Two Guys Sports
Bruce BostwickWhich Athletes Defined Each Decade For You?
July 17th 2008 08:53
Defining Athletes Through The Decades
Over the past few days I have been reading and responding to a post on an Orble blog site that I subscribe to, put that together with watching a gathering of many of the greatest baseball hall of famers of all-time at the Major League Baseball All Star Game, and it gives me ideas. You see the post I was responding to was on www.popculturist.net , a site run by Mr. Nice Guy. It asked for one musical artist from each decade “that really stamped with authority on the era or simply personified the time.” So as I was watching a rather good All Star game I said, “why don’t you do the same thing, but with athletes?”
Click here to go respond to Mr. Nice Guy's music post
So here goes. . .
Your mission if your choose to accept it is to name the athletes that for you defined a decade. (Don't worry this post will not self-destruct in ten seconds, that would just be silly.) You can name people from any sport, or one from each sport you wish to list. Feel free to list any decades you want.
Since my mind is stuck on baseball at the moment I will get the list started using the boys of summer.
Let’s say Babe Ruth owned the 1920s. Not many would argue that.
1930s – Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Satchel Paige
1940s – Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Bob Feller
1950s – Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn
1960s – Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Sandy Koufax
1970s – Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
1980s – Cal Ripken, Jr., Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens
1990s – Ken Griffey, Jr. Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, (you can’t list one of the previous three without listing them all) Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez
2000s – Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson
I know I listed a lot, but when I got to the end of the list I realized there were very few pitchers on it, so I went back and added at least one for each year. I also know I missed so many greats. This is where you come in, who is on your list? Again, not just baseball, but all sports in general.
Is Ken Griffey Jr. on one of your lists?
Click here to go respond to Mr. Nice Guy's music post
So here goes. . .
Your mission if your choose to accept it is to name the athletes that for you defined a decade. (Don't worry this post will not self-destruct in ten seconds, that would just be silly.) You can name people from any sport, or one from each sport you wish to list. Feel free to list any decades you want.
Since my mind is stuck on baseball at the moment I will get the list started using the boys of summer.
Let’s say Babe Ruth owned the 1920s. Not many would argue that.
1930s – Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Satchel Paige
1940s – Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Bob Feller
1950s – Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn
1960s – Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Sandy Koufax
1970s – Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver
1980s – Cal Ripken, Jr., Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Dwight Gooden, Roger Clemens
1990s – Ken Griffey, Jr. Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, (you can’t list one of the previous three without listing them all) Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez
2000s – Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson
I know I listed a lot, but when I got to the end of the list I realized there were very few pitchers on it, so I went back and added at least one for each year. I also know I missed so many greats. This is where you come in, who is on your list? Again, not just baseball, but all sports in general.
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
A big thanks for the referral - whadda guy!
Now to your question.
Given our place in the world - I would include a few home grown heroes on my list - which is less than definitive
1920's - Paavo Nurmi (athletics) Johnny Weissmuller and Andrew 'Boy' Charlton (swimming), Daly Messenger (Rugby League)
1930's - Jesse Owens (athletics), Don Bradman (Cricket), Walter Lindrum (Billiards, Snooker)
1940's Norman Von Nida (golf) Fanny Blankers Koen (athletics)
1950's - Betty Cuthbert (athletics), Murray Rose (swimming)
1960s - Dawn Fraser (swimming), Herb Elliot, Ron Clarke (Athletics), Rod Laver (tennis)
1970's - Muhammad Ali, Joe Frasier (boxing), Shane Gould, Mark Spitz (swimming), Billy Jean King (tennis) . . . damn - just too many to list here.
. . . . ouch - tough question - simply a multitude of great sportspeople who all deserve honourable mention
Cheers
Comment by CenTex Guy
Texas Musings
Here's basketball for me:
2000s-Kobe Bryant
1990s----Michael Jordan
1980s---Magic Johnson and Larry Bird
1970s---Kareem Abdul Jabaar and maybe Dr. J
1960s---WIlt Chamberlian
earlier decades I'm sadly clueless.
Comment by Two Guys Sports
Baseball Slate
Wrestling Wrapup
Pro Sports Wrap
Blogging in America
Nice list there. Like you with some of the songs in your list of Bad Songs post, I will have to be looking up almost half of your list.
The half I know are great choices though.
Now that you mention Mark Zpitz I feel I have to mention Michael Phelps on the 2000s list. It is going to be interesting to see if he can break Spitz's record this time around and get 8 medals in Beijing.
Gene
Comment by Two Guys Sports
Baseball Slate
Wrestling Wrapup
Pro Sports Wrap
Blogging in America
Sure choose the easiest sport to do!
The only change/addition to your list for basketball that I would make is to add in Shaq next to Kobe, and obviously if Shaq were here he would rap about why he should be ahead of Kobe on the list.
Gene