Your own personal favorite athlete(s)?

[catlover79]

Do tell!!!

[kathyk2]

My top 5 including retired athletes:

1. Larry Bird

2. Tom Brady

3. Jeff Gordon

4. Michelle Kwan

5. Tiger Woods

The first two athletes are because I'm from Massachusetts. I became a Nascar fan because of Jeff. Michelle was beautiful to watch. Tiger makes golf interesting.

[catlover79]

My personal favorite athlete was Kevin Seitzer, after he was traded from the Brewers to the Indians late in the 1996 season. I loved the way how he never failed to hustle out a ground ball, despite two bad knees that had seen multiple surgeries. I loved his enthusiasm and love of the game, and yet he was very humble about it all. Along with several of my family members and my church group (along with many other church groups in the Cleveland area), I saw Kevin give his Christian testimony after a game on Faith Day at Jacobs Field. I forget most of what he said that day, but it has resonated with me ever since. He fought back from injuries and being released twice in his career, and never acted bitter about it.

Today, Kevin Seitzer is the hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves. I finally fulfilled a dream nearly 23 years in the making back in April when I got to meet him!! The Braves were in town to play the Indians, and I got my chance in between games of a doubleheader. I had made a sign and went behind the visitors dugout. He saw me and my sign, smiled, waved and approached me. One of the other fans in the vicinity took a picture of us together. Later, I had the photo blown up to an 8x10 and mailed it c/o the Braves to be autographed. He did indeed sign it and mail it back. A class act, no doubt about it. Baseball - and sports in general - could use more guys like him.

[Sew Sumi]

Jackie Robinson. You know the story. He was compelling long before 1947.

[catlover79]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Jackie Robinson. You know the story. He was compelling long before 1947.

Yup - and so was his American League counterpart, Larry Doby.

[Harry24]

Girlhood through college: Eddie Murray 

2000s: Roger Federer

[catlover79]

1 hour ago, Harry24 said:

Girlhood through college: Eddie Murray 

Here is his 3000th hit on June 30, 1995 - with longtime Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton on the call:

[Harry24]

6 hours ago, catlover79 said:

Here is his 3000th hit on June 30, 1995 - with longtime Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton on the call:

Thanks, catlover79!  This is awesome.  (Although it will always be twinge-y to see him in a uni not the O's.)

[catlover79]

5 hours ago, Harry24 said:

Thanks, catlover79!  This is awesome.  (Although it will always be twinge-y to see him in a uni not the O's.)

You are very welcome!! Eddie was a very important part of the Tribe from 1994-96 - and he did get HR #500 as an O.

[doodlebug]

11 hours ago, Harry24 said:

Thanks, catlover79!  This is awesome.  (Although it will always be twinge-y to see him in a uni not the O's.)

We Tribe fans were thrilled to have him play for our side for a couple of years and he was a big part of the success of those teams.  But, even I think of Eddie as a Oriole first.

[ebk57]

8 hours ago, catlover79 said:

You are very welcome!! Eddie was a very important part of the Tribe from 1994-96 - and he did get HR #500 as an O.

He did - and I was there!  Even after an hour+ rain delay.  It was exactly one year after Cal broke the record (I was there, too). 

My guy is Brooks Robinson. 

[Growsonwalls]

I love the amazing Japanese gymnast Kenzo Shiraii. 

Here are all the skills named after him:

Here's him doing womens' gymnastics:

[catlover79]

On 6/15/2019 at 12:30 PM, ebk57 said:

He did - and I was there!  Even after an hour+ rain delay.  It was exactly one year after Cal broke the record (I was there, too). 

Wow - not many people can say that. How awesome!!

[Lamb18]

Kirby Puckett for me. He died too young.

[Ohwell]

Walt Frazier.  Mr. Cool.

[catlover79]

4 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

Kirby Puckett for me. He died too young.

He and Kevin Seitzer actually tied for the most hits in the AL (207) in 1987.

[Danny Franks]

As a kid, I really looked up to Linford Christie and Roger Black. As an adult, it's got to be Usain Bolt and Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Eric Cantona is probably the footballer I most admire, but his dark side made it hard to call him a personal favourite. He could be incredibly frustrating, for his fans.

[Ohwell]

Ali

Johnny Unitas

Doug Williams

Willie Mays

Hank Aaron

Jackie Robinson

Steph Curry

Gael Monfils 

[morriss]

Wendal Clark

Wade Belak

Don Mattingly

Mookie Wilson

Ichiro

Jeff Garcia

Sidney Crosby

[Ohwell]

Arthur Ashe

Juan Martin DelPotro

[geauxaway]

Reggie Jackson, Chris Mullin, Andre Agassi, Reggie White, Jeff Gordon 

[bosawks]

Althea Gibson.

Ugh, how could I forget Megan Rapinoe....

Edited June 29, 2019 by bosawks
Amnesia

[AimingforYoko]

The Original G.O.A.T, Muhammad Ali. It wasn't just his mouth, it wasn't just his political stands, he really was that good.

