Who are the best players that you have seen live in a game?

[frankbmd]

Copy and Paste the grid below into you response. There are eight blanks to fill in. You need not fill them all in. The first column asks for the best player that you saw in the first game of that sport that you attended in person. The second column is for the best player of that sport that you ever saw in a game that you attended in person. Professional or collegiate athletes are acceptable.

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball ______________ ________________

Football ______________ ________________

Basketball ______________ ________________

Hockey ______________ ________________



Sport --- First Game --- Any Game

Baseball : Roy Campanella , Nolan Ryan

Football : Jim Brown/Bart Starr , Aaron Rodgers

Basketball : Dolph Schayes , Magic Johnson

Hockey : Stan Mikita , Wayne Gretzky



Copying and Pasting the template doesn't work very well, so just name the sport and the two names in a single row per sport, similar to my choices.

If two posts are identical, you may have found your lost brother.

Remembering your first game may be a problem,

[Stampsfan]

OK Frank, I'll start.

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball: Tom Seaver, Hank Aaron/ Willie Mays

Football: Walter Payton, Walter Payton

Basketball: Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash

Hockey: Jean Beliveau, Bobby Orr

[CMIZ5290]

Best ever in Basketball......Michael Jordan, Pete Maravich, and Dominique Wilkins.....

[Sean]

Baseball: Luis Aparicio, Willie Mays

Football: Archie Griffin (Ohio State vs. U of Minnesota), Walter Payton

Hockey: Bobby Hull, Bobby Hull (I've been to one pro hockey game)

Basketball: Connie Hawkins, Kareem Abdul Jabbar

[Copa7]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball Cal Ripkin (Rochester)/Nolan Ryan

Football Pele (Santos)/Diego Maradona (Argentina) / George Best / Johan Cruyff

Basketball Harlem Globetrotters / Shaquill O'Neall

Hockey Wayne Gretzky / Sidney Crosby

[CMIZ5290]

Best ever in Football..... Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Julio Jones....

[commishbob]

Baseball Mickey Mantle Willie Mays

Football Keith Lincoln Johnny Unitas

Basketball Wilt Chamberlain Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Hockey Dave Keon Gordie Howe

Bonus Content:

Soccer Pele Pele

[clydepepper]

Baseball: Hank Aaron ; Tim Hudson

Football: William Andrews (in HS)

Basketball: Connie Hawkins (w the Globetrotters)

Hockey: Several nameless local players.

[toppcat]

Seaver, Lawrence Taylor, Dr. J, Mike Bossy

[obcbobd]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball Carl Yastrzemski, Hank Aaron

Football Jim Nance Drew Bledsoe

Basketball Larry Bird, Michael Jordon

Hockey Bobby Orr, Bobby Orr

[barrysloate]

I don't remember first games, but in baseball it was Mays, Aaron, and Clemente.

In basketball it was Chamberlain, Alcindor (pre-1971), and Julius Erving (with the Virginia Squires, as well as the Nets)

I rarely went to football or hockey games, so no real memories.

I do remember the first concert I went to, and it was the Beatles. That should count for something.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I don't remember first games, but in baseball it was Mays, Aaron, and Clemente.

In basketball it was Chamberlain, Alcindor (pre-1971), and Julius Erving (with the Virginia Squires, as well as the Nets)

I rarely went to football or hockey games, so no real memories.

I do remember the first concert I went to, and it was the Beatles. That should count for something.

As long as you don’t want to hold my hand

[Bocabirdman]

Baseball....Frank Robinson....Mickey Mantle
Basketball..... Wilt......Ditto

[nolemmings]

Baseball: Mickey Mantle; Barry Bonds

Football: Johnny Unitas; Unitas/Alan Page

Basketball: Walter Davis (I don't remember which opponent I first saw the Suns play so I'll go with the home team); Michael Jordan

Hockey: Gordie Howe; Howe/Gretzky

[CMIZ5290]

Best ever in baseball.... Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, and Dale Murphy, yes, Dale Murphy.....Back to back MVP with crappy teams!

