I think you're confusing the Red Sox with the Patriots.
General Sports Thread
- Thread starter The Berean
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I think you're confusing the Red Sox with the Patriots.
drbrumley
Well-known member
:jawdrop:
The Berean
Well-known member
The baseball owners were trying to make more money.
Don't be a sore loser, doc.
Seriously considering going to the duck boat parade.:think:
The Berean
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The greater athlete, Jackie Robinson or Bo Jackson? :think:
Bo Jackson
Robinson was only a one sport guy.
I would put Charlie Ward and Deion Sanders ahead of Robinson.
The Berean
Well-known member
Huh? Robinson is the only athlete in UCLA history to letter in four sports (football, basketball, baseball, track). He was a college football All-American. He led the nation in punt return average in both 1939 and 1940. In basketball he led the Pacific Coast Conference in scoring in 1938 and 1939. In 1938 he broad (long) jumped 25'6" which was the best jump in the world and a junior world record. He was the 1940 NCAA broad jump champion. Had the 1940 Summer Olympics not been cancelled he would have been one of the gold medal favorites. Robinson easily could have played football and baseball professionally. But due to the Color line and WW II he was denied the opportunity. Though, Robinson did play briefly in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League in 1941 before he joined the U.S. Army. Another key point is that from 1941-45 Robinson (age 22-26) didn't play any sports at all. How many athletes could miss a significant chunk of their prime years athletically and still come back and be a dominant athlete?
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I wasn't counting college and/or Olympics.
Pro only, it's Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and Charlie Ward.
If you're going to count college and/or Olympics, then Jim Thorpe was probably the best.
One person that no one will bring up is Dick Groat, but his name should be when discussing two sport athletes.
Dick Groat played basketball for Duke. He was the player of the year in 1952, scored 839 points in one season in 1951, which at the time was the most in NCAA history (with no 3 point line or shot clock) which also stood as the season points record at Duke for 50 years until Jason Williams broke it in 2001 (think of all the great players that played for Duke during those 50 years)
Groat's #10 was the first Duke jersey number retired. Groat was selected #3 overall in the 1952 NBA Draft. Groat scored 48 points in a game against North Carolina, which to this day is the most points anyone has ever scored against UNC.
However, Groat ended up playing professional baseball. Groat was an eight time All-Star, won two World Series, won the National League batting title in 1960, and was the NL MVP in 1960.
Like many great athletes of his day, Groat missed two years of his prime because he was in the army.
The Berean
Well-known member
I didn't restrict my question to pro sports only. Robinson certainly had the talent and skill to play pro football but the NFL's ban on black players and WW II denied Robinson the opportunity to play in the NFL. Robinson was an amazing runner, similar to a Barry Sanders. As for pro sports only, Robinson was a baseball Hall of Famer. Bo and Ward were not Hall of Famers in any sport. Bo had hall of fame football talent but was just an ok baseball player. He was never going to be a baseball Hall of Famer. As for Jim Thorpe he couldn't hit a curve ball.
. I consider Robinson the greater athlete to Bo because Robinson was a Hall of Fame baseball player, would have been a star in the NFL given the chance, and could have potentially won a gold medal in the long jump if he had the opportunity.Dick Groat was a great athlete as well. He looks very athletic in this photo.
Ok, without restricting to pro sports only, then I would agree that Robinson was better than Bo Jackson.
Deion Sanders is in the NFL Hall of Fame.
How would you rank Robinson against Deion?
Yes, I agree. Although he had that one really good All-Star game, and he was the first player ever selected to the baseball and football All-Star games.
Yes, but he won gold medals in the Olympics.
Not to mention the impact he had on society for breaking the color barrier in pro sports.
Red Auerbach the legendary Celtics coach was an assistant at Duke when Groat played there. Years later when Auerbach was coaching the Celtics, and Groat won the NL MVP and batting title in 1960, Auerbach said the following about Groat: ""He was a lot better basketball player."
Baseball was Groat's "second sport"
Berean,
What's the deal with the 49'ers moving to Santa Clara?
What's the deal with the 49'ers moving to Santa Clara?
The Berean
Well-known member
I actually live just one mile from the new Levi Stadium.
The 49ers will play there starting next season. I'll take some pictures and post them here.
Jim Brown.
Between Robinson and Jackson? Depends. Robinson was probably the better rounded athlete while not being as particularly good as Bo was in his chosen sports. Bo's injury is all that stood between him and being a potential two sport HOFer.
The Berean
Well-known member
Jim Brown.
Between Robinson and Jackson? Depends. Robinson was probably the better rounded athlete while not being as particularly good as Bo was in his chosen sports. Bo's injury is all that stood between him and being a potential two sport HOFer.
Wait. What? Bo was better at baseball than Jackie Robinson, a Hall of Famer? :hammer: Bo was never destined to be a Hall of Fame baseball player. He didn't have the hit tool. He couldn't control the strike zone, was a poor base runner and was a poor defensive player.
Then I guess it's good news for you. Do you plan on going to any of the games?
BTW, in 1986 I spent a week at some hotel on El Camino Real in Mountain View. I don't remember much, but I do remember driving by Stanford Stadium because at the time, the Super Bowl was played there the previous year.
The Berean
Well-known member
I may go to a game from time to time. I hardly go to NFL games because the tickets are ridiculously expensive. :sigh:
Sorry, I didn't finish that the way I began it, but I plead a very long day.... What I was trying to say and implied in my opening is that I believe Robinson was a better overall athlete while Bo had more particular ability. I think he could have been a greater running back than Robinson was a baseball player.
I think he was better at baseball than Robinson was at football. So I give the nod to Bo, sans injury. But that's the glory of speculation.
The Berean
Well-known member
It would have been interesting to have seen Robinson play in the NFL. He had Barry Sanders like moves according to what I have read. He was compared to Red Grange as a runner. But I agree if Bo had focused only on the NFL he could have been the greatest RB of all time. He was a marvel to watch run.
drbrumley
Well-known member
Bo was great, but he is no BARRY SANDERS.