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Old 07-27-2005, 11:08 AM
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Default Greatest athlete of all-time

Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

There is a reason they made those commercials. It was because Bo Jackson was, in fact, prior to his devastating injury, a truly remarkable athlete. Remember Buck O'Neal's hypnotic story in Ken Burns' baseball about hearing "that sound" (the magical sound of a bat striking a ball in a particularly compelling way) only three times in his life? Babe Ruth and Josh Gibson were two of the men who made "that sound." The third? Bo Jackson. Does anyone recall hearing Tony Kubek comment that Jackson because of his speed might well cause a reexamination of much of the "received wisdom" about baserunning? Can you imagine being a catcher and having Bo Jackson bearing down on you? Has anyone ever seen a running back who could get to the outside and turn the corner faster than Bo Jackson or anyone who, once he did, had as much pure open field speed? Who else has EVER played both baseball and football at such a high level. Thorpe was a minor league baseball player (so was Michael Jordan), and Deion Sanders (who does, in fairness, deserve mention) had potential but was not the force Jackson was.

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