Donald Dinnie is the best athlete in history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_DinnieDinnie became an all-round athlete, growing and building his skills over a 20-year reign as Scottish champion (1856–1876). He excelled in sprint, hurdles, long and high jump, pole vault, putting the stone, hammer throw, tossing the caber and wrestling. Comparing his best performances, which took place long before the Athens Olympics of 1896, leads one to imagine him capable of winning seven gold, a silver, and a bronze medal. However, by 1896, Dinnie was approaching the twilight of his sporting career.
Dinnie was a 19th-century superstar, with widespread fame, success, and riches. Dinnie held the title "World Champion Wrestler", and obtained the unofficial titles of "Greatest Athlete in the World", and "Strongest Man in the World". He was so well known that "heavy artillery shells in the First World War were nicknamed 'Donald Dinnies.'"[2] This man brought fear into the United States. Not only did he intimidate the American strongmen, but in addition he also captured most of the world's attention as well. His documented achievements worldwide consist of "2,000 hammer throwing contests, over 2,000 wrestling matches, 200 weightlifting contests, and about 500 running and hurdle events. As Scotland's greatest athlete, Dinnie competed in sixteen Highland Games seasons in his native land. He first toured the United States' Caledonian Circuit in 1870.[2] In that year he earned a fortune. Dinnie, then thirty-three, was titled "The Nineteenth Century's Greatest Athlete". However, others despised and criticized Dinnie for his incredible strength. He continued to tour, and in his 60th year he was in New Zealand and Australia as a successful professional athlete.
Donald continued to be involved in theatres and at Highland Games as a judge, or in veteran events, until 1912. In 1903 Robert Barr invited him to endorse his soft drink Iron Brew, using Donald's image on the label with Donald proclaiming "I can recommend BARR's IRN BRU to all who wish to aspire to athletic fame, signed Donald Dinnie, All-round Champion Athlete of the World."[2] Later in Donald's life he struggled financially, and in his 70's was still performing as a strongman in London. His act was to support a platform made from a large table while two Highlanders danced a "fling" on it. Eventually London authorities terminated his performing licence because of his advanced age.
