Boston fans, who is the greatest athlete in Boston history?
Tomi
Posts: 643 ✭✭✭
Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Tom Brady etc.
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Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Tom Brady.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
He was within the top five all-time of his sport.
He was also an accomplished fisherman.
He was also one of the best pilots.
<< <i>Not a Boston fan, but like you the first guys that came to mind in each of the 4 major sports were:
Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Tom Brady. >>
Yeah, those are the top in each sport, although a case can be made for bill Russell over bird. Of those 5, I'd probably pick Williams, but it's splitting hairs.
You probably thought I was gonna say Yaz, Tippett and Cappelletti.
<< <i>Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Tom Brady etc. >>
Mike and Mike fan?
<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him!
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
They did?
Most dominant hockey player ever? Pick one of Gretzky, Lemieux or Orr and I won't argue against any of them. I wouldn't pick either of the three and add "it's not even close".
in terms of pure adoration, nobody was ever as beloved as Bobby Orr.
Most talented? Williams.
You really can't deny Russell's accomplishments. Unfortunately the (and this is my home town) racism that existed there at the time (and to a lesser degree still exists) really muted the attention toward what was understood by everyone after 1964 or 1965 to be the greatest to ever play. If he played in LA, Chicago or NY at that time, he would have been absolutely beloved and probably would still live in one of those cities. He only lives in Seattle because they never emptied his trash barrels over his lawn every single week (thanks to the good people of Reading, MA for screwing that up. Idiots).
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
Mario Lemieux scored the same amount of points per game as Wayne Gretzky, and with a worst cast of players over the course of his career.
Mario also did it fighting chronic back pain and cancer. >>
Paul Coffey, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr, Larry Murphy and Kevin Stevens were no slouches. Four of them are or will be in the HOF.
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
Mario Lemieux scored the same amount of points per game as Wayne Gretzky, and with a worst cast of players over the course of his career.
Mario also did it fighting chronic back pain and cancer. >>
Are you telling me the LA Kings were loaded? Marty McSorely!
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
They did? >>
That's what I read. There used to be a lot more space behind the net, until Gretzky started scoring 200 pts a year.
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
They did? >>
That's what I read. There used to be a lot more space behind the net, until Gretzky started scoring 200 pts a year. >>
I thought they increased the amount of space behind the net at some point, not decreased it. Watch some of Gretzky's early games, there is not much room back there at all compared to today.
<< <i>Babe Ruth. >>
+1, best Boston pitcher ever!
Tom Brady for the Pats
Orr for the Bruins
Bird for the Celtics
At the end of the day its hard to say one guy outshines everyone else in Beantown sports history but if I had to chose just 1 guy it would be Tom Brady.
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
They did?
>>
No, they did not. Unless Wayne is 100+ years old. The NHL standardized on 200x85 in 1929. They allowed other arenas to be grandfathered under other dimensions until the last of them, the Aud in Buffalo, closed in 1996. But Gretzky's play didn't change the dimensions.
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<< <i>Orr was the most dominant player hockey has ever seen. It isn't even close. >>
Ever heard of Wayne Gretzky? They changed the dimensions of the friggin' ice because of him! >>
Mario Lemieux scored the same amount of points per game as Wayne Gretzky, and with a worst cast of players over the course of his career.
Mario also did it fighting chronic back pain and cancer. >>
Lemieux also did it under far more difficult conditions in terms of defensive play and rules enforcement.
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
<< <i>There was a time when I thought Manny Ramirez was going to overtake Ted Williams and he ruined that with his "Manny being Manny" so I say David Ortiz deserves mention for the Sox >>
Ortiz? You have got to be kidding. Ted Williams:
- batted .400
- won 2 MVPs
- won 2 Triple Crowns
ALL IN DIFFERENT YEARS.
Ortiz roided up and had some monster years from 2004-2006 but, really, the only thing he's got over Williams is postseason success. And that's more a function of having more opportunities than actual ability compared to Williams.
<< <i>There was a time when I thought Manny Ramirez was going to overtake Ted Williams and he ruined that with his "Manny being Manny" so I say David Ortiz deserves mention for the Sox
Tom Brady for the Pats
Orr for the Bruins
Bird for the Celtics
At the end of the day its hard to say one guy outshines everyone else in Beantown sports history but if I had to chose just 1 guy it would be Tom Brady. >>
A DH as best all time?
