"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"-- Provided by publisher.

Jim Thorpe : the sports conqueror -- Michael Jordan : His Airness -- Bob Mathias : the manchild -- Jim Brown : the indestructible -- Michael Phelps : the Baltimore Bullet -- Deion Sanders : Prime Time -- LeBron James : the Chosen One -- Jackie Joyner-Kersee : magnificent heptathlete -- Rafer Johnson : Renaissance man -- Muhammad Ali : the Louisville Lip -- Willie Mays : the Say Hey Kid -- Babe Ruth : the Sultan of Swat -- Ashton Eaton : Wheels -- Babe Didrikson Zaharias : the master of all -- Wilt Chamberlain : Wilt the Stilt -- Jackie Robinson : the barrier breaker -- Rickey Henderson : the Man of Steal -- Bo Jackson : the freakish talent -- Jesse Owens : to hell with Hitler -- Henry Aaron : Hammerin' Hank -- Tom Brady : Tom Terrific -- Lawrence Taylor : L.T. -- Carl Lewis : King Carl -- Reggie White : the Minister of Defense -- Bruce Jenner : Bruiser -- Ray Robinson : Sugar -- Don Hutson : the Alabama Antelope -- Bob Hayes : Bullet Bob -- Bill Russell : Mr. Rings -- Deacon Jones : the Secretary of Defense -- Sandy Koufax : the Left Arm of God -- Mickey Mantle : the Mick -- Kareem Adbdul-Jabbar : the Big "A" -- Lou Gehrig : the Iron Horse -- Emlen Tunnell : offense on Defense -- Jerry West : Zeke from Cabin Creek -- Anthony Munoz : the great protector -- Oscar Charleston : the Black Ty Cobb -- Earvin Johnson : Magic -- Joe Louis : the Brown Bomber -- Kobe Bryant : the Black Mamba -- Serena Williams : Momma Smash -- Honus Wagner : the Flying Dutchman -- Julius Erving : Dr. J -- Gale Sayers : the Kansas Comet -- Mary Wambach : Abby -- Jerry Rice : Flash -- Pete Sampras : Pistol Pete -- Eric Heiden : the record breaker -- Shaun White : the Flying Tomato -- Simone Biles : Simoney -- Stan Musial : Stan the Man -- Willie Pep : Will 'O the Wisp -- Walter Payton : Sweetness -- Althea Gibson : the tenacious one -- Henry Armstrong : Homicide Hank -- Joe Montana : Joe Cool -- Mike Tyson : the Baddest Man on the Planet -- Dick Butkus : the Maestro of Mayhem -- Tracy Caulkins : the medley sensation -- Michael Johnson : the Duck -- Bob Beamon : leap of a lifetime -- Oscar Robertson : the Big O -- Mike Schmidt : Iron Mike -- Larry Bird : the Hick from French Lick -- Lindsey Vonn : Kildon -- Karl Malone : the Mailman -- Mike Trout : the Millville Meteor -- Cheryl Miller : big sister -- Mark Spitz : Mark the Shark -- Tony Hawk : the Bird Man -- Joe DiMaggio : the Yankee Clipper -- Peggy Fleming : the steel-nerved skater from San Jose -- Walter Johnson : the Big Train -- Barry Sanders : the Little Fella -- Ty Cobb : the Georgia Peach -- Bonnie Blair : the Blue -- Secretariat : Big Red -- Rocky Marciano : the Brockton Blockbuster -- Red Grange : the Galloping Ghost -- Chris Chelios : the Godfather of USA Hockey -- Chris Evert : the Ice Maiden -- Al Oerter : He-Man heave man -- Mary T. Meagher : Madame Butterfly -- Lisa Leslie : Smooth -- O.J. Simpson : the Juice -- Billie Jean King : the male chauvinist pig tamer -- Wilma Rudolph : the Tornado -- Kelly Slater : King Kelly -- Johnny Unitas : the Golden Arm -- Ted Williams : the Splendid Splinter -- Greg Louganis : dynamite diver -- Josh Gibson : the legend -- Edwin Moses : the Bionic Man -- Jack Nicklaus : the Golden Bear -- Rogers Hornsby : the Rajah -- Florence Griffith Joyner : FloJo -- Gabby Douglas : the Flying Squirrel -- Lynette Woodard : the Globetrotter -- Eldrick Woods : Tiger.