[tedzan]

Baseball Mickey Mantle (1952 - 1973), Ted Williams (several times in the 1950's at Yankee Stadium)

Football Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, John Riggins (1972 in Baltimore))

Basketball Wilt Chamberlain, Earl "the Pearl" Monroe (Madison Square Garden)

Hockey (haven't been to any games)


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[mikemb]

Baseball: Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

Football: Paul Warfield, Joe Namath

Basketball: James Bailey (Rutgers), Larry Bird (Indiana St.)

Hockey: john Vanbiesbrouck, Wayne Gretzky

Mike

[Kenny Cole]

Baseball: Willy Mays, Barry Bonds
Football: O.J. Simpson, Adrian Peterson
Basketball: Wilt Chamberlain, Wilt Chamberlain
Hockey: Rogie Vachon, Wayne Gretzky

[kcohen]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball _Mantle, Berra /- Mays, Williams, Aaron, Clemente

Football __Don't Remember 1st game / Brown, Unitas

Basketball _Russell, Baylor, West. & Cousy__/ Robertson

Hockey __Don't Remember 1st game / Gretzky, Lemieux, Ovechkin

[wondo]

Sport First / Game Any Game

Baseball Al Kaline / Mike Schmidt

Football Johnny Unitas / Johnny Unitas

Basketball Manute Bol / Manute Bol only been to one sorry game (PHL/WAS)

Hockey Gordie Howe / Gordie Howe

[TheBig6]

Baseball Ernie Banks - Stan Musial
Football George Blanda - Earl Campbell
Basketball Pete Maravich - Hakeem Olijawon
Hockey - Poul Popiel - Gordie Howe

[ruth_rookie]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball Carl Yastrzemski, Hank Aaron

Football Jim Nance Drew Bledsoe

Basketball Larry Bird, Michael Jordon

Hockey Bobby Orr, Bobby Orr

I take it you haven’t been to any Patriot games since 2000?

[whitey19thcentury]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball: Tim Raines, Barry Bonds
Football Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu/Barry Sanders (tie) I could say Brady, but ugh
Basketball Michael Jordan/Michael Jordan
Hockey Mario, Mario

[Jim65]

Baseball- Seaver, Pete Rose
Football- Dan Marino, Lawrence Taylor
Basketball- Never been to a game
Hockey- Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky

[guy3050]

Baseball: Can't remember who the visiting team was so I will go with home team player Rusty Staub Roberto Clemente

Football: Never been to a Game

Basketball: Never been to a Game

Hockey Guy LaFleur Mario Lemieux/Wayne Gretzky

[realbigfatdog]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball- Don Martingly, Ken Griffey, Jr/ Mike Trout

Football- Lawrence Taylor, OBJ ("The Catch" game)

Basketball- Kevin Garnett

Hockey- Wayne Gretzky, Martin Brodeur

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[horzverti]

Baseball - Barry Bonds, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, ARod and Robin Yount (many times).

Football - Brady v. Favre @ Lambeau, Reggie White

[oldjudge]

Baseball—Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams
Football—Lawrence Taylor, Walter Payton
Basketball—Bill Russell, Michael Jordan
Hockey—Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky

Bob-The only soccer game I’ve ever been to was Santos of Brazil against Milan at Yankee Stadium, so for me the soccer answer would also be Pele/Pele

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Baseball—Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams
Football—Lawrence Taylor, Walter Payton
Basketball—Bill Russell, Michael Jordan
Hockey—Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky

Bob-The only soccer game I’ve ever been to was Santos of Brazil against Milan at Yankee Stadium, so for me the soccer answer would also be Pele/Pele

Jay- I saw Pele play in person, but it wasn't soccer.

Every summer on the East End of Long Island there is a charity event called the Artists-Writers softball game. It's mostly celebrities now with only a limited number of real artists and writers playing.

