The Greatest Sportsmen & Sportswomen

[pharvey]

There's always a huge debate and massively difficult to judge through sports, generations and God only knows what else. I, as others do have obvious biases..... However, I'll start this thread with the following: -

1. Daley Thompson - an absolute hero of mine when growing up. I was absolutely glued to the screen in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics where he won gold - the latter fighting against the German Jürgen Hingsen, another great, just not as great as "Our Daley"!!
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Absolute legend

2. Bolt - what can you say. This race has to be the most incredible in history - all runners sub 10 seconds history (that's averaging 10m in less than a second.... measure it,think about it) Top finishers beat existing records..... and Bolt quite frankly annihilates them.
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[Lost]

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[lindosfan1]

Roger Bannister, the first below 4 minute mile.
Bobby Moore world cup captain 1966
Tanni Grey-Thompsom multiple race wins in wheelchair.

Had the pleasure of seeing them perform, real heroes in my book

[pharvey]

Roger Bannister, the first below 4 minute mile.
Bobby Moore world cup captain 1966
Tanni Grey-Thompsom multiple race wins in wheelchair.

Had the pleasure of seeing them perform, real heroes in my book

Never saw any of the above perform. As for Bannister and the 4 minute mile, my Grandfather was there and never stopped talking about it - until his death he swears a Yorkshireman did it first running towards the pit!

[dtaai-maai]

Interesting thread, particularly as I've just watched Botham: The Legend of 81 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... gend-of-81

He's my contribution.

(I'm tempted to add Harry Kane, just to wind up BB, but he doesn't qualify... yet!)

[dtaai-maai]

... until his death he swears a Yorkshireman did it first running towards the pit!

"Towards the pit"???

[pharvey]

Interesting thread, particularly as I've just watched Botham: The Legend of 81 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... gend-of-81

He's my contribution.

Quite something - remember that one well! Bob Willis wasn't too bad during that series either....

[EDIT] Thanks for the link - I shall enjoy that with a cold beer a little later!

[HarryVardon]

Bobby Moore had the luck to play in the world cup. I f Munich hadn't happened Duncan Edwards would have been England captain with a number 6 on his shirt. Afraid Bobby Moore was not good enough to be mentioned in the same breath. Duncan Edwards would have been the greatest footballer the world has ever produced. I saw him play many times. Even Bobby Charlton {who has played with and against all the greatest footballers) stated in his book that Duncan Edwards was the only player he was completely in awe of.

[Dannie Boy]

I think that Bobby Moore was a great player, even if he was not quite in the same league as Duncan Edwards - I’m not quite old enough to have seen much of DE but by the sound of it, he would have been the defender equivalent of Messi or Ronaldo who are also out on their own.


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[pharvey]

... until his death he swears a Yorkshireman did it first running towards the pit!

"Towards the pit"???

Well, he was part of the "Rescue Team"... That said, I'm sure he was faster towards the pub!

[lindosfan1]

Interesting thread, particularly as I've just watched Botham: The Legend of 81 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... gend-of-81

He's my contribution.

Quite something - remember that one well! Bob Willis wasn't too bad during that series either....

[EDIT] Thanks for the link - I shall enjoy that with a cold beer a little later!

[HarryVardon]

I would suggest that parameters are needed. In order to be the best then the whole career must be taken into consideration, along with the quality of the opposition during the career and the length of the career. Their achievements must be extremely special. There are many sports stars who have been the best of their time but very few that have been the best of all time. A few that come to mind (in no special order): Harry Vardon, Steve Redgrave, W.G. Grace, Freddie Trueman, Phil Taylor, Stanley Matthews, John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Jimmy Greaves, Dennis Law, George Best, Len Hutton, Fred Perry, etc., etc.

[Dannie Boy]

I would always have Muhammad Ali as my top 5 sportsman, together with Roger Federer for Tennis, Jack Nicklaus for Golf, Pele for Football and Donald Bradman for Cricket. I’m sure that in 5 years time, we will be able to include Lewis Hamilton as the greatest ever F1 driver!!

[pharvey]

I would suggest that parameters are needed. In order to be the best then the whole career must be taken into consideration, along with the quality of the opposition during the career and the length of the career. Their achievements must be extremely special. There are many sports stars who have been the best of their time but very few that have been the best of all time. A few that come to mind (in no special order): Harry Vardon, Steve Redgrave, W.G. Grace, Freddie Trueman, Phil Taylor, Stanley Matthews, John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Jimmy Greaves, Dennis Law, George Best, Len Hutton, Fred Perry, etc., etc.

I hear where you're coming from, but there's endless "parameters" you could apply. I certainly agree longevity, opposition and achievements have to come into it.

BUT: - Quote "There are many sports stars who have been the best of their time but very few that have been the best of all time."

This is a very difficult one - sports move on, rules change, physical size changes, physical fitness, speed, all....... I'm a rugby fanatic - take Willie John McBride an iconic Second Row captaining the most successful British Lions tour of South Africa in 1974...... The current Welsh Captain Alun Wyn Jones would crucify him in play, fitness, physicality.

Both absolutely class players.

[pharvey]

I would always have Muhammad Ali as my top 5 sportsman, together with Roger Federer for Tennis, Jack Nicklaus for Golf, Pele for Football and Donald Bradman for Cricket. I’m sure that in 5 years time, we will be able to include Lewis Hamilton as the greatest ever F1 driver!!

Ali was class not just for his boxing, but for his intelligence and the way he.... well, simply made people "love" him. Look at the following he had in Zaire (now the Republic of Congo) before, during and after the "Rumble in The Jungle".

Federer yes, but I'm a Borg fan! Pele, no doubt, Botham and/or Viv Richards for cricket and Hamilton is up there!!