Taking sport too seriously

Top 20 now - hurrah! I'll do this ten, then talk a little about people who haven't made the list, then on to the Top 10. Here goes ... 20. CB Fry (Multiple Sports, 1890s-1920s)   A ridiculous legend of a man ... could jump backwards onto a mantelpiece ... offered the throne of Albania ... wrestled with sharks ... made the last bit up. Fry's sporting achievements are real enough. He equalled the world long jump record. He played for England at football (once) and Southampton in the FA Cup final. Played for the Barbarians at rugby. Primarily a cricketer, he captained England and scored almost 100 first class centuries. Tried three times to be elected as a Liberal MP but without success. Was a great Classicist. So, we have a combination of Greg Rutherford, Michael Vaughan, Albert Einstein, Mary Beard, Victor Ubogu, Dave Rowntree and Francis Jeffers. Magic. 19. Linford Christie (Athletics, 1980s-1990s)   Hmm, I trouble myself with this one. I went with my heart on...

30. Tony McCoy (Horse racing, 1990s-2010s)   Even though horse racing is not my sport, the magnitude of McCoy is summed up by the fact that when he was Sports Personality of the Year in 2010, I didn't object at all. That was the year he finally won the Grand National, having won every single other race going. His supremacy is Bradmanesque - he has won twice as many races as any other National Hunt jockey in history (twice as many!) and been Champion jockey almost 20 years in a row. Extraordinary skill, one imagines, bravery, relentlessness and obsession. He has broken nearly every bone in his body and just keeps going. 29. Geoff Hurst (Football, 1960s-1970s)   Another knight. Pretty obvious choice this, really. Despite not really being one of England's Top 5 strikers, Hurst is responsible for what is widely acknowledged as the greatest moment in English sporting history. So that'll do really. Had a very good career besides of course, as well as actually playing a f...

40. Virginia Wade (Tennis, 1960s-1980s) There was something a little annoying about the recent meme suggesting egregious sexism was responsible for Virginia Wade being entirely forgotten about in the various descriptions of Andy Murray being the "first British winner of Wimbledon since 1936". For starters, Jonny Marray won Wimbledon in 2012, as did Jamie Murray in 2007 - sexism was entirely not the case, it was just a little journalistic laziness which prevented people saying "the first British winner of the men's singles title since 1936". And Virginia Wade is no forgotten woman. Her 1977 Wimbledon win is one of the most celebrated achievement's in British sport and she has been an almost constant presence on screens since. The fact it was in the Jubilee year gave it particular eclat (perhaps Ann Jones and Angela Mortimer are the forgotten women), but Virginia Wade won two other Grand slams was a Top 10 player for many years. It may be that Murray will ...

Into the Top 50. This is where it gets serious, and may get a little controversial. There might be favourites you're expecting who are nowhere to be seen. Before I get to the Top 10, I'll write a little about some people who didn't make the list. If there are any glaring omissions, arguably I'm getting something wrong. I'm trying not to make this a personal list, I'm trying to be fair, and if I miss someone obvious, the fact that they're obvious probably means they deserve inclusion somewhere in the Top 200. We'll see. 50. Lennox Lewis (Boxing, 1980s-2000s)   The credit given to Lennox Lewis seems to grow year on year, as people more and more describe him as The Last Great Heavyweight (perhaps a little harsh on the Klitschko brothers). He was the first British heavyweight champ for almost a century, and also managed to be undisputed champion. He did lose twice, shockingly, but got great glory for avenging both those losses. Huge, slick and thought...

60. Denise Lewis (Athletics, 1990s-2000s)   There's an argument that the multi-eventers are not the greatest athletes, that they're jacks of all trade, but I don't really go for that. Versatility is to be highly prized and the hep and decathletes really do put themselves through more physically than any other competitors. It's always a great, epic competition over two days and Denise Lewis was a champion over many years, winning Olympic bronze in 1996 and gold in 2000. 59. Paul Gascoigne (Football, 1980s-1990s)   I dithered considerably about this chap's placing, even thinking about leaving him out all together. What a waste, what a failure to achieve what he might have done. His club career was generally pretty wretched - great at Newcastle, a couple of golden years at Spurs then disaster, loved but mainly injured at Lazio, fine at the second rate level with Rangers, then various disastrous spells at English clubs. And so many injuries, and so...