Who is best athlete ever in Boston/New England?

[Grogan's neck roll]

Best athlete to me says most athletic, I voted for Russell. He changed the game as well.

 

[RodRustsGhost]

1) Bill Russell
2) Ted Williams
3) Tom Brady
4) Larry Bird
5) Bobby Orr

I am not sure even i like that order, but, 11 in 13 years? You have to be kidding me putting anyone else above that. Sports is about winning. That is what Russel did.

Ted Williams lost almost 5 full years, not 4. he missed, 43,44,45 and all but a handful of at bats in 52,53. I just can't imagine how he wouldn't have owned every offensive record when he retired if it werent' for that. He'd have had 4000 hits, 700hrs and 2000 rbis most likely. Those weren't just 5 years off the end, they were in his prime. That is astonishing. Still, no championships.

Orr did revolutionize the game, but IMO the injury thing takes him out of it. Even with the 2 championships

Bird was great, no doubt, but I'm not even sure he was the best player on that team. McHale was a freak of nature. And I think they left some banners on the board. Particularly 85. that one hurt.

Brady climbs this list every single time he takes the field. A couple more championships, and I might be changing my number one. As it stands, I think he's #3. With his year this year, he moves to #2 if he starts setting records. Two more superbowls, and i put him at number 1.

 

[zarakotas5]

I'm glad to see that so many people voted for Russell. It's good to know that people remember and respect his contributions.

I've only ever seen him play through archive footage and historical accounts, but I was blown away.

 

[patriotspride]

I Went With Ted Williams .just Imagine What Williams Numbers Would Be If He Didnt Take Five Years Off From Baseball To Go Serve His Country In Ww2 .larry Bird Was A Close Second For Me.

 

[PatsSox363804]

No contest, it's Bobby Orr. I'm too young to have seen him play but my dad showed me old game tapes and the man just revolutionized how defense is played in the NHL and made grown men look like children on a nightly basis. Russel, Williams, etc were all tremendous athletes and icons but none of them literally changed the game the way Orr did.

 

[Joker]

what abpout the Brockton Bomber....Rocky Marciano?

 

[PatsSox363804]

We should point out though, how great it is and how lucky we are to even be having this conversation. Even though the Sox went 86 years without a title, the Bruins havent won crap since 72, the Celtics since 86, etc we've seen some of the best professional athletes ever to play their sports in this city.

 

[scout]

Boston fans are so lucky in trying to select the best ever. No other city would have this difficult of a time due to these athletes were also the best ever anywhere.
Bobby Orr: People say Gretzky was the best, but he didn't revolutionize the game. If you have never seen Orr then Youtube him for a glimpse. Never have seen anyone else cat and mouse like he did. One game in Minnesota, he killed a penalty by controlling the puck for two minutes. He got a standing O.
Russell: The problem with him is back then there wasn't the media attention or the complete stats. It was said that, for ever 10 blocked shots he made, 9 went to teammates (he had many/no stats). Even tho Red gave Bird the nod, I have a hard time forgetting guys from yesterday.
Bird: "Who's coming in second" (see Patriots).
Williams: When he hit 406? it was said that one of the rule changes today (maybe sacrifices?) did not count back then and he would have hit closer to 426. He wasn't a complete player so Bird edges him out.

 

[PonyExpress]

It's Russell and it's not close. Ted Williams is probably second because he was the greatest hitter (according to himself), fighter pilot (according to John Glenn) and fisherman (according to the fishing HOF) in the world. Then Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Danny Ainge is a dark horse on the list, because he was the NCAA player of the year in basketball, played 3B for the Toronto BlueJays, and is a scratch golfer. Not bad.

 

[Joker]

sad...an undefeated for his career heavyweight champion gets ZERO consideration while a Danny Ainge gets honorable mention...what is this world coming to?

