"In this book, Martin Gitlin has ranked the 100 greatest American athletes across all sports, from football and baseball to the decathlon and skateboarding. Taken into consideration are the athletes' achievements, mental toughness, versatility, athleticism, and overall impact on their sport. Each entry contains biographical sketches of the athletes, recaps of their greatest moments, and quotes from their peers, media members, and sport historians. the athletes featured in this book include icons such as Jim Thorpe, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Muhammad Ali, Willie Mays, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Jesse Owens"--