetious about it, Sport should involve some physical effort or conditioning. Golf does, F1 does but chess nor darts don't
whether its aerobic threshold,anerobic threashold,GPP,SPP or intervals it wont matter.Ok im being a bit of a smart ass here because i know you wont be aware of these.
Seriously though the conditioning required to walk all day around a course will be acheived well before the golfer becomes highly skilled.Golf is a technical sport.The requirements to be a successful golfer are,
A mastery of the technical aspects.
A knowledge of his /her weakness.
A biomechanical knowledge of the aqquired musclature and a knowledge of the repetitive strain injuries involved in the sport,golfers elbow,impingement of the supraspinatus tendon of the shoulder joint of the leading arm and repetitive strains of the driving hip and wrists.The abilty to see these approching and dealing with them is essential to maintaining a high level of performance.Golf by its nature will create biomechanical imbalances that can alter the performers posture leading to injuries unless the performer regularly swings from both sides.
Unless a golfer is doing some sort of supplementary exercise to supplement his golf (not required really) then the conditioning gains from the sport itself are minimal.What im saying is anyone who plays golf and expects it to improve his/her conditioning to a high degree is kidding themselves.
Westside.
galwayboy23
19-11-08, 08:33
im not a yank skyblue but i see ur point:D
Unless a golfer is doing some sort of supplementary exercise to supplement his golf (not required really) then the conditioning gains from the sport itself are minimal.What im saying is anyone who plays golf and expects it to improve his/her conditioning to a high degree is kidding themselves.
Westside.
Sorry Westie, as i think you know I am not suggesting that golf keeps you fit. My point is that golfers at the top level do include serious fitness and conditioning work to try to gain that small advantage or keep up with the best. The likes of darts players don't have to consider fitness at all.
Bigbadjohn
19-11-08, 13:20
Originally Posted by Bigbadjohn
Joey dunlop, george best, willie john mcbride, pat jennings, barry mcguigan Almost racist. anything against the rest of the world outside little britain?
well just to prove i,m not sexist i would, as a 6th choice have Mary Peters :D
(what rest of the world :confused: theres the free state and the mainland ;) sure theres no good sportspeople have come from there!;) :D
bbj
Jonah Lomu took rugby to a new level..he must be in with a shout
thehighwayman
20-11-08, 01:01
Jonah Lomu should be. But he was only around a short time in comparison to others. It's a pity he had those health problems. There was nobody like him when he was at his peak.
clarence hilten
20-11-08, 08:32
Jonah Lomu should be. But he was only around a short time in comparison to others. It's a pity he had those health problems. There was nobody like him when he was at his peak.
Jonah would be my shared top all time rugby player along with kampazi the oz player, he was lethal, you knew something spectecular was going to happen if he even sniffed the ball. close behind would be Blanco -france and g edwards and jpr williams wales
Jonah would be my shared top all time rugby player along with kampazi the oz player, he was lethal, you knew something spectecular was going to happen if he even sniffed the ball. close behind would be Blanco -france and g edwards and jpr williams wales
Christian Cullen best fullback of all time ..Kampazi isnt fit to clean his boots that mouthy prick
Bigbadjohn
20-11-08, 13:13
Christian Cullen best fullback of all time ..Kampazi isnt fit to clean his boots that mouthy prick
YouTube - Christian Cullen - The Greatest (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LQZbe_NiYy0&feature=related)
YouTube - Christian Cullen V New South Wales (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7cDMXSB1Mss)
john kirwan was good
YouTube - All Blacks Best Rugby Tries Ever (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nGseEaK9w0g&feature=related)
bhoywonder
21-11-08, 05:25
In no particular order
Sergey Bubka....still world record holder for pole vault, a record he set 17 times
Martina Navratilova.......simply the most dominant tennis player ever
Tiger Woods.....the most dominant living athlete
Eddy Mercyx.......see above
Sugar Ray Robinson.....pound for pound the greatest fighter of all time. even ali called him the best
thehighwayman
21-11-08, 09:34
How about the top 5 female sportswomen, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Kelly Holmes, Sonia O'Sullivan, Venus Williams.
How about the top 5 female sportswomen, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Kelly Holmes, Sonia O'Sullivan, Venus Williams.
Do not mean to be sexist but women should not be considered as they cannot compete with men
ninebythree
21-11-08, 13:38
top five sportswomen,
billie jean king
florence griffin joyner
cathy freeman
anneka sorenstam
Yelena Isinbayeva
here we go again
nbt
thehighwayman
21-11-08, 14:09
Do not mean to be sexist but women should not be considered as they cannot compete with men
Come on now that is sexist. Women should be considered as their achievments are as good as the mens. It's a different level of course but their achievments aren't any less.
If this is about ACHIEVEMENT and not favourites:
1. Jesse Owens - black US athlete wins 4 golds in Nazi Germany 1936 Olympics.
2. Mohammad Ali - Regained World Title having been stripped of it for not joining US Army in Vietnam - and won over the American public - and the world for his stance. Seems to have gotten away with his mistreatment and racist portrayal of Joe Frazier and George Foreman prior to the toughest fights of his career
3. Lance Armstrong - 7 Tour de France wins following testicular cancer
4. Juan Manuel Fangio - 5 Formula 1 World Championships - yes this record was beaten after 46 years by Schumacher, but Fangio did it at a time when all cars had reliability issues and when the sport was more dnagerous and alot of his rivals were killed in crashes.
5. Pele - Played for Brazil in 1958, 62, 66 & 70 World Cups and was winner in 58, 62 & 70. Capped 92 times and scored 77 goals. In my opinion, the fact he could tackle puts him ahead of Maradona as greatest all round player ever.
Perhaps most importantly, for a poll conducted on an escorting site, he became an ambassador for Viagara!