The Greatest of Their Time

For a great deal of the 1930s, Don Bradman was considered the most famous sportsman in the world. By any measure – stats, acclaim – it appeared to be a straightforward decision. The same could be argued for Mohammad Ali in the 1960s or Lionel Messi in the 2010s. But when, exactly, did they take their titles, from whom, and when did their reigns come to an end? For boxers it might be possible to narrow it down to the actual date, but for other sportsmen – and women – it is more difficult. At...