The first man to break the mythical four-minute mark for the mile. Yeah, it was a singular feat but it has stood the test of time. Everybody knows the English doctor broke the four-minute barrier,but who broke the 10-second mark for the 100m?

If the Rockhampton Rocket had not been banned from Grand Slam events for turning professional during his peak years in the '60s, there would be no debate about the greatest tennis player of all time. The red-headed lefty, who claimed 11 Slam titles, won the Grand Slam as an amateur in 1962, went into professional exile for six years, and then won the Slam again in 1969 when pros were allowed to play the Slams again.

Forget all the talk about alleged drug abuse because nothing has been proven yet. The American cyclist overcame cancer and won seven Tours de France from 1999 to 2005 - when he retired. That's two more titles than any other man in history and he simply dominated the greatest endurance race on wheels. Still, if it's ever proven he 'doped it', off this list he must come.

The only femme among the Marvels redefined women's tennis while collecting 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including nine Wimbledon crowns. She was also a Slam runner-up 14 times, introduced the power game to women's tennis and played through eras against all-time greats like long-time rival Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. Venus and Serena Williams would not have had a chance against Navratilova, in her prime, on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

There's a Tiger on his tail but until Woods passes his record 18 Major titles, Mount Golden Bear stands tall. The greatest legend in a sport full of them, Nicklaus' power and will to win were otherworldly. He also played the best (Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Johnny Miller) at their best and was a runner-up in Majors a whopping 19 times in a career which spanned almost 30 years at the top level. When he passes through the Pearly Gates, he'll join the Don and the Babe and they'll probably play a round or two on another course that Jack built.

Pele or Maradona? Maradona or Pele? It's hard to split team sport players when they don't play the same position but Edson Arantes do Nascimento gets the nod because he won more World Cups (three to one) and, let's face it, behaved a lot better on and off the field. The King of Brazil scored more than 1,000 goals in a career that made him a football icon all over the world. If you think David Beckham's move to the L.A. Galaxy is big, you obviously weren't around when Pele signed with the N.Y. Cosmos.

Transcended boxing to become not only a sporting legend but a world treasure. Won the world boxing heavyweight title three times but was denied some of his best years due to a ban imposed in the United States because he refused to go to war in Vietnam. Was crowned Sportsman of the Century by both Sports Illustrated and the BBC. Ali, formerly Cassius Clay, was a major figure of black empowerment in America during the tumultuous 1960s and early '70s. His heavyweight boxing trilogy of fights with great rival Joe Frasier and the 'Rumble in the Jungle' with George Foreman were classics. Heavyweight boxing and the world sport landscape were never the same after he took his final bow in 1981.