Walt and Wellington - I present to you the Mount Rushmore of American Sports...

The other day as we were watching some sport on TV the topic of "who would you put on your Mount Rushmore" of American sport. Of course the discussion got quite lively and there was little consensus amongst those of us sitting there in Camarillo. However I do believe that I have cracked the puzzle and here you have it folks, my four faces that I would carve into that granite rock.

For my non American readers out there, a little pause to explain Mount Rushmore. It is a monument located in South Dakota and features 4 faces sculpted into the side of a mountain. These are 4 major figures of American democracy, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. For those of you wondering why there aren't others, such as FDR or JFK, it's because the project was executed between 1927 and 1941. For more information, please see wikipedia...

A few things I need to make clear in order to explain the selection process. Obviously we need to pick some giants of their respective sport. That being said, I was looking for something extra, because if sporting prowess were the only criteria, we would need 10x (or more) spots on that monument. Therefore I was looking for athletes that transcended their sport and went well beyond the field of play. I was looking for men and women who changed not just the world of sport, but the world in general. Now with that out of the way, I present to you the four that made it on my Mount Rushmore. 

 1. Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay)

His nickname is "The Greatest." That should say it all and automatically qualify him for a spot on this monument. Sports Illustrated also have voted him as the greatest sportsman of the 20th century. Although I am not a major boxing aficionado, for me what makes him stand out is his record in the ring, both at the amateur and professional levels, coupled with his fight against the war in Vietnam, his humanitarian efforts in Africa and his philanthropy. Enough said, he is certainly a lock for this nomination.

2. Billie Jean King

Tennis on the other hand is my jam and a sport that I have followed closely for 40 years or so. I have watched countless hours on television and in person and seen most of the giants of the sport over the past 4 decades. For me the one who stands out from the pack is Bille Jean King. She was not only a great champion on the court (12 singles, 16 doubles and 11 mixed doubles championships at the majors) but it is what she stood for off the court that makes her a great of greats and earns her a spot on this sporting monument. She was one of the original 9 (and arguably the leader of the pack) who helped usher professional tennis and helped make tennis the sport that has the most equal of prize money between male and female players (Serena, Naomi and Maria owe her tons). Her battle of the sexes with Bobby Riggs remains the most widely watched tennis match of all time. And of course, she has been an outspoken in other aspects of women's rights. Well done her!

3. Michael Jordan

My one representative that hails from a team sport. I think that the debate of who is the greatest basketball player of all time is basically shut at this point, despite the great efforts made by Lebron James to narrow that gap. MJ wins this argument in most people's opinions (including mine). But what sets him apart, despite the fact that he was a college, NBA and olympic champion, was what he did for Nike. The Air Jordan brand single handedly either saved Nike or helped propel it to the summit of athletic-wear companies. 15+ years after his retirement from pro basketball, he remains a giant of the sport and his business ventures have made him the most successful athlete of all time in terms of earnings on and off the court. Just Do It, let's all be like Mike.

4.  Michael Phelps

This was simultaneously one of the easiest picks and one of the most difficult ones to make! The olympics are the greatest sporting event on the planet (with Super Bowl and Soccer World Cup being a 1.b and 1.c in one order or another). Therefore the greatest olympic athlete should probably earn a spot on this monument with little to no debate. His 28 olympic medals (of which 23 of the gold color) are enough to place him above 161 countries! Legend has it that he one went over 3 years without missing a single day of training. That's what it takes to be the best of the best folks. But what also makes me want to put him on this monument is the fact that he has been an outspoken advocate for mental health and helping athletes cope with the stresses of competition. He has also been open with his struggles which can help young men and women realize that even those with all of the successes in the world can have issues like the rest of us mere mortals. 

What do you think? Who are your top 4?