One Player You Wish You Could've Seen in His Prime

[Kingbish01]

I went to Pens vs Devils in 1988 with my dad at good old Civic Arena when I was 8 years old. Saw Mario score 5 goals, including a hat trick in the first period. Greatest athletic performance I have ever attended and will always remember. He was my fav as a kid growing up in Pittsburgh.

Saw MJ play with the Bulls a couple times in the early 90's, but woud've loved to see him say around 1987 or 1988 in full on young leg beast mode.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, I loved Super Mario. I got to see him and Crosby on the ice together in Atlanta...I think it was '05 that was pretty cool

 

[ACamp1900]

I've been around long enough to have seen 'em all ...

why the italics??

 

[BGIF]

I would have liked to see Tommy Rees in his prime.

When I saw him he had a weak arm, slooooow feet, and was primarily a #2 or #3 guy forced into service as a starter when others more talented QBs couldn't answer the bell because they were either deer in headlights or caught lookin' (at somebody else's paper).

Still won more games as a starting QB than all but 6 QBs in ND history.

 

[dshans]

why the italics??

smart-ass whippersnapper!

 

[Old Man Mike]

Didn't see them all in person, but almost all "in person on TV in real time", so I , unsurprisingly, have to go back a long way.

Since I can't say Ruth I won't, but Jeez that would have been neat. So, instead I'll say:

1). Thorpe.
2). Rockne and Dorais
3). Layden and the Horsemen
4). Myron of Syracuse [two-time Olympic Wrestling champion]
5). Hercules

 

[Ndaccountant]

Old Man Mike

 

[tadman95]

I feel lucky to have seen a lot of these albeit a few were past their prime. I'll go with:

The Four Horsemen

Sammy Baugh

Ben Hogan

Stan Musial

 

[Bogtrotter07]

The thing that stood out to me about Gretzky was how he slowed the game down. It looked as though he was going in slow motion. He made it look effortlessly but was so much better than the rest. Super Mario in his prime was great as well, but there can only be one "Great One."

The rest:

Baseball: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, The Babe, and Willie Mays ( too many to pick just one)

Basketball: Bill Russell

Football: Deacon Jones

Hockey: Bobby Orr

Soccer: Pele - saw him in his later years but would have loved to see him in his prime

Boxing: Marciano

Golf: Bobby Jones

I worked with a man that pitched in college for Cinci. In 1954 there were two devastating pitchers one a lefty, the other right handed. Both had secured MLB contracts. My associate, one of the more humble and honest men I have met, claimed that he was the better pitcher at the time. He contracted adult polio and was left wheelchair ridden. The other was Sandy Koufax.

 

[koonja]

Busterbluth. Around 6'5", 290 when he ran a 12.0 100M dash.

Great measurables.

Allegedly.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Town Tommy
The thing that stood out to me about Gretzky was how he slowed the game down. It looked as though he was going in slow motion. He made it look effortlessly but was so much better than the rest. Super Mario in his prime was great as well, but there can only be one "Great One."

The rest:

Baseball: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, The Babe, and Willie Mays ( too many to pick just one)

Basketball: Bill Russell

Football: Deacon Jones

Hockey: Bobby Orr

Soccer: Pele - saw him in his later years but would have loved to see him in his prime

Boxing: Marciano

Golf: Bobby Jones

I worked with a man that pitched in college for Cinci. In 1954 there were two devastating pitchers one a lefty, the other right handed. Both had secured MLB contracts. My associate, one of the more humble and honest men I have met, claimed that he was the better pitcher at the time. He contracted adult polio and was left wheelchair ridden. The other was Sandy Koufax.

Makes us all wonder how many others are out there with similar stories, histories, etc. Wish your friend would have made it to the Bigs but being humble and honest, it sounds as though he adjusted to his lost chance admirably. Thanks for sharing.

 

[twig21]

I am going to a sport I don't think has been mentioned, and I am sure a lot of people don't consider these guys athletes. But it is absolutely brutal to drive a race car for 3-4 hours, especially in the 60's. I would have loved to see the late Jimmy Clark drive! He came over from Europe and dominated Indy in '65. He was smooth and devastatingly fast and yet drove like a gentlemen. Reminds me of what BK wants out of his players.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Quote:




Makes us all wonder how many others are out there with similar stories, histories, etc. Wish your friend would have made it to the Bigs but being humble and honest, it sounds as though he adjusted to his lost chance admirably. Thanks for sharing.

The weird thing about this guy is he had a life entwined with history and celebrity. Not only did he have personal stories in his immediate family that were transcendent, which he always ask me to keep confidential, but he had four or five very infamous relatives. One was Wilhelm Frick, executed after being convicted at the Nuremburg Trials. My friend who had no allegiance or philosophical interest in his "grandfather's brother" always found it supremely ironic that the majority of the family who emigrated Germany (as missionaries), were able to coexist peacefully and very productively with Jews, and in fact count them among good friends!

