An interesting look at the 25 Most Iconic Athletes in the history of sports. Picking 25 great athletes isn’t an easy task. Factors that influenced this particular list include the athlete’s accomplishment in their sport, the number of years they were considered its best player, and their impact on the world in general. Well known athletes like Jim Thorpe, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Pele, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Martina Navratilova, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and more are featured.