Average_Joe wrote:
Tronstein wrote:I think Eddy Merckx can certainly be named in the top ten. He dominated what is arguably one of the most painful sports around for more than a decade.
Except Eddy didn't compete in Athletics. He competed in cycling.
"Athletics" is the English way of referring to track and field"
Moreover, the evidence is pretty overwhelming (including one positive test) that Merckx was a doper.
Jackie Robinson, I would put him second on the list!
Maybe someone else could shed some light on this, but the way I understand it is:
Baseball was Mr. Robinson's weakest sport in which he parcipated in?..Yes or NO?
HOW COULD YOU MISS THIS GUY?
Jackie Robinson, I would put him second on the list!
Maybe someone else could shed some light on this:
Baseball was Mr. Robinson's weakest sport in which he parcipated in?..Yes or NO?
Some say he was actually better in track, BB, and Football?
Jackie Robinson was the first ever four-sport letter winner at UCLA (football, track, basketball and baseball). His accomplishments outside of baseball included leading the Pacific Coast Conference (later the Pac-10) in scoring twice in basketball, becoming the NCAA champion in 1940 in the broad jump (25 feet, 6.5 inches), and achieving All-American status in football.
In 1936, he captured the junior boys singles championship in the annual Pacific Coast Negro Tennis Tournament
was a excellent swimmer
younger brother of Mack Robinson, a man few remember from the 1936 Olympics but a success story among the aficionados, having finished second to Jesse Owens in the 200-meter dash -- right there in Berlin,
Dr. John Johnson, who played on the UCLA football team with Robinson, claims the pattern continued right into major college. "The baseball field used to be next to the track," Johnson told the student newspaper at Cal State Dominguez Hills. "I threw the discus, and during meets Jackie would come to the track between innings, take one jump -- in his baseball uniform, you understand -- win it, and then go back to the ballgame."
Before Pro Baseball
World War II, in which Robinson was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army,
realXCrunning wrote:
becoming the NCAA champion in 1940 in the broad jump (25 feet, 6.5 inches
I will need to see this to believe it. I mean if you can show me a link or dig up some other geezer who saw it then I will still need to see it to believe it. If Jackie Robinson could stand on a line and [bold]broad[/bold] jump 25 feet 6 inches (four feet shy of Powell's ridiculous long jump record) than I am done. Done with running, done with trying, done with living in this home and trying to make a living. The only thing left is to join a zen sect, learn to manipulate time and space and find peace.
deon sanders is probably the best athelete ever. he actually competed in the modern NFL and MLB and was incredible
Mr. primetime baby
East wrote:
If Jackie Robinson could stand on a line and broad jump 25 feet 6 inches (four feet shy of Powell's ridiculous long jump record) than I am done. Done with running, done with trying, done with living in this home and trying to make a living. The only thing left is to join a zen sect, learn to manipulate time and space and find peace.
I suspect you could find peace more readily than finding your ass, even using both hands.
The long jump was OFFICIALLY called the "broad" jump when Robinson contested it. No one said that he covered 25+ feet in the *standing* long jump.
Sheesh.
I am amazed that no one has mentioned JIM BROWN.
He's still considered by some to be the best running back ever. He's considered by MANY to be the best lacrosse player ever (I'm told they changed a rule because of him, much as dunking was outlawed in NCAA basketball while Kareem was at UCLA).
Jack Warner tells a great story about a dual track meet between Syracuse, Brown's alma mater, and Colgate, where Jack had put together a nice little team. IIRC, Jack's guys went to Syracuse for the meet, determined to win one for the 'Gate--and the SU track coach had somehow convinced Brown's coach to let Brown out of (lacrosse? spring football?) practice for a day.
Brown won something like six events by himself and Syracuse eked out a win in the meet.
As a pure athlete Brown, much like Thorpe back in the day, was a whole level better than almost everyone he competed against. NFL defenders who tackled him solo are still talking about it--about how rare a feat that was...
Regarding Brumel's jumping ability: if you use Google Image and search "Brumel," you'll find pictures of him kicking a basketball rim with his lead leg.
I actually have seen a better picture (but can't find it on the 'Net), one that caught him just as his foot was touching the rim. His lead leg was bent, maybe 15-20 degrees from straight.
The guy just had unbelievable "ups."
DOC Worker wrote:
Jonah Lomu - All Black at 18, could run 100m in mid 10 sec while weighing 265 pounds and being 6 foot five.
did he ever compete in athletics though? if so, i second Lomu. he was likely the fastest man of that size ever, and his skills on the pitch weren't bad either.
if you consider running track through college being "in athletics," you have to consider Randy Moss. he was a better HS basketball player than his teammmate Jason Williams, who went on to play in the pros. he was scouted for baseball while still in high school, and the Cubs scout said Moss had the best range of any center fielder he'd ever seen (many who knew him then considered baseball to be his best sport)... oh, and he's (at the very least) the second best wide receiver of all time.
Rafer Johnson who was already mentioned as one of the all time greats in the Decathlon, also played college basketball at UCLA and was recruited to play football at UCLA also.
Dave Winfield, baseball hall of famer, was drafted by Atlanta to play pro basketball and the Vikings to play pro Football.
Also Charlie Ward.
One person who I haven't seen given credit from the US is Wilt Chamberlain. There were a lot of tales that seemed to be made up about the guy, but a lot of the claims actually hold up. As a high school kid in the 50s, his track and field stats vs. the Olympic gold medalist's in 1956:
High jump 6-6 vs. 6-11
Long Jump 22-0 vs. 25-8
800m: 1:58.3 vs. 1:47.7
400m: 49.0 vs. 46.7
shot: 53-4 vs. 60-11
Remember he did this part time in high school as an 18 year old at 7 feet tall. The guy had decathlon written all over him.
He did end up winning a high jump and decathlon championship at Kansas before leaving for the globetrotters. Wilt focused on basketball and forced the NBA to change rules to decrease his dominance, scoring over 50 a game one year, leading the league in assists another, etc. The most physically imposing player in basketball history.
Chamberlain wanted to challenge Ali to a heavyweight title fight, however, his contract would not permit it. In his 40s and 50s post-basketball, Chamberlain dabbled in professional beach volleyball and marathon running. All 7-1, 280 lbs of him.
If you define athlete as someone who possesses strength, speed, quickness, coordination, and endurance, I think Chamberlain may be the best example who ever walked the earth. He also allegedly bedded 20,000 women.
Dual Internationals.
Brian Mckechnie comes to mind.
Only Man in the modern era to face an underarm Ball at international cricket level.
Lewis, Thompson and Owens in my estimation.Not necessarily in that order.
John Walker was "poetry in motion" but the others were allrounders.
Got to add Steve Ovett and Cram. Both great athletes as young kids, and progressed from there. Pure talent.
yeah, okay wrote:
I suspect you could find peace more readily than finding your ass, even using both hands.
The long jump was OFFICIALLY called the "broad" jump when Robinson contested it. No one said that he covered 25+ feet in the *standing* long jump.
Sheesh.
Seldom have I seen sarcasm missed in such a dramatic fashion. Nice work.
Abebe bikila
quueen wrote:
Abebe bikila
You can’t get more ‘natural’ than winning the Olympic marathon - running in bare feet!
Jason Rexing ... Don't even bother trying to list all the acomplishments, the Internet isn't big enough to hold it all.