What sports figure do you love the most?

[DefenseBB]

Let’s put a positive spin on the other thread by hearing who fellow BYers are/were enamored with. Your own criteria, no explanation needed, though it is encouraged.

For me, the best player I ever saw in person and loved his game was Wayne Gretzky who made everyone, and I mean everyone around him better. His peak years were the most dominant of any Player of any sport this side of Babe Ruth and Bobby Jones. What say you?

 

[YSRFrisbee]

Yao Ming.

His work to promote elephant, white rhino, and shark conservation holds a special place in my heart.

“In a world where you can be anything... be KIND”

 

[EasyEd]

Ray Allen. A class act.

 

[X conn]

Gordie Howe. Playing for the Whalers, and then when he watched the games.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Let’s put a positive spin on the other thread by hearing who fellow BYers are/were enamored with. Your own criteria, no explanation needed, though it is encouraged.

For me, the best player I ever saw in person and loved his game was Wayne Gretzky who made everyone, and I mean everyone around him better. His peak years were the most dominant of any Player of any sport this side of Babe Ruth and Bobby Jones. What say you?

He was beyond dominant and far overshadowed the kind of dominance that Tiger Woods had ..... He blew away records that had been held for decades and no one will ever come close to the numbers that he has ..... Amazing and classy and no scandals for him .... total class

 

[Monte]

Danny Ainge. He didn't get the publicity that many pro athletes received. He was the only player named first team high school All American in football, baseball, and basketball. He received the John Wooden Award as college basketball player of the year.
After a few years in MLB, he decided to concentrate on basketball. He was a starting guard on the great Celtic team of the Larry Bird era. I always noticed that besides bringing the ball up court he almost always was the only Celtic who pressed his man full court on defense. He was a pretty good 3-point shooter also.

 

[j66kicker]

Baseball: Mickey Mantle
Football: Joe Washington
MBB: Magic
WBB: DT
Overall: Muhammad Ali

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

When I was growing up, it wasn't one, it was multiple NY Yankees. Mostly, because growing up that was what I was exposed to, no other sports in the house (I think my father liked football and basketball, but except for the Army / Navy game he certainly didn't watch them). And even though he was retired before I was born, Joe Dimaggio and all after him, as we had NYY Yearbooks for all the years from the late 40's on. Wish I knew what happened to them.

When I branched out on my own - amongst other things I became a hockey fan and was much taken with Eddie Giacomin (I always liked goalies). Of all of them, his was the style I copied in the pick-up street hockey games I occasionally played in.

But much more recently, I would say Derek Jeter (in his playing days). No idea what he is doing as an exec.

BTW, I am much more a "coach" person. Big fan of Joe Torre, recently, but many before him. In hockey, Rangers coach when I was watching was first watching was Emile Francis, and I liked Al Arbour of the Islanders (didn't everyone).

 

[formerlurker]

He was beyond dominant and far overshadowed the kind of dominance that Tiger Woods had ..... He blew away records that had been held for decades and no one will ever come close to the numbers that he has ..... Amazing and classy and no scandals for him .... total class

Fun fact, you could take away all of Wayne Gretzky's goals and he would still have the most lifetime NHL points.

He had 2,857 total points. Minus his 897 goals and his 1,963 assists are still more than Jaromir Jagr's 2nd place total points of 1,921.

 

[RogueDave]

Margo Dydek...met her, she was loving, kind, intelligent and funny person. Awesome!

 

[triaddukefan]

Male: Christian Laettner

Female: Allyson Felix

 

[Littlemin]

Fun fact, you could take away all of Wayne Gretzky's goals and he would still have the most lifetime NHL points.

He had 2,857 total points. Minus his 897 goals and his 1,963 assists are still more than Jaromir Jagr's 2nd place total points of 1,921.

Great stat, more impressive than my favorite; Joe DiMaggio striking out only 8 more times than he hit a home run, 369 to 361. For perspective sake only, Henry Aaron hit 755 home runs but struck out 1,383 times.

 

[Littlemin]

For me, Walt Frazier, success and class on the court and especially off it.

