Surely Conor McGregor is in the reckoning. 😜
Has to be Ali as was unbelievable in the ring during his prime and could hold court with anyone outside with his brilliant wit. Nearly 50 years after his best days in the ring and everyone would still know his name. Gretzky could walk down any street in Europe and no one would know him.
If we're including achievements outside sport, Bob Crisp, South African fast bowler from the 1930s.
IIRC took 4 wickets in 4 balls on 2 occasions, decent Test career at a time when South Africa were weak AF. Served with 3rd RTR in Greece, North Africa and Normandy. After a particularly severe injury which his crewmates thought he had died from, he reassured a visiting George VI that it wouldn't stop him from resuming his cricket career (he never did, although he returned to the war with a vengeance). In addition to shooting up enemy armour (earning him Alexander's accolade as the "greatest Hun-killer he knew"), he also shot down an enemy aircraft with small arms fire. DSO and MC, he reckoned he only missed out on a VC because Montgomery personally disliked him (repeatedly promoted for ability and demoted for insubordination). Still, as mentioned, Montgomery's boss rated his German-killing ability. Wrote what's commonly regarded to be the best war memoir from an allied tanker. Climbed Kilimanjaro twice in one day, carrying his mate on his back on the second trip up and down. Late in his life, diagnosed with terminal cancer and decided to make the most of his remaining time, travelling around Crete and writing travelogues whilst testing experimental medicine. Became the subject of medical studies after said medicine worked and his terminal cancer disappeared, albeit not as prescribed (supposed to be topical, but he drank it with retsina). Attended 1992 cricket world cup where his son was regaled by Godfrey Evans, who was in awe at Crisp's achievement of a century on tour. When his son remarked that lots of cricketers had scored hundreds on tour, Evans clarified that Bob had slept with a hundred different women on a single cricket tour (generally 3-4 months).
On the trail of Patrick Leigh Fermor in Greece
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/sep/28/patrick-leigh-fermor-mani-peninsula-greeceReporter goes to Crete to find stories of the legendary travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor. He tracks down the village where Leigh Fermor lived, and even the bar where he drank. Reporter asks if the locals remember an Englishman who used to live there.
"We do seem to attract a lot of writers," said the old man eventually. "But that's a name I don't remember."
"Bruce Chatwin, Baroose Chit-win, Chaatwing." I tried a few variations but none struck a chord. "His ashes are scattered somewhere in the hills."
"No, I never heard of him."
"What about Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor? You must know about him."
The old man shook his head. "No, I don't think so. There was a writer called Robert. Now he was famous – cured himself of cancer by walking around Crete. He was very famous."
This felt all wrong. Was I in the right place? How annoying that the locals should raise this unknown above the two giants of travel literature.
Fotis leaned back and shouted in Greek to his wife in the kitchen. She came through, cloth in hand. "Robert Crisp," she said, smiling. "What a wonderful man! So handsome! I remember him sitting up at Dioskouri's taverna drinking and talking with Paddy. They were always laughing."
"Did you see a lot of him?" I asked.
Fotis shrugged. "Sometimes. He liked to walk a lot. Now Robert Crisp – I used to see him. What a character!"
He won his DSO at Sidi Rezegh, where he led his tank in a single-handed charge across an airfield that temporarily checked an advance of 70 German Panzers.
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