In the early 90's we used to go every year to see it, and one time Pele was there playing. I don't think soccer skills translate that well to softball, since he did nothing remarkable batting or fielding. But at one point he walked right past me, which I thought was very cool. So I guess I can say I saw Pele play too, just the wrong sport.

[bobbyw8469]

Haven't seen many professional contests in person (only 2 - one NBA and one NHL), but I saw Allen Iverson come to town. He was AWESOME

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Remembering your first game may be a problem,

You know what they say, "You always remember your first."

Baseball:
First game - Mickey Mantle, although technically I didn't see him play. I saw him walk around in the dugout. It was a Sunday day game and he had the day off. So, actually playing-wise, I'd have to say Reggie Jackson. He even hit a homerun in the game (I don't remember him hitting it let alone playing, but I do have the box score from the game and it says he did) [ok, so maybe you don't remember everything about your first]. The most memorable play was Rocky Colavito throwing Campy Campaneris out at home plate with an incredible throw from left field. That I do remember and will take to the grave with me ... along with the fact that Mantle didn't play.

Any game - would have to be Ryan. I'd drive down to Houston and then up to Arlington to see him pitch.

Other sports:
Do they even matter??!?

[Peter_Spaeth]

11 pitchers in that game, looks like one of today's games.

[MVSNYC]

Ripken Jr, Griffey Jr, Jeter, ARod...come to mind.

[darwinbulldog]

The first baseball game I went to was a high school game. It would have been Will Clark, but he had graduated a year or two earlier, so really nobody special there. I later saw Roger Clemens pitch, so he's certainly the best I've witnessed first-hand.

I think I saw Chris Jackson (later Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) in the first basketball game I went to (LSU/Georgetown), so he would have been the best in that game. And I don't recall ever having gone to an NBA game, so I haven't seen any of the all-time greats. Best I've seen in person might be Mike Bibby, although as college players (how I saw them) I'd say Chris Jackson was a little better.

First football game I saw was probably one I played in as a seven-year-old or something like that. Best player I've seen since then was maybe Ricky Williams. I was at about half of his college games. Or Rickey Jackson for the Saints back in the late 80s/early 90s.

For hockey I've only been to semipro and don't recall any of the players' names. Whoever was the best New Mexico Scorpions player about 15 years ago I guess.

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Baseball—Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams
Football—Lawrence Taylor, Walter Payton
Basketball—Bill Russell, Michael Jordan
Hockey—Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky

Bob-The only soccer game I’ve ever been to was Santos of Brazil against Milan at Yankee Stadium, so for me the soccer answer would also be Pele/Pele

That must have been a cool event. My Pele game was when he was with the Cosmos at the Meadowlands. So he wasn't 'vintage' Pele but it was still great. I've seen Messi in his prime but I still have to list Pele as the best I've ever seen in person.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by commishbob

That must have been a cool event. My Pele game was when he was with the Cosmos at the Meadowlands. So he wasn't 'vintage' Pele but it was still great. I've seen Messi in his prime but I still have to list Pele as the best I've ever seen in person.

I think in a few decades the consensus will be that Messi was better than Pele. These things take some time.

[VoodooChild]

Sport --- First Game --- Any Game

Baseball : Jason Thompson (My favorite Pirate player as a little kid) , Frank Thomas (Spring Training game against the Pirates and had tickets right behind the plate. Dude is huge and hit a bomb that was so loud off the bat. I never heard anything like that before at a game.)

Football : Dan Marino (1981 Pitt vs. Army, I think he threw for 4 TD's and around 300 yds.), Troy Polamalu

Basketball : Curly Neal (Globetrotters) , Allen Iverson

Hockey : Mario Lemieux, Mario Lemieux (This one is easy. He's the most dominate athlete that I've seen in person in any sport.)