 

[BGIF]

I worked with a man that pitched in college for Cinci. In 1954 there were two devastating pitchers one a lefty, the other right handed. Both had secured MLB contracts. My associate, one of the more humble and honest men I have met, claimed that he was the better pitcher at the time. He contracted adult polio and was left wheelchair ridden. The other was Sandy Koufax.

Ralph Beard?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Ralph Beard?

My first thought as well but Beard actually made it to the Bigs for a short time. Plus, I never read anywhere that he had polio.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Ralph Beard?

Wasn't Beard a basketball player, from Kentucky? Close. This guy that I knew played basketball at Cinci too, I believe.

Beard played two years in the NBA, Indianapolis Olympians, before being banned.

My associate never made the kind of celebrity that you would know him. He is just a good man, with a good family. He has helped a lot of people. Like that.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Wasn't Beard a basketball player, from Kentucky? Close. This guy played basketball at Cinci too, I believe.

Beard played two years in the NBA, Indianapolis Olympians, before being banned.

He never made the kind of celebrity that you would know him. He is just a good man, with a good family. He has helped a lot of people. Like that.

Yeah but two different Beards.

 

[Damion704]

Eric Dickerson

 

[condoms SUCk]

Bo Jackson

 

[BGIF]

My first thought as well but Beard actually made it to the Bigs for a short time. Plus, I never read anywhere that he had polio.

Wasn't Beard a basketball player, from Kentucky? Close. This guy played basketball at Cinci too, I believe.

Beard played two years in the NBA, Indianapolis Olympians, before being banned.

He never made the kind of celebrity that you would know him. He is just a good man, with a good family. He has helped a lot of people. Like that.

There was a Ralph Beard that played basketball for Kentucky in the late 40's. He and two others were banned from basketball for point fixing. He was 5-10. His jersey hangs in Rupp Arena.


There was another Ralph Beard that was 6-5, 200 pounds, a RIGHT hander that pitched for the Bearcats in 1954. He signed a MLB contract that year and lasted one season. He was 0-4 with one memorable extra inning gem with no decision. He died of Parkinson's as an old man, I believe.

 

[GoIrish41]

Eric Dickerson

Great pick. He was an amazing talent.

 

[Irish2155]

Carl Yastrzemski...to see what my old man always talked about in my youth. The only thing I can do left handed is swing a bat because that is how Yaz did it.

 

[Jackalope1977]

I would have loved to see Bob Gibson pitch.

Yes 100%. Also I can't believe how many people have Joe Montana. Damn it, I'm not that old people.

 

[Irish2155]

Yes 100%. Also I can't believe how many people have Joe Montana. Damn it, I'm not that old people.

Was thinking the same thing.

With all this Lebron Mount Rush talk...makes me want to see the Big O in action.

 

[NDWorld247]

NFL - Earl Campbell
NBA - Bill Russell
MLB - Jackie Robinson
NHL - Bobby Orr

On a different note, I wish Jordan never retired the first time and I could have seen him in 93-94 and most of 94-95. I wish Barry Sanders never retired and I could have seen him in 1999 through 2002. And I wish Bo Jackson never injured his hip after less than four seasons in the NFL.

 

[Jackalope1977]

NFL - Earl Campbell
NBA - Bill Russell
MLB - Jackie Robinson
NHL - Bobby Orr

On a different note, I wish Jordan never retired the first time and I could have seen him in 93-94 and most of 94-95. I wish Barry Sanders never retired and I could have seen him in 1999 through 2002. And I wish Bo Jackson never injured his hip after less than four seasons in the NFL.

Absolutely all of this. Also wish Mike Tyson wouldn't have gone from Kid Dynamite to train wreck quite so quickly.

 

[Irish2155]

Absolutely all of this. Also wish Mike Tyson wouldn't have gone from Kid Dynamite to train wreck quite so quickly.

Mike Tyson, I saw him in his short prime...WOW!! I feel bad for those who didn't and worse for those who stepped in the ring.

Ali would have been just awesome to see.

 

[NDWorld247]

Absolutely all of this. Also wish Mike Tyson wouldn't have gone from Kid Dynamite to train wreck quite so quickly.

Yes! I tried thinking of other athletes who missed time in their prime during my lifetime and definitely overlooked iron Mike. He missed four years in the middle of his prime (25 y/o to 28 y/o), and was obviously never the same after time in prison.

 

[Jackalope1977]

Mike Tyson, I saw him in his short prime...WOW!! I feel bad for those who didn't and worse for those who stepped in the ring.

Ali would have been just awesome to see.

For sure. I've seen The Thrilla in Manila on grainy video and it's still awesome.

 

[BeauBenken]

Michael Jordan. Only remember Wizards Jordan.

Muhammad Ali.

Too many football players to name. Rice, Montana, Bo, etc.

Hank Aaron.

Wayne Gretzky.

 

[Corry]

Bo Jackson
Jim Brown
Bruce Lee
Mary Lou Retton