Rod Laver and Bobby Jones : Forgotten stars of their sport

In every sport we often debate as to who was the greatest of ALL time. A debate that has an impossible conclusion.

In golf we talk about Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

In tennis its Roger Federer and Pete Sampras.

The 2 sports are vastly different they have one common thread : Forgotten greats Bobby Jones and Rod Laver.

Jones is the only man to accomplish winning all of golf’s 4 major championships in the same year. No not the Masters, US Open, British Open, and PGA championship but the Us and British amateurs and The British and US open (professional level) championships in the same year (1930).

These 4 tournaments consist of golf’s only grand slam triumph.

Should Jones be faulted and his accomplishments, unappreciated because of the era in which they were established? I think not.

Jones had to play his best golf in those events just as today’s stars.

Australian tennis star Rod Laver won tennis’ grand slam  TWICE  in his career first as an amateur in 1962 (winning 17 titles in total) and as a professional in 1969.

( as a footnote “professionals could not compete in grand slams until 1968 the beginning of tennis’ “Open Era”)

Because “professionals” could not accept prize money in grand slams prior to 1968 There was a period of 5 years where Laver, in his careers peak, could not participate in tennis’ 4 major tournaments.

This was as a result of tennis’ bureaucracy which I do not wish to discuss here but, can you imagine what Laver could have done in that period from 1963 prior to 68? How many more times would he repeat his grand slam feat? We will never know.

We will also never know who the greatest of all time is but I do know one thing, both Jones and Laver deserve more credit then they have received thus far