Geatest ever sportsman or woman

amos hames

Dedicated Member
Would be intrested to hear your thoughts on this subject.Two of my choices would be Sir Steve Redgrave for his five Olympic golds in five consecutive games and Muhammed Ali quite simply the greatest
 
I would say Ali not only because he was the greatest, but he had to put up with a load of S**t from the public and officials at the time. To make as many comebacks and regain his title like he did just makes him the greatest that will ever live.

I would also like to mention Sir Viv Richards the most entertaining batsmen that ever lived.
 
Whilst I dont think that Ali was the greatest fighter ever, he transcended the sport and was the most famous man in the world for many years, so it would be tough to argue against him being up there.
Steve Redgrave is a great shout.
I like this thread and will give it some thought.
Joe Frazier was my all time favourite fighter.
 
As a cricket fan I thought Ian Botham "on song" was almost the equal of Viv Richards. Footballer would have to be a toss-up between George Best and Stan Mathews ;)
 
Good Cricket shout Dickins.
Viv Richards was the greatest I've ever seen with a bat. And the greatest pace bowler was Dennis Lillee. Warney was the most intelligent Bowler of all time.
Both was the greatest all rounder and entertainer.
 
Lillie is a good shout one of the best ever.But i think Malcolm Marshall was better
As for batsmen Tendulkar for what he has achieved

In snooker Hendry or Davis
Tennis proberly Borg or Federer
 
Can't argue with those Amos. I'd say that Richards was the better natural talent than Tendulkar from what I saw. Lillee in his pomp was just about the best, but couldn't argue with Marshall as a pick.
If I wanted someone to play for my life, then I'd probably pick Steve Waugh.
I love a bit of Cricket. I was obsessed with it as a kid, I used to spend hours with a tennis ball up against a wall at my Grandads, both batting and bowling and seeing how you could spin a ball.
Ray Robinson was the greatest fighter who ever lived. But, if, as and when Mayweather beats Pacquiao, which he will, then there is an argument which says he is the greatest ever. I can't stand him, vile human being, but his record is second to nobodies.
My Uncle was a good friend of Randy Turpins and got to meet Ray Robinson. I met Manny in Manchester a few years ago in the publicity tour to build up the fight with Ricky Hatton. Ricky is a good lad, but fell short of really world class.
My greatest ever moment in life was meeting Joe Frazier at his Gym in Philadelphia. He was my hero. I was over there and got a cab out to the badlands of Philly, I was the only white fella for miles, but the novelty counted in my favour. I went to the Gym, met Marvis his boy and a couple of folks, told them I was from UK and had come over to see Joe.
He ewas brilliant to me, he showed me round the GYm, took me upstairs where he lived and we went out for a sandwich and a Coffee and told everyone it was cool and I was his mate.
I felt I was in the presence of greatness. Ali was the better fighter, but Frazier was the better man.
 
Just adding two pennorth more to the cricket.I've been watching some of the IPL Cricket, some of the greats are in it but it's totally different to Test cricket but still as interesting to me.I grew up watching tests on the old black n white set (Richie Benaud , Peter may , Dennis Compton ,Lindwall and Miller etc)so it is hard to pick an alltime first :-\
 
I love watching old Cricket Dick, ESPN classic channel has some on now and again, it's marvellous.
Gilchrist was a brilliant entertainer and worth the entrance fee to see him bat.
I still stand by my judgement.
Richards, Lillee and Warne were the greatest exponents of their art that I've ever seen.
 
When I was a nipper, my Uncle and Grandad used to tell me stories of the great fighters. Masters of the understatement both...
"Aye, that Robinson could fight" they used to tell me.
 
I love watching old Cricket Dick, ESPN classic channel has some on now and again, it's marvellous.
Gilchrist was a brilliant entertainer and worth the entrance fee to see him bat.
I still stand by my judgement.
Richards, Lillee and Warne were the greatest exponents of their art that I've ever seen.
Trouble is mate this debate could run and run. I've been watching cricket since around 1955 and have seen greats , characters and might have beens. Your three picks are / were brilliant and deserve to be up there! I am a big fan of Graham Swann , but will he ever match Warney??Same with Stuart Broad but will he ever be up there?So as I say it could run and run ;)
 
