Greatest Black Athletes of the 20th Century
Listed below are the 100 and 20 greatest black athletes of the 20th century as determined by Ebony magazine.
100 Greatest Black Athletes of the 20th Century | 20 Greatest Black Athletes of the 20th Century
100 Greatest Black Athletes of the 20th Century
1. Hank Aaron- Baseball player; baseball's all-time home run and RBI leader
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- Basketball player; NBA's all-time scoring leader and six-time MVP
3. Marcus Allen- Football player; scored more touchdowns than anyone else in NFL history
4. Muhammad Ali- Boxer; "The Greatest," dominated boxing for 20 years
5. Henry Armstrong- Boxer; held three boxing titles at the same time
6. Arthur Ash- Tennis player; first and only African-American male to win Wimbledon title
7. Ernie Banks- Baseball player; perennial All-Star and member of baseball's Hall of Fame
8. Elgin Baylor- Basketball player; Hall of Famer and 10-time NBA All-Star
9. Cool Papa Bell- Baseball player; Negro Leaguer and Hall of Famer once called baseball's fastest man.
10. Barry Bonds- Baseball player; three-time National League MVP who some call the best left fielder in history
11. Lou Brock- Hall of Famer outfielder and record-setting base-stealer
12. Jim Brown- Fullback for old Cleveland Browns and standard by which all NFL running backs are judged.
13. Earl Campbell- Former Heisman Trophy winner; three time NFL MVP
14. Roy Campanella- Hall of Fame baseball catcher and three-time National League MVP
15. Rod Carew- American League MVP in 1977; winner of several batting titles
16. Wilt Chamberlain- Seven-time NBA scoring camp; four-time MVP and one scored 100 points in single basketball game
17. Oscar Charleston- Negro Leagues star who was described as "the greatest outfielder that ever lived."
18. Alice Coachman- First African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal
19. Eric Dickerson- Holder of NFL's single-season rushing record
20. Larry Doby- First Black player to break color barrier in baseball's American League
21. Tony Dorsett- Hall of Fame running back; holds record for longest run from scrimmage (99 yards)
22. Julius (Dr. J) Ervings- One of the NBA's most exciting players in history
23. Lee Elders- First Black golfer to pay in the Masters tournament
24. Curt Flood- Aside from his efforts to bring about free agency for baseball players, he was considered one of baseball's most talented players
25. Joe Frazier- Undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970-73
26. Walt Frazier- Hall of Fame basketball player and defensive specialist; led New York Knicks to two NBA titles
27. George Gervin- NBA Hall of Famer and four time scoring champion
28. Althea Gibson- Two-time U.S. and Wimbledon singles champion
29. Bob Gibson- Hall of Fame baseball player and two-time Cy Young Award winner
30. Josh Gibson- Hall of Fame baseball player who was legendary in the Negro Leagues
31. Maurice Green- Record Holder in the 100-meter dash
32. (Mean) Joe Green- NFL Hall of Fame football player and two-time NFL defensive player of the year
33. Ken Griffey Jr.- Considered to be baseball's most complete player since Willie Mays
34. Tony Gwynn- Eight time batting champion; future baseball Hall of Famer
35. Marvelous Marvin Hagler- Perhaps the best middleweight boxer since Sugar Ray Robinson
36. Connie Hawkins- Hall of Fame basketball player who may said created a style duplicated by Dr. J.
37. Thomas Hearns- The first boxer to win titles in four different weight classes
38. Rickey Henderson- Record holder for stolen bases in a single season and career
39. Elston Howard- Hall of Famer was first African-American baseball player to join New York Yankees
40. William DeHart Hubbard- First African-American athlete to win Olympic gold medal
41. Monte Irvin- Hall of Fame baseball player who won two batting titles in the Negro Leagues before joining the major leagues
42. Bo Jackson- All Star in both the NFL and Major League Baseball
43. Reggie Jackson- All Star baseball player; his consistent production in the playoffs earned him the name "Mr. October"; hit three homeruns in the World Series
44. Earvin (Magic) Johnson- Basketball player; three-time NBA MVP; leader of the Los Angeles Lakers' "showtime" style of play
45. Jack Johnson- Boxer; first Black heavyweight champion
46. Michael Johnson- Track star; two-time Olympic gold medalist; record holder in 200-meter dash
47. Rafer Johnson- Track & field star- Decathlon champion and gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics
48. William (Judy) Johnson- Baseball player; Hall of Famer who was the best third baseman in Negro Leagues history
49. Marion Jones- Track star; Today's top female athlete who's said to be the next Jackie Joyner-Kersee
50. Michael Jordan- Basketball player; Considered to be the NBA's best player in history; five-time MVP and 10-time scoring champion
51. Florence Griffith Joyner- Track & field star- "The world's fastest women" set world records in the 100 and 200 meter dashes
52. Jackie Joyner-Kersee- Track & field star; two-time Olympic gold medalist in the heptathlon; called "the world's greatest woman athlete."
