Greatest Sports Stars

A quick questions and answers session for forum members
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Mr Russell
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Mr Russell »

Football
Gordon Strachan - whilst he was at Leeds
Alessandro Del Piero - played in Australia for Sydney FC
Gary Lineker - last of the goal poachers era


Cricket
Sir Ian Botham
Alan Border
Imran Khan
Steve Waugh
Malcolm Marshall


Rugby League
Gary Schofield
Ellery Hanley
Andrew Johns
Steve Menzies
Cliff Lyons


Horse Racing
Damien Oliver
Media Puzzle (yeah that's a horse)
Owners come and go but Leeds United will be there forever, for the fans - keep Marching on Together.
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Barlow Boy
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Barlow Boy »

Wigan White wrote:
Barlow Boy wrote:Rugby League - Again, seen 1000’s of games live. Impossible to actually pick the best, as I’d probably forget someone, but Martin Offiah is probably the most exciting, even though he played for Wigan.
What do you mean "even though he played for Wigan"? :roll:
I thought you might see that one :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Selby White
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Selby White »

Talking Rugby League players when they opened a Sports centre at a local school (Barlby) a few years back they had numerous local sports put on a exhibition and myself and another player were selected to do the Table Tennis.
The two sporting celebs that came along to do the official opening were Ellery Hanley and Howard Wilkinson.
We got introduced to them as they were walked around the various sports but they stopped with us and wanted a game.
I ended up playing doubles with Ellery against Howard and my mate.
Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.
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Barlow Boy
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Barlow Boy »

Completely ‘off piste’, but Ellery Hanley was a client of mine many years ago :D.
When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one that hired you, to the one that married you.
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bc grinner
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by bc grinner »

Baseball – Kirby Puckett w/ Minnesota Twins. I was at a game in the mid 80’s where he hit a 9th inning game-winning HR in the old Metrodome and my ears are still ringing.

Basketball – Michael Jordan in the old Salt Palace

Football – David Beckham in Salt Lake City when he was playing for the LA Galaxy.

American Football – Emmitt Smith against Arizona Cardinals in Sun Devil Stadium.

Golf – Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer playing at Park Meadows Country Club in Park City, UT

But most importantly - Professional Wrestling – when I was 9 or 10 years old, I witnessed Andrea the Giant fighting in a Battle Royal in the Civic Center of my old hometown of Minot ND. The last two guys each had a leg and he was halfway over the top rope before he knocked their heads together like a couple of coconuts and tossed them into the third row for the dramatic victory……truly a life-changing moment for a young boy.
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Davycc »

Barlow Boy wrote:Completely ‘off piste’, but Ellery Hanley was a client of mine many years ago :D.
How did the pole dancing classes go ? :D
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Saxon
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Saxon »

bc grinner wrote:Baseball – Kirby Puckett w/ Minnesota Twins. I was at a game in the mid 80’s where he hit a 9th inning game-winning HR in the old Metrodome and my ears are still ringing.

Basketball – Michael Jordan in the old Salt Palace

Football – David Beckham in Salt Lake City when he was playing for the LA Galaxy.

American Football – Emmitt Smith against Arizona Cardinals in Sun Devil Stadium.

Golf – Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer playing at Park Meadows Country Club in Park City, UT

But most importantly - Professional Wrestling – when I was 9 or 10 years old, I witnessed Andrea the Giant fighting in a Battle Royal in the Civic Center of my old hometown of Minot ND. The last two guys each had a leg and he was halfway over the top rope before he knocked their heads together like a couple of coconuts and tossed them into the third row for the dramatic victory……truly a life-changing moment for a young boy.

You have a World class line up there Grinner.
Although I have never seen any of these players in person I watched them many times on television.
Never forget some of the Bulls v Celtics games from the Jordan/Larry Bird era, titanic clashes.
Emmitt Smith, Cowboys v Patriots, Cowboys v Giants. I think he was rated as the toughest running back in modern times, just ground it out game after game.
Golf, I think we have Arnold Palmer tournament this weekend.
Andrea the Giant, I think his greatest performance was starring in 'The Princess Bride'. :roll:
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johnh
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by johnh »

johnh wrote:
rigger wrote:I forgot about speedway.

