Things are done a little differently over in the States, with every sport proclaiming their national champions as ‘world champions’. Whilst that may seem ridiculous, there are some franchises who have gone above and beyond when it comes to their overwhelming success throughout the course of their history.
Some stumbled onto greatness by accident, meanwhile others built up teams that were quite simply unstoppable. Whatever the case may be these teams, each in their own right, have earned the right to call themselves the best of the best.
Of course, if you’re a fan of one of these thirteen, then all we’re really doing is stroking your likely massive ego. On the opposite end of the scale, rival fans can bask in the knowledge that every dog has it’s day. Well, most of the time.
6. Jim Brown
5.2 yards per attempt. In discussing Jim Brown’s greatness, it’s best to start with that number. Dude averaged half a first down every time he touched the ball. Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowler and led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. The Browns legend walked away from the game after nine seasons as the all-time leading rusher at the time of his retirement. He remains the only player to average more than 100 yards per game for his career. (Photo source/Wikimedia)
1. Babe Ruth
Evaluating “greatness” across sports and across eras is a necessarily subjective exercise, as we discussed in the intro. That said, Babe Ruth was the greatest power hitter in the history of baseball...and he began his MLB career as a pitcher. Ruth was the most popular athlete of his day, and he was the first modern sports superstar with broad appeal across all swathes of the mass media. The 15-time World Series winner slugged a then-record 714 home runs and .342 average. (Photo source/Wikimedia)
5. Wayne Gretzky
The Great One. Still the NHL’s leading scorer after 20 brilliant seasons, Wayne Gretzky was a hockey prodigy. The best junior player in the history of the sport, Gretzky went pro at 17, eventually signing with the Edmonton Oilers. He remains the only player to tally 200 points in a season—a feat he accomplished four times. He recorded 100 points in 14 consecutive seasons and was nine times the league MVP. (Photo source/Wikimedia)
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7. Jack Nicklaus
The all-time leader in major championships, Jack Nicklaus won 18 of the game’s most significant tournaments, including six Masters. Nicklaus’ 14 majors are four more than any other golfer in history, and he totaled 73 PGA Tour victories. (Photo source/Wikimedia)
So there you have it – the New York Yankees unsurprisingly reign supreme as the most successful American sports franchise ever. One day someone will come along and knock them off of their perch, but don’t hold your breath given their overwhelming lead in the present day.
At this point, fans of teams who don’t appear on this list should just be grateful when their side makes it to the post-season. The truth hurts, guys.
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