GOAT Rank · 55

Greatest Athletes who debuted in the 1890s

This ranking is led by Joe Gans, Jack Johnson and Sydney Barnes. GOAT Rank currently ranks 55 eligible athletes who debuted in the 1890s using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Joe Gans ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 87.6.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

162

Joe Gans

87.6

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1891–1909
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Joe Gans

464

Jack Johnson

84.9

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1898–1938
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Jack Johnson

468

Sydney Barnes

84.9

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1894–1930
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 United Kingdom

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Sydney Barnes

540

James J. Jeffries

84.4

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1896–1910
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: James J. Jeffries

541

Jimmy Barry

84.4

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1891–1899
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Jimmy Barry

791

Laurence Doherty

83.0

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1896–1906
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Laurence Doherty

792

Dixie Kid

83.0

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1899–1914
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Dixie Kid

1051

David Denton

81.8

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1894–1920
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: David Denton

1063

Reginald Doherty

81.7

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1894–1906
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Reginald Doherty

1082

Colin Blythe

81.6

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1899–1914
Country: 🇬🇧 England

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Colin Blythe

1371

Nap Lajoie

80.0

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1896–1916
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 98.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Nap Lajoie

1396

Len Braund

79.9

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1896–1920
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Len Braund

1524

Cy Young

79.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1890–1911
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 98.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Cy Young

1543

Joe Darling

79.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1893–1908
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Joe Darling

1544

Robert Wrenn

79.2

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1891–1900
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Robert Wrenn

1727

William Larned

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1891–1911
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: William Larned

1731

Holcombe Ward

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1899–1906
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Holcombe Ward

1746

Bernard Bosanquet

78.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1898–1919
Country: 🇬🇧 England

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Bernard Bosanquet

1774

Malcolm Whitman

78.1

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1896–1902
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Malcolm Whitman

1789

Russell Bowie

78.0

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1898–1910
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Russell Bowie

1988

Honus Wagner

77.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1897–1917
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Honus Wagner

2056

Wilfred Baddeley

77.0

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1890–1897
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Wilfred Baddeley

2184

Horace Rice

76.4

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1895–1930
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Horace Rice

2266

Cuthbert Burnup

76.1

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1895–1907
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Cuthbert Burnup

2431

Jesse Burkett

75.4

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1890–1905
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Jesse Burkett

2456

Fred Clarke

75.3

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1894–1915
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Fred Clarke

2520

Pete Hill

75.1

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1899–1925
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Pete Hill

2549

Frederick Hovey

75.0

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1890–1896
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Frederick Hovey

2641

Frederick Bull

74.5

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1890–1900
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 72.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Frederick Bull

2656

Frank Chance

74.4

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1898–1914
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Frank Chance

2672

J.H. Taylor

74.3

Sport: Golf
Career: 1893–1926
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: J.H. Taylor

2691

George Davis

74.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1890–1909
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: George Davis

2705

Harold Mahony

74.1

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1890–1905
Country: 🇮🇪 Ireland

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Harold Mahony

2754

James Braid

73.9

Sport: Golf
Career: 1894–1927
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: James Braid

2757

Graham Drinkwater

73.9

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1893–1899
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Graham Drinkwater

2858

Joshua Pim

73.2

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1890–1900
Country: 🇮🇪 Ireland

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: Joshua Pim

2864

Bouse Hutton

73.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1899–1904
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Bouse Hutton

2916

Willis Cuttell

72.9

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1890–1906
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 68.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 70.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Willis Cuttell

2940

Harry Vardon

72.7

Sport: Golf
Career: 1890–1930
Country: 🇯🇪 Jersey

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Harry Vardon

2944

Jack Chesbro

72.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1899–1909
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Jack Chesbro

2983

Sam Crawford

72.5

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1899–1917
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Sam Crawford

3020

Dan Bain

72.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1895–1902
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Dan Bain

3073

Mike Grant

71.6

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1893–1902
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Mike Grant

3085

Roger Bresnahan

71.5

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1897–1915
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Roger Bresnahan

3099

Elmer Flick

71.4

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1898–1910
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Elmer Flick

3113

Arthur Farrell

71.3

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1897–1901
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Arthur Farrell

3193

Dickie Boon

70.3

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1897–1905
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Dickie Boon

3215

Willie Anderson

70.1

Sport: Golf
Career: 1897–1910
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Willie Anderson

3287

Harold Hilton

69.3

Sport: Golf
Career: 1890–1913
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Harold Hilton

3368

Jimmy Collins

68.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1895–1908
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Jimmy Collins

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
162	Joe Gans	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1909	87.6
464	Jack Johnson	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1898–1938	84.9
468	Sydney Barnes	Cricket	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 United Kingdom	1894–1930	84.9
540	James J. Jeffries	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1896–1910	84.4
541	Jimmy Barry	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1899	84.4
791	Laurence Doherty	Tennis	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1896–1906	83.0
792	Dixie Kid	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1914	83.0
1051	David Denton	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1894–1920	81.8
1063	Reginald Doherty	Tennis	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1894–1906	81.7
1082	Colin Blythe	Cricket	🇬🇧 England	1899–1914	81.6
1371	Nap Lajoie	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1896–1916	80.0
1396	Len Braund	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1896–1920	79.9
1524	Cy Young	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1890–1911	79.2
1543	Joe Darling	Cricket	🇦🇺 Australia	1893–1908	79.2
1544	Robert Wrenn	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1900	79.2
1727	William Larned	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1911	78.3
1731	Holcombe Ward	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1906	78.3
1746	Bernard Bosanquet	Cricket	🇬🇧 England	1898–1919	78.2
1774	Malcolm Whitman	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1896–1902	78.1
1789	Russell Bowie	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1898–1910	78.0
1988	Honus Wagner	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1897–1917	77.2
2056	Wilfred Baddeley	Tennis	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1890–1897	77.0
2184	Horace Rice	Tennis	🇦🇺 Australia	1895–1930	76.4
2266	Cuthbert Burnup	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1895–1907	76.1
2431	Jesse Burkett	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1890–1905	75.4
2456	Fred Clarke	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1894–1915	75.3
2520	Pete Hill	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1925	75.1
2549	Frederick Hovey	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1890–1896	75.0
2641	Frederick Bull	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1890–1900	74.5
2656	Frank Chance	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1898–1914	74.4
2672	J.H. Taylor	Golf	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1893–1926	74.3
2691	George Davis	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1890–1909	74.2
2705	Harold Mahony	Tennis	🇮🇪 Ireland	1890–1905	74.1
2754	James Braid	Golf	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland	1894–1927	73.9
2757	Graham Drinkwater	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1893–1899	73.9
2858	Joshua Pim	Tennis	🇮🇪 Ireland	1890–1900	73.2
2864	Bouse Hutton	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1899–1904	73.2
2916	Willis Cuttell	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1890–1906	72.9
2940	Harry Vardon	Golf	🇯🇪 Jersey	1890–1930	72.7
2944	Jack Chesbro	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1909	72.7
2983	Sam Crawford	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1917	72.5
3020	Dan Bain	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1895–1902	72.2
3073	Mike Grant	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1893–1902	71.6
3085	Roger Bresnahan	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1897–1915	71.5
3099	Elmer Flick	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1898–1910	71.4
3113	Arthur Farrell	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1897–1901	71.3
3193	Dickie Boon	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1897–1905	70.3
3215	Willie Anderson	Golf	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland	1897–1910	70.1
3287	Harold Hilton	Golf	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1890–1913	69.3
3368	Jimmy Collins	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1895–1908	68.2

Compare the leaders

Joe Gans vs Jack Johnson

Read the full methodology

Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.

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