how many sportsmen are 'immortal'?
Discussion
Well I am just gonna say it
Oscar Pistouris..... though I suspect he won't be remembered for his sport achievements.
For positive reason, I suspect there really is going to only be a handful like Ali and Pele.
All motor sport guys are not going to be remembered by any one not into the sport, same with most current football players like Messi.
Bolt is s good shout as he's a very much larger then life character, and will probably be a celebrity long after he's done on the track.
Oscar Pistouris..... though I suspect he won't be remembered for his sport achievements.
For positive reason, I suspect there really is going to only be a handful like Ali and Pele.
All motor sport guys are not going to be remembered by any one not into the sport, same with most current football players like Messi.
Bolt is s good shout as he's a very much larger then life character, and will probably be a celebrity long after he's done on the track.
Cheib said:
And if you've never heard of Bradman you should take a look. Greatest cricketer of all time and probably one of the greatest sportsmen ever. He averaged 99.
Trouble is, whoever he is his chosen sport is cricket. And the most 'immortal' or famous sportsperson is never going to be a cricketer because half the world has never heard of the game, never mind a particular player.It's a footballer, or a one-off sensation like Bolt.
technodup said:
Cheib said:
And if you've never heard of Bradman you should take a look. Greatest cricketer of all time and probably one of the greatest sportsmen ever. He averaged 99.
Trouble is, whoever he is his chosen sport is cricket. And the most 'immortal' or famous sportsperson is never going to be a cricketer because half the world has never heard of the game, never mind a particular player.It's a footballer, or a one-off sensation like Bolt.
Simon Brooks said:
Johan Lomu
certainly within rugby circles! He redefined what a winger could/should be.Which I guess is another interesting topic - ONE sportsman from each sport as your most influential/immortal
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
irocfan said:
Simon Brooks said:
Johan Lomu
certainly within rugby circles! He redefined what a winger could/should be.Which I guess is another interesting topic - ONE sportsman from each sport as your most influential/immortal
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Not being a cricket fan (or indeed knowing much about it), Where would WC Grace fit into the chart for cricket immortals as this is the person that first comes to mind for a non cricket person
Halb said:
Voldemort said:
Pheidippides
I sort of agree with this. Herakles as another. I doubt any sportsperson in the last century, will last long in culture.Name a 19th Century Sportsman.
I can only think of two - W G Grace and C B Fry.
I doubt they will be remembered by the time the 22nd Century arrives.
So the answer is almost none are.
irocfan said:
certainly within rugby circles! He redefined what a winger could/should be.
Which I guess is another interesting topic - ONE sportsman from each sport as your most influential/immortal
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Bodybuilding - SchwarzennegerWhich I guess is another interesting topic - ONE sportsman from each sport as your most influential/immortal
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Powerlifting - Precious Mackenzie
Ice skating - Torvel & Dean
Decathlon - Thompson
Tennis - Borg
rog007 said:
Bodybuilding - Schwarzenneger
Powerlifting - Precious Mackenzie
Ice skating - Torvel & Dean
Decathlon - Thompson
Tennis - Borg
I was at the English Schools athletics championship at the weekend. My son was competing, his main event is combined events. As I was wondering around I saw Daley Thompson told my son he had never heard of him.Powerlifting - Precious Mackenzie
Ice skating - Torvel & Dean
Decathlon - Thompson
Tennis - Borg
irocfan said:
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Good list and with you all the way on those with the possible exception of Mikkola - Is he known outside of rallying circles or Finland at all? My guess is that Sainz or Loeb are better known generally.Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Jean Claude Killy would be another up there with Klammer for skiing.
Bolt, I suspect (unless it turns out he's a drugs cheat) will be long remembered in Athletics.
Glad to see Fangio mentioned. Whilst here in the UK the expression "Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?" is still uttered by the odd policeman, I doubt he's in the mainstream consciousness anywhere else.
M
Edited by marcosgt on Wednesday 20th July 09:33
I was once asked if I thought I was Nigel Mansell. I did know who he was at the time.
Lists are always interesting.
Most sports and pastimes are niche, and do not crossover into general consciousness.
In my head there is a list of prominent sports figures, and there is that rare list of the figures who crossover and are actually known by people outside of a sporting interest.
Ali, Schwarzenegger, Tyson to name a few.
Lists are always interesting.
Most sports and pastimes are niche, and do not crossover into general consciousness.
In my head there is a list of prominent sports figures, and there is that rare list of the figures who crossover and are actually known by people outside of a sporting interest.
Ali, Schwarzenegger, Tyson to name a few.
Reading this thread makes me a little sad. Sports stars who were so talented, and worked so hard to achieve greatness. And yet it seems that all but a very few fade from public consciousness within a generation.
Anyway, here's a short documentary about someone else who deserves to be remembered; Nadia Comaneci
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36826597
Anyway, here's a short documentary about someone else who deserves to be remembered; Nadia Comaneci
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36826597
I'd go with Jonah Lomu too. The first of the 'super' rugby players who had both size and athleticism.
I remember reading an article where the NZ coach was furious with his front row as Lomu was spanking them in strength stats
I doubt he would stand out as much now, but at the time he had players scared to even attempt a tackle, with others giving up as soon as he touched the ball as they realised chasing him down was futile.
I remember reading an article where the NZ coach was furious with his front row as Lomu was spanking them in strength stats
I doubt he would stand out as much now, but at the time he had players scared to even attempt a tackle, with others giving up as soon as he touched the ball as they realised chasing him down was futile.
marcosgt said:
irocfan said:
Rugby - Lomu
Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
Good list and with you all the way on those with the possible exception of Mikkola - Is he known outside of rallying circles or Finland at all? My guess is that Sainz or Loeb are better known generally.Boxing - Ali
Athletics - Owens
Football - Pele
F1 - Fangio
Rallying - Mikkola?
Skiing - Klammer
GravelBen said:
The only rally driver I really think would qualify in terms of this thread is Colin McRae.
And that other famous driver, Sega Rally. I know two Handegg 'stars', the Fridge (thanks to Wrestlemania2 and Marvel comics), and Brian MacFadden...erm...who I now realise is a singer from google....but I am thinking of a fella who stapled his name to the early handegg video games, and so achieved 'immortality'. The only way that sports people, even those from popular sports and not niche sports achieve the higher echelons is to leap from their own page into another book.
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