Slightly OT: Rebecca asks an intriguing Question

[VAUConnFan]

Most assuredly! And with your proposal in mind I submit the following for comment and discussion:
Wilma Rudolph
Jesse Owens
Arthur Ashe
Eldridge “Tiger” Woods
Rafer Johnson
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Willie Mays
Muhammad Ali
Joe Foreman
Mike Tyson (initially)
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Leonard
Pele (USA)
Grant Fuhr
Tai Babilonia
Althea Gibson
Michael Jordan
Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Willis Reed
Ernie Banks
Roberto Clemente
Willie Stargell

Great names, all, but they do not answer the question posed by Ms Lobo.

 

[Pete]

If a Black or White person had done what Lin is doing it would have been a great story. But because Lin is from a race not know for great BB players that makes the story so much greater. I don't think the hype has much to do with his race, but more to do with all the other things from high school onwards

 

[Jackalope]

OK. How about Julius Erving? Not really recruited out of high school to a major NCAA program, he went to UMASS and had two very good seasons for a lower tiered program. He signed as an undrafted, free agent, for the Virginia Squires of the ABA and almost overnight became the face of the league. In many ways, the merger between the ABA and NBA would not have happened if it wasn't for Dr J. Of course, we all think about his later acomplishments and status, but I think he meets the criteria.

 

[alexrgct]

OK. How about Julius Erving? Not really recruited out of high school to a major NCAA program, he went to UMASS and had two very good seasons for a lower tiered program. He signed as an undrafted, free agent, for the Virginia Squires of the ABA and almost overnight became the face of the league. In many ways, the merger between the ABA and NBA would not have happened if it wasn't for Dr J. Of course, we all think about his later acomplishments and status, but I think he meets the criteria.

That's actually a very good example. He played in a revolutionary style that was accessible to many demographics, he himself was very accessible and understated, Black power-sized Afro hairstyle notwithstanding, and if he played in the YouTube/24-7 news cycle era, he would be blowing up on SportsCenter and Twitter every night he played.

 

[vtcwbuff]

For most of America he did come out of the blue when he contended for his first US Amateur.

Woods' existance in the world of golf was well known for years before he competed professionally. He was the polar opposite of unheralded.

 

[meyers7]

No, it's really quite simple. I like drinks with paper umbrellas, sunsets, and walks on the beach. And so do I.

But do you like Pina Colada's, getting caught in the rain?

 

[Icebear]

Woods' existance in the world of golf was well known for years before he competed professionally. He was the polar opposite of unheralded.

Not by the general public.

 

[VAUConnFan]

OK. How about Julius Erving? Not really recruited out of high school to a major NCAA program, he went to UMASS and had two very good seasons for a lower tiered program. He signed as an undrafted, free agent, for the Virginia Squires of the ABA and almost overnight became the face of the league. In many ways, the merger between the ABA and NBA would not have happened if it wasn't for Dr J. Of course, we all think about his later acomplishments and status, but I think he meets the criteria.

I wholeheartedly disagree with those who feel that Julius Erving fit the criteria.
He was the best high school basketball player in Nassau County in 1968 out of Roosevelt(NY). UMass in the 60's was a mecca for black ballplayers back in the day when most major colleges only recruited one or two black ball players a year. He would be followed closely by Al Skinner out of Malverne. Erving was 6-3 in high school and, like Michael Jordan, grew an additional three inches in college. At UMass, Erving accomplished the rare feat of averaging over 20-20 in points and rebounds. He was far from unheralded and far from unknown. It is true that he was undrafted by the NBA, but that was because he has not completed his eligibility, and the NBA, at the time, did not sign players who left college early. However, he was certainly drafted by the ABA Virginia Squires(Charlie Scott, Doug Moe, Mike Maloy, George Gervin, Ray Scott, Fatty Taylor).
He was the face of the league, but he did not come out of nowhere, he was a star at UMass, he started for the Squires from day one, was a star from day one, and was the brunt of more than his deserved share of criticism for a style of play that was new, different, and unattainable for those with average sized hands and leaping ability.
I remember a game at Island Garden in 1971 when Erving picked up a loose ball in a scrum along the left baseline, then without gathering himself. just leaped into the air, ball in one hand, leaped t0 the right side of the basket and threw it down; an incredible dunk. One of my top three in game dunks. Dr. J has had more celebrated dunks, but I had a very good look at that dunk from the baseline. It has not been duplicated.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Not by the general public.

Tiger Woods entered the professional ranks amid tremendous hoopla. I have to believe that the general public was well aware of Woods entry on to the golf scene.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Tiger Woods entered the professional ranks amid tremendous hoopla. I have to believe that the general public was well aware of Woods entry on to the golf scene.

Not only was Tiger on Merv Griffin, but I remember him hitting some balls
into a net on the Johnny Carson show when he was about four years old or so.

To the extent that any young golfer can be known to the general public, Tiger
was known to the general public.

 

[Icebear]

Tiger Woods entered the professional ranks amid tremendous hoopla. I have to believe that the general public was well aware of Woods entry on to the golf scene.

Again among golfers and not the general public. Linsanity extends beyond basketball.

 

[pap49cba]

Again among golfers and not the general public. Linsanity extends beyond basketball.

Disagree. If the "general public" was the test no one would pass. I can guarantee you my wife has absolutely no freakin' idea who Lin is.

 

[Bestiarius]

Jesse Owens at the 1936 olympics.
Satchel Paige.

 

[Icebear]

Jackie Robinson

 

[Buzzyboy]

I think Rhoden needs to split Rebecca's question into two parts; 1) the out of the blue part, 2) the adulation part.

Brittany Griner came out of the blue for many people because she is such a uniquely physically gifted person. She was a type of women's player that no one could have anticipated.

The one person whose emergence probably was out of the blue and had great adulation was Tiger.

I thought I'd bring up Mark Fydrich of the Detroit Tigers who not only won and won big for a mediocre team but was a massive media favorite for his peculiar look and habits around the mound. He hurt his arm within a year or two of his initial explosion onto the scene but the media blitz he experienced was almost unprecedented.

 

[hoopingcrane]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/s...t-on-those-left-out.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Derek Jeter?

 

[cohenzone]

Mark Fydrich, Victor Cruz are a few nominees. Have to a think that neither Griner nor Tiger meet the out of the blue definition, mainly because their huge talent was identified pretty early on before they started big time competition.

ETA: I must have been writing my Fydrich post when the one above hit the BY. We must both be geniuses.

 

[Icebear]

Mark Fydrich, Victor Cruz are a few nominees. Have to a think that neither Griner nor Tiger meet the out of the blue definition, mainly because their huge talent was identified pretty early on before they started big time competition.

ETA: I must have been writing my Fydrich post when the one above hit the BY. We must both be geniuses.

Problem is that Fydrich doesn't fit the racial component.