I love watching old Cricket Dick, ESPN classic channel has some on now and again, it's marvellous.
Gilchrist was a brilliant entertainer and worth the entrance fee to see him bat.
I still stand by my judgement.
Richards, Lillee and Warne were the greatest exponents of their art that I've ever seen.
Trouble is mate this debate could run and run. I've been watching cricket since around 1955 and have seen greats , characters and might have beens. Your three picks are / were brilliant and deserve to be up there! I am a big fan of Graham Swann , but will he ever match Warney??Same with Stuart Broad but will he ever be up there?So as I say it could run and run ;)

And that's the beauty of it mate, different generations, different styles and different experiences. Nobody is right, nobody is wrong, just different perspectives.
I dont know much in life, I know a bit about Summer Wine, I know a bit about Cricket and I know a bit about Boxiung, but I could talk all three all day long and love it.
I love hearing other peoples experiences and views on stuff like Cricket. Especially those opinions of players that I never saw in the flersh/on telly in my lifetime.
Keep the discussion going mate, I love it.
 
Just two instances spring straight to mind, Samit Patel was stopped from playing tests because of his weight and general fitness.Colin Milburn in the 60s was overweight but boy could he hit a ball!! Even with his one eye! My own county has/had the greatest technical wicketkeeper in the country but his batting was suspect. So the powers that be decided he was surplus to requirements and instead of giving him batting coaching ,they tried to improve a good batsman's wicketkeeping!Since losing his England place Chris Read has gone on to be top scorer in a lot of Notts matches(another what might have been!) Joel Garner was a fearsome bowler , but not as good as Malcolm Marshall. I'm stopping this before it becomes "My Life As a TV Cricket Viewer "
 
The best bowler i ever saw must be Curtly Ambrose, what a bowler he was. He got over 400 test wickets at 20.99! Him and Courtney Walsh were as good an attack the Windies ever had.

I love my cricket but its just not the same without a strong West Indies team.
 
Just two instances spring straight to mind, Samit Patel was stopped from playing tests because of his weight and general fitness.Colin Milburn in the 60s was overweight but boy could he hit a ball!! Even with his one eye! My own county has/had the greatest technical wicketkeeper in the country but his batting was suspect. So the powers that be decided he was surplus to requirements and instead of giving him batting coaching ,they tried to improve a good batsman's wicketkeeping!Since losing his England place Chris Read has gone on to be top scorer in a lot of Notts matches(another what might have been!) Joel Garner was a fearsome bowler , but not as good as Malcolm Marshall. I'm stopping this before it becomes "My Life As a TV Cricket Viewer "

Keep going Dick, I'm enjoying reading it. I agree with you about Read, he was technically the best WK in the country and his batting was OK< but just like in Horse Racing where they took good flat Horses at an early age and taught them to jimp hurdles, they took a Batsman and taught him to keep wicket. It has to be said though that Prior is an asset to the team. Gilchrist changed the world as we know it.
 
The best bowler i ever saw must be Curtly Ambrose, what a bowler he was. He got over 400 test wickets at 20.99! Him and Courtney Walsh were as good an attack the Windies ever had.

I love my cricket but its just not the same without a strong West Indies team.

James, that attack cant be faulted mate, but they played many more Tests than predeccesors and on different pitches. Not that I'm decrying the achievements of Walsh and Ambrose as test bowlers, but Marshall, Holding and Garner were better for me and I saw both contemporaneously.
You re spot on about a strong West Indies team though. The world of Cricket just isnt the same.
I'm right in thinking arent I mate, that we had a discussion about the Fire in Babylon docu a few weeks ago? It was you wasn't it?
 
The best bowler i ever saw must be Curtly Ambrose, what a bowler he was. He got over 400 test wickets at 20.99! Him and Courtney Walsh were as good an attack the Windies ever had.

I love my cricket but its just not the same without a strong West Indies team.

James, that attack cant be faulted mate, but they played many more Tests than predeccesors and on different pitches. Not that I'm decrying the achievements of Walsh and Ambrose as test bowlers, but Marshall, Holding and Garner were better for me and I saw both contemporaneously.
You re spot on about a strong West Indies team though. The world of Cricket just isnt the same.
I'm right in thinking arent I mate, that we had a discussion about the Fire in Babylon docu a few weeks ago? It was you wasn't it?

T'was me Chuff, i never saw the great west indian team, just to young. Obviously watched clips on youtube, fire in Babylon etc.. and got to say they were a scary site running in with the ball. Just watch Holding v Close, that man tried his best to not show any sign of pain but you can tell he was battered.
It was the infamous Tony Grieg 'grovel' test. Not a wise thing to wind up a team that could literally take your head off with bat or ball. Must say every good team needs a leader and Clive Lloyd must be the best from any sport.
 
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