 

[primetime]

It's Russell and it's not close. Ted Williams is probably second because he was the greatest hitter (according to himself), fighter pilot (according to John Glenn) and fisherman (according to the fishing HOF) in the world. Danny Ainge is a dark horse on the list, because he was the NCAA player of the year in basketball, played 3B for the Toronto BlueJays, and is a scratch golfer. Not bad.

I see you're not a hockey fan. Russell was great, but he wasn't the best basketball player of all-time, nor even the most dominant big man (Jordan and Shaq, respectively, and even Wilt in his own time). Orr was the best hockey player of all time, the greatest defensive defenseman and offensive defenseman to ever play. He revolutionized the game.

I didn't realize fishing and dogfighting qualified as Boston sports, but okay.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Robert Gordon Orr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv0-9Wi713o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSDw3tMa7ec&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1fMcTq8Esk&feature=related

Great comment on that first video:

"If Orr would have been able to play 20 years with todays medical technology Gretzky would still be chasing his records."

I agree. Gretz was a great player but played in an age of total offense and he was on those incredible Oiler teams. He never dominated games like Orr did though.

 

[primetime]

sad...an undefeated for his career heavyweight champion gets ZERO consideration while a Danny Ainge gets honorable mention...what is this world coming to?

To be fair, if we're going to give Teddy Ballgame and Bill Russell credit for stats they would have accrued in today's game, then you have to admit that Marciano would have suffered a number of losses by TKO if we went by the modern rules of boxing. Not that he wasn't a great fighter, but he just doesn't resonate like these others.

 

[Mogamedogz]

yes...i was going to submit bourque and john hannah for consideration...as well as another athlete...

marvin hagler

best fighter, actor to come from new england

my personal choice would likely be bill russell

*edit* i might have to change my vote over to marvelous

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZHIo5ylQA8&feature=related

Agreed X10000000

IMO, Fighters are the best athletes, and there is really no comparison. That being said, Marvelous Marvin was the best Middleweight I have ever seen. My vote goes to him, with Bill Russell a CLOSE second.

 

[primetime]

Agreed X10000000

IMO, Fighters are the best athletes, and there is really no comparison. That being said, Marvelous Marvin was the best Middleweight I have ever seen. My vote goes to him, with Bill Russell a CLOSE second.

Really? Maybe back when, but today the best athletes play football or basketball. Many of the fight game's analysts have even said that the best heavyweights in the world are all in the NBA and NFL these days.

If we're going to go by "athlete" in the purest sense of the word, I think you go with Randy Moss. Has there ever been anyone as gifted in the world of sports in terms of athletic talent? (Maybe Lebron James)

 

[Joker]

hey Prime...spend a few seconds looking at this...

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/1047//Rocky13.html

 

[dryheat44]

It's Russell and it's not close. Ted Williams is probably second because he was the greatest hitter (according to himself), fighter pilot (according to John Glenn) and fisherman (according to the fishing HOF) in the world. Danny Ainge is a dark horse on the list, because he was the NCAA player of the year in basketball, played 3B for the Toronto BlueJays, and is a scratch golfer. Not bad.

I remember those old Williams quotes. They always reminded me of Hemingway, who famously said that there were three things he could do better than any man alive: Write, fish, and make love to a woman.

It seems that Hart Lee Dykes out-Ainges Ainge. If I remember what was written about him when he was drafted, he was Oklahoma Player of the Year in Football, Basketball, and Baseball in HS.

 

[dryheat44]

hey Prime...spend a few seconds looking at this...

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/1047//Rocky13.html

As much as I love Marciano, nobody would ever mistake him for an elite athlete.

 

[primetime]

hey Prime...spend a few seconds looking at this...

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/1047//Rocky13.html

I'm not disagreeing with any of those, I'm just saying that several of his fights he won with both eyes swelled shut. The fact that he kept fighting is insane, and that he won all the crazier, but he likely would have lost in a modern fight when a doctor would have called the fight and a TKO been awarded.

 

[patriotspride]

what abpout the Brockton Bomber....Rocky Marciano?

i grew up just a couple of miles from where he lived in brockton.hes a excellent choice