Buckner, ????
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<< <i>There was a time when I thought Manny Ramirez was going to overtake Ted Williams and he ruined that with his "Manny being Manny" so I say David Ortiz deserves mention for the Sox >>
Ortiz? You have got to be kidding. Ted Williams:
- batted .400
- won 2 MVPs
- won 2 Triple Crowns
ALL IN DIFFERENT YEARS.
Ortiz roided up and had some monster years from 2004-2006 but, really, the only thing he's got over Williams is postseason success. And that's more a function of having more opportunities than actual ability compared to Williams. >>
No David Ortiz = no World Series Wins. Sorry but the Red Sox World Series wins trumps Ted Williams batting .400 and MVP's, at least the way I see it and I did say "Deserves Mention" I guess Im thinking most "Iconic" rather than best "Athlete"
Google the name and Boston Marathon if you're not familiar....
<< <i>To me it is easy. Ted Williams.
He was within the top five all-time of his sport.
He was also an accomplished fisherman.
He was also one of the best pilots. >>
Concur.
Its me, mike lowell!!
Orr is the most loved here not sure he ever got booed. I know Williams and Yaz heard their share of boo's.
Tiant has always been loved here.
least loved hmmmmm.....Buckner
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LMAO
Pats: Tony Eason?
Sox: JD Drew, Stephen Drew, John Lackey (pre-2012), Josh Beckett (at the end of his time here)
Bruins: Phil Kessel
Celtics: Rick Pitino
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
<< <i>Least loved?
Sox: JD Drew, Stephen Drew, John Lackey (pre-2012), Josh Beckett (at the end of his time here)
>>
Agreed!
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Bobby Orr dominated his sport more than any others you listed, so would that make him the greatest athlete ?
But Ted Williams is in the Top 2 hitters of All Time along with Babe Ruth. Only problem is that Bobby Orr brought home the hardware, and
Ted Williams didn't.
Larry Bird and Russell were great, but didn't dominated their sports the way Orr and Williams did.
You can add Brady to that as well.
My guess would be Orr or Williams, but I'm not from Boston. >>
I'm not much for Boston history but how many titles did Bill Russell bring in for the Celtics?
If I had to choose though, I'd go with Ted Williams.
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I'm not much for Boston history but how many titles did Bill Russell bring in for the Celtics? >>
11
Surprisingly, Bird is more admired than Russell.
This topic from the OP is similar to one brought up by local sports talk radio recently, where they asked for the Mt. Rushmore of Boston athletes. Callers and talk show hosts couldn't agree on who should make it (no surprise there), and some of the choices were silly. Was an interesting listen driving home that day to say the least.
My answer would be Orr, slightly more than Williams. Orr's Cups are the deciding factor.
<< <i>Actually the best? It's Russell and it's not close.
in terms of pure adoration, nobody was ever as beloved as Bobby Orr.
Most talented? Williams.
You really can't deny Russell's accomplishments. Unfortunately the (and this is my home town) racism that existed there at the time (and to a lesser degree still exists) really muted the attention toward what was understood by everyone after 1964 or 1965 to be the greatest to ever play. If he played in LA, Chicago or NY at that time, he would have been absolutely beloved and probably would still live in one of those cities. He only lives in Seattle because they never emptied his trash barrels over his lawn every single week (thanks to the good people of Reading, MA for screwing that up. Idiots). >>
Ironically, Boston ended up with Russell because St. Louis was even worse. The Hawks, now Atlanta, traded the draft rights to Russell to get Cliff Hagen of Kentucky, and Ed MCCauley , a home town boy, both white.
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
5 time MVP, 11 NBA Titles, 2 NCAA Titles at USF and a Gold Medal as the captain of the US Team at the 1956 Olympics.
I would even argue that it being Boston, (Take that how you will) Cousy was loved more by the fans than Russell.
If this was someplace other than Boston, Philly or The Deep South....
Boston had more of a love/hate relationship with Russell.
Now if he had been white!
<< <i>Time for a reverse, who's the least great/revered athlete in Boston history?
Buckner, ???? >>
Bucky F#%$&$#@ Dent