 

[seeya27]

John Havlicek. My basketball idol growing up. Met him several times and once interviewed him for the Daily Campus while doing an assignment in the Celtics. His grandson played youth ball in Prospect, btw.

 

[FeloniousMonk]

Muhammad Ali. Talented, charismatic, smart, funny, principled.

Pee Wee Reese. Pure class, wonderful team player.

 

[bluedevil]

For me Tom Seaver..class act....perfect pitcher..and great nickname..

 

[cohenzone]

The Mick. He could do it all when healthy. You never forget your first crush.

Most fun to watch, although I didn’t get to see him that often, Pistol Pete.

 

[Zanzman]

Nolan Ryan

 

[Kaizen]

Swimming: Michael Phelps

 

[JonathanXIV]

As a kid, Jerry West, Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson.

Transcendent - Willie Mays

But above all others, Jackie Robinson.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Secretariat. No other horse before or since came close.

 

[DeeHusky]

Diana Taurasi, Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant

 

[Steelerone]

Roy Campanella. Great Catcher, great hitter. After a game at Forbes Field we hung around the bus area where the players came out. When he walked out to the bus I stood in front of him and asked for his autograph. He smiled down at me ( I was about 5' 5" at the time ), took the book and asked me what my name was. He then wrote, "To Chuck, thanks for being a fan". Roy Campanella" If it had not been for his tragic accident he would have held every hitting record ever by a catcher.

 

[nhHusky]

Jim Calhoun.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Bill Russell and Roberto Clemente for the how they excelled on and off the field of play.

 

[Rixxx]

Betsy King, Wendy Davis, Dee Kantner all from the same county where I live in southeastern PA.

 

[geneticrex]

DT...............

 

[Huskee11]

For me, it is Henry Aaron. I was about seven when the Braves were really good, World Series champs in 1957, and when I was developing a love for baseball.

That they were good was important, but at that age other less obvious things were relevant. I loved their uniforms. I loved that they were from this far off place called Milwaukee. I liked the green background that Topps put on most Braves baseball cards.

Henry was called Hank back then. I loved his number, 44. I liked how he kneeled on one knee when he was on deck, and how he waited until he got up to the plate before putting his helmet on over his hat. But mostly, of course, I loved the effortless way he played, something that even a little kid could sense.

One sportswriter joked back then that he was so relaxed that he might fall asleep between pitches. But when he swung, it was a thing of beauty unleashing a tremendous amount of energy.

I only saw him play twice in person, 1962 (doubleheader) and 1963 at the Polo Grounds against the Mets. He hit a home run in game two of the doubleheader. Oddly enough, the Braves lost all three games.

His career ran from when I was a little kid until 1976, when I was done with school and out in the world. I wrote him a letter on his 40th birthday in 1974. I have a special affinity for the players with lengthy careers spanning most or all of that time period.

 

[Golden Husky]

Secretariat. He never had a bad word to say about anyone.

 

[BobbyJ]

For me, it is Henry Aaron. I was about seven when the Braves were really good, World Series champs in 1957, and when I was developing a love for baseball.

That they were good was important, but at that age other less obvious things were relevant. I loved their uniforms. I loved that they were from this far off place called Milwaukee. I liked the green background that Topps put on most Braves baseball cards.

Henry was called Hank back then. I loved his number, 44. I liked how he sat on one knee when he was on deck, and how he waited until he got up to the plate before putting his helmet on over his hat. But mostly, of course, I loved the effortless way he played, something that even a little kid could sense.

One sportswriter joked back then that he was so relaxed that he might fall asleep between pitches. But when he swung, it was a thing of beauty unleashing a tremendous amount of energy.

I only saw him play once in person, 1963 at the Polo Grounds against the Mets. He hit a home run.

His career ran from when I was a little kid until 1976, when I was done with school and out in the world. I have a special affinity for the players with lengthy careers spanning most or all of that time period.

Same exact scenario for me. Living in the Boston area, besides the Red Sox I had a strange attraction to the Braves and The Hammer was my favorite. To me, the 50s and 60s were the golden era of baseball.