It seems like in every sport, the question ‘Who is the greatest ever?’ is never very far from discussion.
The discussion is invariably lengthier in team sports, where the wider range of players gives armchair fans more scope for personal preference.
In football, the discussion may boil down to Pele and Maradona, but only after discussing the relative merits of Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Best, and even (amongst the more foolish observers, at least at this stage in his career) Cristiano Ronaldo.
Few team sports have clear-cut ‘greatest evers’—the mercurial Welsh fly half Garth Edwards may have a solid claim to be the greatest rugby player ever, but it is hardly uncontested.
In cricket, there are too many contenders to mention. Where, for instance, do you begin to compare Donald Bradman and Brian Lara?
In the USA, the Hall of Fame was invented to recognise great players, yet already many are overcrowded with deserving talent.
As a result, even basketball legend Michael Jordan faces the frequent de-construction of his legacy by commentators who believe that a more worthy (and less high profile) competitor has been overlooked.
Amongst individual sportsmen, however, it is perhaps easier to reach a conclusion—predominantly because statistics and titles offer an obvious yardstick.
Best darts player ever? That’ll be 13-time world champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, thanks.
The ultimate cyclist? Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong would appear the obvious choice.
Sometimes titles muddy the water though. For example, when attempting to find the premier tennis player of all time, Peter Sampras has the most Grand Slam titles with 14.
Roger Federer only has 12, but he does hold the record for most consecutive weeks as World No. 1 (215 weeks and counting). Who does that make the better player?
What about John McEnroe, he holds the most titles (147 - singles and doubles)? Does that put him in the mix? Bjorn Borg won 89.9 percent of his Grand Slam matches; surely that warrants his claim?
Golf is similar to tennis in this respect, in that there are many players who have warranted their shot at being the "greatest ever." Yet, unlike tennis, the list of genuine contenders is rather short. The general media would have you believe there are just two: Jack Nicklaus and Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.
Jack Nicklaus, born Jan. 21, 1940, revolutionised the game when he emerged on the scene. He rewrote the rulebook on golf (not literally, that would have been like cheating).
His prodigious length in particular made many reconsider what it took to be great at the game, and success was almost immediate. Ridiculed for being a bit on the large side (he had to put up with often vitriolic abuse from Arnold Palmer’s masses of fans), he came into the professional game as undoubtedly the best amateur.
1 comments Last one added 12 months ago — Leave a Comment
J. Michael Morris 12 months ago
Good history lesson. Well written.
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