I worked in Poole for a year and went every time Pirates were at home, typically on a Tuesday night.
Really exciting sport - and I say that as someone who finds F1 beyond boring and I'm not in any way a petrolhead.
The smell of the methanol fuel, the shale hitting the newbies in the face as they rush to the fence (ahem), the fisticuffs, the realisation that there's no brakes and the bikes have one gear and hit 80mph.
Then there's the sheer down-to-earth honesty.
I've seen a few world champions and met quite a few of the riders too as they came in my shop from time to time (Game).
Weirdest thing is, they're all lean but they've also all broken most of the bones in their bodies at some point and several have one leg longer than the other so when you see them on civvy street, lurching and hobbling about, it's kinda weird ..
That reminds me. When I was about 15, I was into cycle speedway. The team I rode for was called Prestbury Chads, named after Liverpool Chads. Our captain was Peter Craven who went on to be world champion at proper speedway. Sadly, he was killed in a speedway crash.
The other one I forgot was, when we moved to Leeds and I joined a boys' club, one of the other lads was a Maurice Bamford who played rugby for Leeds as a junior. Even though he was the same age as me, he looked about 10 years older! I didn't shave but he'd shaved that morning and still had the startings of a beard! He went on to manage the Great Britain Rugby League side.
I should have added: Was presented with a prize by Bobby Moore for guessing the score when England beat Poland 4 - 0 at Wembley. We were both guests of Ford Motor Co.
I played Table Tennis for the Victoria Club in Leeds where Brian Kennedy (English International) was a member. Did 4 laps of the track at Bruntingthorpe (Leicestershire) with ex F1 driver Johnathon Palmer. (Scared the crap out of me!) There was a chicane on the track made out of cones, when I had a drive, I went through at 60 mph. Jonathon Palmer said 'we can get through at 100 mph' - and he did. The G force was such that my head hit the passenger side window, fortunately I had a helmet on.
Played football against Charlie Williams (comedian) when he was player manager for Denaby United. He was centre-half and I was playing centre-forward at the time.
I once played against Don Revie.
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johnh
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

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Can't believe I forgot this one, probably my favourite sporting memory. I was invited to play golf by Ford Motor Co. We played at The London Club which is in Kent not far from Brands Hatch. We were a fourball. Two guys from Ford, the London Club pro George Will and me. After the game, one of the Ford guys came over and said they had to return to their Head Office for an urgent meeting. He suggested I have my shower and go to the main bar. He said someone will be there to look after you. I got to the bar and it was completely empty except for one guy. He looked up and said 'are you John Henesy'? I said 'yes' and walked over to shake hands with Henry Cooper. I then remembered that The London Club is his home club. I sat with him for an hour and a half talking boxing. No one else came in during that time, just the two of us and he wouldn't let me buy him a drink. I wish I had a tape recording of the meeting. One of the things he told me was that the heaviest weight he ever fought at was thirteen stone ten pounds. That was in the heavyweight division. When you think about the weights these days 18-20 stone!
I remember one story he told me about when he travelled through London in his manager's Rolls Royce. Jim Wicks, his manager, was driving and Henry and his twin brother (also a boxer) George were in the back. Henry said the roads were very busy and at one stage Jim Wicks 'cut up' a London Black Cab. The cabbie blocked them in, jumped out of his cab and started having a go at Jim Wicks. Henry said he got out to calm things down. The cabby (all five feet eight inches of him) obviously didn't recognise Henry
and looking at Henry and then at George in the back of the car said 'you're only brave coz there's two of you.'
I once played against Don Revie.
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Barlow Boy
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Re: Greatest Sports Stars

Post by Barlow Boy »

johnh wrote:Can't believe I forgot this one, probably my favourite sporting memory. I was invited to play golf by Ford Motor Co. We played at The London Club which is in Kent not far from Brands Hatch. We were a fourball. Two guys from Ford, the London Club pro George Will and me. After the game, one of the Ford guys came over and said they had to return to their Head Office for an urgent meeting. He suggested I have my shower and go to the main bar. He said someone will be there to look after you. I got to the bar and it was completely empty except for one guy. He looked up and said 'are you John Henesy'? I said 'yes' and walked over to shake hands with Henry Cooper. I then remembered that The London Club is his home club. I sat with him for an hour and a half talking boxing. No one else came in during that time, just the two of us and he wouldn't let me buy him a drink. I wish I had a tape recording of the meeting. One of the things he told me was that the heaviest weight he ever fought at was thirteen stone ten pounds. That was in the heavyweight division. When you think about the weights these days 18-20 stone!
I remember one story he told me about when he travelled through London in his manager's Rolls Royce. Jim Wicks, his manager, was driving and Henry and his twin brother (also a boxer) George were in the back. Henry said the roads were very busy and at one stage Jim Wicks 'cut up' a London Black Cab. The cabbie blocked them in, jumped out of his cab and started having a go at Jim Wicks. Henry said he got out to calm things down. The cabby (all five feet eight inches of him) obviously didn't recognise Henry
and looking at Henry and then at George in the back of the car said 'you're only brave coz there's two of you.'
Yet another great little story Sir John :thumbup:
When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one that hired you, to the one that married you.
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