[triwak]

Baseball: Bob Gibson, Hank Aaron
Football: Len Dawson, Joe Montana
Basketball: Curley Neil & Meadowlark Lemon

[MooseDog]

My answers are based on my feeling of the "best" player and how they performed in the game(s) I attended, not necessarily best in popular culture. For example I saw Michael Jordan once, but he didn't have a very good game. I saw Mickey Mantle in his last season, but he was a shadow of what he was supposed to be.

Baseball Frank Robinson - Ken Griffey Jr

Football Ken Stabler - Emmett Smith

Basketball Meadowlark Lemon - Kevin Durant

Hockey Bobby Orr Bobby Orr/Mario Lemieux

That last one is a tough call. I saw them completely dominate a hockey game almost single-handedly, which is very tough to do in hockey. Then again, those games were against very poor Seals/Sharks teams.

[insidethewrapper]

Baseball: Kaline,Mantle, Bonds,Ryan
Basketball: Bird, Lew Alcindor
Hockey : Howe

[Tripredacus]

It is a bit hard for me as I do not really remember what players were in games, and games tend to mix together. Typically I end up remembering weird players like Oleg Saprykin or Razor Shines.

Baseball: Jay Bell, Cliff Lee
Football: Thurman Thomas, Tom Brady
Hockey: ??? , Dominik Hasek

Baseball is hard as I say, being in a minor league town we end up having a bunch of... well... minor league guys. Then also some come in on rehab assignment... or some guy on the other team coming up that you don't know anything about until they make it in the majors later. I didn't even think of Cliff Lee at first, originally I would have had to say Brian Giles. But I have a keychain from a game, and I look up that game and he is the WP so...

Certainly I had seen some other good football players. I remember my first football game was Week 1 1990 Bills vs Colts, the Jeff George debut.

For hockey, I do not know what my first game was, but I doubt anyone I had seen would beat the any game best player. I did see Wayne Gretzky, but as a coach with Phoenix. Don't know if that counts.

[glynparson]

Baseball: Schmidt, Bonds
Basketball: Jordan, Bird
Football: Emmitt, Reggie White
Hockey: Gretzky, Jagr

[mattsey9]

Baseball Lou Brock, Barry Bonds

Football Walter Payton, Walter Payton

Basketball Larry Bird, Lebron James

Hockey Denis Savard, Mario Lemieux

[bnorth]

Baseball: Every great that played from the mid/late 80's to mid 00's. I went to 100's of games in that time period even though the closest stadium was a 600 mile round trip.

Basketball: I bought Timberwolves season tickets for the 06-07 season so I could see all the greats of the game in person that season. It is the only time I ever went to basketball games.

Football: Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith, and John Elway

Hockey: What is Hockey?

[Peter_Spaeth]

I had a chance to see Maradona when he was in Boston but passed, always regretted that. I think it was at a point where he was having lots of problems and wasn't at his top game, but nonetheless, my boss who went said the skill level was incredible to witness.

[peterb69]

Baseball Yaz Brett

Football Bo Brady

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I think in a few decades the consensus will be that Messi was better than Pele. These things take some time.

Could be. Of course 'best ever' is something we'll all see differently in every sport. That's part of the fun of these threads.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I think in a few decades the consensus will be that Messi was better than Pele. These things take some time.

No World Cups. He won't eclipse Pele in my opinion. Plus Pele had more charisma, joie de vivre, flair, whatever you want to call it. Even if Messi technically is better, it won't matter.

[tonyo]

Hockey: Mario Lemieux, although props to Marian Hossa when he played for the Thrashers (who?)
Football: Jerry Rice saw him score 5 td's vs atl in 1990
Basketball: Michael Jordan, runner up saw Dominique go for 50 once
Baseball: So many, but at my first game in Cincinnati pick'em : Joe Morgan was my fav, Pete Rose, Bench,
Soccer Miguel Almiron

[joshuanip]

Sport First Game Any Game

Baseball: Nolan Ryan / Barry Bonds*

Football: Aaron Rodgers / Jerry Rice / All Day (in his prime)

Basketball: Michael Jordan

Hockey: Wayne Gretzky / Super Mario