[Sally Chantal Pa]

RAFA!!!)))

Edited August 25, 2019 by Sally Chantal Pa

[JTMacc99]

I’ve always loved watching the people who are uniquely gifted and unrelenting in their hard work to make the most of those gifts. 

I could watch a Wayne Gretzky highlight video right now and it would give me goosebumps. Same for Tiger woods, Michael Jordan, and Lawrence Taylor. 

These days I’ve my eyes on Saquon Barkley. The kid is special. 

[catlover79]

10 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

I’ve always loved watching the people who are uniquely gifted and unrelenting in their hard work to make the most of those gifts. 

Beautifully said!! ☺

[Minneapple]

Serena Williams

Barry Sanders 

Randy Moss (YouTube the One Clap video if you've never seen it)

Shaq

Michelle Kwan (Tosca is my all time favorite skating routine)

Kirby Puckett (I know, I know, but he was my favorite baseball player when I was growing up in Minnesota and I just can't let go)

Melvin Gordon (my favorite Badger of all time)

[JTMacc99]

9 hours ago, Minneapple said:

Barry Sanders

I just read an article this morning where he was talking about my new guy Saquon Barkley. Sanders kind of chuckled and said that he hopes Barkley doesn't have to deal with having something like 18 or 19 different quarterbacks during his career. 

I didn't remember that was what was going on with the Lions during that time, but it definitely puts Sanders's achievements in perspective as even more impressive if that's possible.

[DrSpaceman73]

Peyton Manning is #1 easily

Reggie Miller

Larry Bird

Emmitt Smith

Steph Curry

 

[DrSpaceman73]

Walter Payton would be a close #6. 

All those guys mean something to me because of a personal connection to the team or the player in some way.  Not that I know them, but I grew up as a fan of the team or I was local to where they are from or where they played

Then there are guys like :  Tiger, Michael, Gretzky, The transcendent players that dominated their eras and who made their sports into more than just a game during my lifetime.  They were stories, pop culture figures in their own right beyond just the competition.  Their presence and them competing was news and a spectacle in itself. 

[Guest]

I've always been drawn to Allyson Felix. She's a great runner, really seems to have her stuff together, and there's something very calming about listening to her talk, even when she's out of breath after a race.

[BlueSkies]

Daniel Murphy and Bernie Kosar were guys I liked because I thought they played their respective games with a lot of heart.

I've dealt/deal with social anxiety in my life so Zack Grienke also has a bit of a soft spot with me.

Present day athletes I guess if I had to choose it'd be Nick Chubb.  Quiet/intense/classy guy

On 6/13/2019 at 3:57 PM, catlover79 said:

My personal favorite athlete was Kevin Seitzer, after he was traded from the Brewers to the Indians late in the 1996 season. I loved the way how he never failed to hustle out a ground ball, despite two bad knees that had seen multiple surgeries. I loved his enthusiasm and love of the game, and yet he was very humble about it all. Along with several of my family members and my church group (along with many other church groups in the Cleveland area), I saw Kevin give his Christian testimony after a game on Faith Day at Jacobs Field. I forget most of what he said that day, but it has resonated with me ever since. He fought back from injuries and being released twice in his career, and never acted bitter about it.

Today, Kevin Seitzer is the hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves. I finally fulfilled a dream nearly 23 years in the making back in April when I got to meet him!! The Braves were in town to play the Indians, and I got my chance in between games of a doubleheader. I had made a sign and went behind the visitors dugout. He saw me and my sign, smiled, waved and approached me. One of the other fans in the vicinity took a picture of us together. Later, I had the photo blown up to an 8x10 and mailed it c/o the Braves to be autographed. He did indeed sign it and mail it back. A class act, no doubt about it. Baseball - and sports in general - could use more guys like him.

I love stories like that.

Especially as I get older and are more jaded toward professional sports 

[Colleenna]

Babe Didrickson

Rocky Bleier

Hines Ward

Dave Dravecky

[roamyn]

Chris Everett

Gabby Douglas

Dorothy Hamill

George Brett

Bernie Kosar

OMAR VIZQUEL - I own quite a few items signed by him

and because he brought us our first championship in 52 years, I’ll always be thankful for LeBron James

ETA:  Buck O’Neill.  I loved listening to his stories abt the Black League and being a scout in MLB.

Edited October 6, 2022 by roamyn

[roamyn]

On 6/13/2019 at 3:57 PM, catlover79 said:

My personal favorite athlete was Kevin Seitzer, after he was traded from the Brewers to the Indians late in the 1996 season.

I don’t remember him.  We owned season tickets in ‘98.  As he still on the team then?

i almost chose Andre Thornton over George Brett.  He was my favoriteIndian during the long lean years.  Mr. Thornton had a terrible tragedy during his playing years, when his wife & little girl were killed in a car accident.  Yet his Faith in a higher power never wavered and he spoke quite often at churches around the Cleveland area abt his experience and how that galvanized his playing, but more important strengthened his Faith.

Yet I chose George because he’s the one who really gave me my love for baseball.