Great thread, SC.

I went with sports figures:

Babe Ruth (the quintessential American sports figure, he dominated his sport as no other athlete has. He saved baseball in his time of the Black Sox scandal, and put the Yankees on the sports map. I hate the Yankees, but I don't hesitate to give Ruth his due. By the way, he was a top pitcher as well.)

Michael Jordan (I've never seen a basketball player as good as he. He, like Ruth, had a magnetism that made him larger than his sport.)

Hank Aaron (a model of consistency and excellence in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and in my eyes, no athlete has ever surpassed him in class and dignity.)

In entertainment I went with

The Beatles
Elvis
Springsteen

In acting I selected

DeNiro
Hoffman
Henry Fonda

I probably would rethink Fonda.

SC, any plans for lists of public figures/politicians/writers, etc.?