53. Willie Lanier- Football player; Perennial All-Pro who changed the perception of American-American's playing middle linebacker
54. Buck Leonard- Baseball player; jointed Josh Gibson to lead the Homestead Grays to nine consecutive Negro National League championship
55. Pop Lloyd- Baseball player; Negro Leagues star who was called "the greatest Black baseball player during the first two decades of the century"
56. Sugar Ray Leonard- Boxer; won boxing titles in five weight divisions
57. Carl Lewis- Track star; winner of nine Olympic gold medals (and one silver) in track and field
58. Joe Luis- Boxer; held heavyweight title longer than anyone in history
59. Karl Malone- Basketball player; two-time NBA MVP; considered the best power forward in history
60. Moses Malone- Basketball player; three-time NBA MVP; first player to go from high school to NBA
61. Willie Mays- Baseball player; Considered by many to be the best all-around baseball player in history
62. Willie McCovery- Baseball player; Hall of Famer; No. 10 on all-time home run list
63. Ralph Metcalfe, Track star; broke three track world records on June 11, 1932 (100 meters, 200 meters and 220 yards)
64. Earl Monroe- Basketball player, NBA Hall of Famer who talent was accentuated by his style
65. Joe Morgan- Baseball player; Hall of Famer, two-time National League MVP
66. Edwin Moses- Track star; two-time gold medalist who won 122 consecutive races in 400-meter hurdles
67. Eddie Murray- Baseball player; only the third player to combine 500 home runs and 3,000 hits
68. Curley Neal- Basketball player; Harlem Globetrotters star who was a superb showman with unequalled dribbling skills
69. Jesse Owens- Track star; won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics, dashing Hitler's theory of Aryan supremacy
70. Satchel Paige- Baseball player; pitched 55 no-hitters in Negro Leagues; entered Major Leagues at age 42 and became Hall of Famer
71. Walter Payton- Football player; holder of the NFL's career rushing record
72. Fritz Pollard- Football player; first Black All-America running back; one of the few Blacks who joined the NFL in the 1920s
73. Jerry Rice- Football player; Perennial All-Pro and perhaps the best receiver in NFL history
74. Paul Robeson- Football player; once described as "the greatest end that ever trod a gridiron"
75. Oscar Roberson- Basketball player; NBA Hall of Famer and one-time career assists leader
76. Frank Robinson- Baseball player; Hall of Famer who is the only baseball player to win MVP awards in the National and American Leagues
77. Jackie Robinson- Baseball player; Hall of Famer who broke baseball's color barrier in the modern era in 1947
78. Sugar Ray Robinson- Boxer; perhaps the best boxer, pound-for-pound, in history
79. Dennis Rodman- Basketball player; seven-time rebound champion; perhaps the best rebounder in history
80. Wilma Rudolph- Tract star; winner of three gold medals at 1960 Olympics
81. Bill Russell- Basketball player; five-time NBA MVP; led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA titles
82. Barry Sanders- Football player; perhaps the most elusive runner in NFL history; second on all-time rushing list
83. Dion Sanders- Football and baseball player; All star in NFL and Major League
84. Gale Sayers- Football player; one of the NFL's most exciting runners; scored six touchdowns in a game
85. Charlie Sifford- Golfer; first Black Professional Golfer's Association-approved player
86. O.J. Simpson- Football player; first player to gain 2,000 yards in a single season
87. Ozzie Smith- Baseball player; considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop in history
88. Willie Stargell- Baseball player; Hall of Famer who's No. 18 on all-time home run list
89. Lynn Swann- Football player; Super Bowl MVP; considered one of the NFL's craftiest receivers
90. Lawrence Taylor- Football player; 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker; led New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles
91. Wyomia Tyus- Track star; Olympic medalist who was one considered "the greatest American female Olympian."
92. Paul Warfield- Football player; NFL Hall of Famer; perennial All-Pro receiver
93. Willie Wells- Baseball player; the best shortstop in Back baseball during the '30s and '40s
94. Reggie White- Football player; NFL's all-time leader in quarterback sacks
95. Willye White- Track and Field star; participated in five Olympics, winning medals in two Olympiads
96. Doug Williams- Football player; set Super Bowl record for passing yardage and tied record for touchdown passes
97. Billy Willams- Baseball player; Hall of Famer; voted to baseball's "All Century Team"
98. Maury Wills- Baseball player; one of baseball's best base stealers, stealing 104 bases in one season
99. Jimmy (The Wink) Winkfield- Jockey; a premier jockey at the turn of the century, winning the Kentucky Derby in 1901 and 1902
100. Tiger Woods- Golfer; golfing phenomenon who won Masters by record 12 strokes in 1997
20 Greatest Black Athletes of the 20th Century
1. Hank Aaron
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Arthur Ash
5. Jim Brown
6. Wilt Chamberlain
7. Julius (Dr. J) Ervin
8. Althea Gibson
9. Josh Gibson
10. Jack Johnson
11. Michael Jordan
12. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
13. Carl Lewis
14. Joe Louis
15. Willie Mays
16. Jessie Owens
17. Walter Payton
18. Jackie Robinson
19. Sugar Ray Robinson
20. Bill Russell
October 1999