Who was your favorite pro athlete when you were a child?

[baylrballa]

Who was your favorite pro athlete when you were a child?




Bonus question: Name a more obscure athlete you were also a fan of?

 

[Daluteh]

Gretzky - hard to come from the north and not love that guy.

Mike Madano, though I don't know if he's super obscure.

 

[That post]

I got to see MJ in his prime.

But my favorite pro athlete was Barry Larkin because he and I both played shortstop and he was the star of my local team.

 

[Bosco...]

The Diesel: John Riggins.

 

[Golfers Anonymous]

Peyton Manning. Liked how he went about the game and loved his SNL sketch.

Ryan Freel. The guy played the game hard, was saddened to hear about his death.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

The Kid
Darren Daulton

 

[jbb2388]

 

[annsguy]

Bill Russell, Jerry West, Joe Namath, Mickey, Reggie Jackson, Earl The Pearl Monroe.

 

[Steve2100]

Gale Sayers - injuries cut his career short but man that guy could run!

When we used to play football in the street in front of my house I used to pretend I was Emerson Boozer from the Jets. Liked the style of his play.

 

[1860VS]

Mickey Lolich. 3 complete games in '68 World Series. All wins.
Held career strikeout record for a Lefty for decades.
That he isn't in the Hall is a crock of Hoo-Doo.

Most obscure, pro boxer Ducky Dietz. Spent decades at Detroits Cannon Recreation Center training kids. Came out of retirement for one last fight at the age of 42 so he could buy equipment for the gym the city wouldn't. Decades after I quit training with Ducky we still has beers at a bar on East Warren Ave, right by the Rec Center. Ducky was also a big part of the reason for my 55+ years in martial arts, but that's another story.

 

[MGoBlue]

Gordie Howe was The Man.

Not really obscure but I really liked Bill Freehan. For those unfamiliar he was the Tigers catcher in the 60s and 70s. Later he was head coach of the University of Michigan baseball team.

 

[russtopher]

Cam Neely. What a beast he was in his prime.

 

[Jman]

The Minister of Defense, Reggie White

 

[Jank]

Griffey and Hakeem

More obscure: Matt Maloney

 

[leftshot]

Mickey Lolich, pitcher. When the Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1968, Lolich was a master at painting the corners of the strike zone. While he was overweight and labored at times, he gutted it out and I admired that. He had a lifetime ERA of only 3.44 and won over 200 games. Three complete game wins as in the World Series with the 7th game on just 2 days rest is a VERY special feat!

 

[USAF Retired]

Dr J - loved watching him growing up

Rockin Robin Yount - kinda obscure

 

[mav52]

Mickey Mantle

 

[Jimmy3864]

Hockey - Guy Lafleur

 

[mikeg_74]

Favorites were Jose Cruz and Earl Campbell

Obscure - Dickie Thon

 

[Parrot]

Archie Manning

Bob Horner was a bit later but was a fan of his.

 

[Parrot]

Dr J - loved watching him growing upView attachment 9229090

Rockin Robin Yount - kinda obscureView attachment 9229091

Young was a great player but I don’t think a HoF’er qualifies as obscure, even to the slightest degree.

 

[echico]

Nolan Ryan then John Elway then Jeff Bagwell.

Obscure maybe Jose Cruz amd Jose Lima.

 

[MtlJeff]

Greg Maddux and Tim Duncan were my two favorite athletes

Obscure one hmmmm. I liked the basketball player Glen Rice because of his shooting, I was a shooter in hoops

 

[PatsFan]

Jim Rice
Larry Bird
Michael Jordan

 

[DataDude]