NationStates Jolt Archive

What is the greatest moment in sports history? Each one of us will give a different answer, but for me, there is one moment that will stick out for the rest of my life.

Sports movies are very cliche. You know how each movie is going to end by the time you are five minutes into it. Of course that fairy tale ending you see in the movie never occurs in real life. On October 15, 1988, the fairy tale became a reality.

It was the classic movie situation. It is Game 1 of the World Series. The home team (Dodgers in this case) are down 4-3 with a runner on 1st and two outs in the bottom of the ninth. This is the moment where the movies hero steps up and belts a the walk-off homerun.

In this case our hero is Kirk Gibson. He has the pressure of the world on top of him as he faces former Cy Young winner and future first ballot hall of fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

Gibson had won the 1988 NL MVP award. This fact might make it seem obvious that he is going to come through in the clutch. It might surprise many of you to read this, but not a single person in Dodger Stadium besides Tony Lasorda thought Gibson would come through. Kirk Gibson had destroyed both his knee and his hamstring in his quest to push his team into the playoffs. He was severely injured in the NLCS and had gotten a stomach virus on top of that. He was not expected to play the game. Famed Dodger announcer Vin Scully announced earlier in the night that Gibson would be unavailable for the game. He wasn't even in the dugout until the 9th inning.

With the game on the line, Lasorda made his gamble and put the crippled Kirk Gibson in as a pinch hitter. I'll now turn this tale over to the man and legend himself, Vin Scully:

And look who's coming up. All year long, they looked to him to light the fire, and all year long, he answered the demands, until he was physically unable to start tonight——with two bad legs: The bad left hamstring, and the swollen right knee. And, with two out, you talk about a roll of the dice... this is it. He can't push off [with the back leg], and he can't land [on the front leg]."

The at bat went on. The count quickly reached 0-2 as Gibson hit a ball foul and ran down the line. He was obviously hurting and in a lot of pain as he ran.

Gibson hits a bouncing ball foul and it had to be an effort to run that far.

Scully then remarked before the next pitch:

Shaking his left leg, making it quiver, like a horse trying to get rid of a troublesome fly.

During the course of the at bat, Mike Davis stole 2nd. The camera then panned to Steve Sax, who was on deck with the count now 3-2.

The game right now is at the plate.

Here we are now. The count is 3-2. The Dodgers are on their last strike with the winning run at the plate and the tying run on 2nd. The Hall of Fame pitcher made his pitch.

High fly ball into right field, she i-i-i-is... gone!!!

The legendary announcer kept silence for 67 seconds to allow the crowd to take the moment in. He broke his silence with this line:

In a year that has been so improbable... the impossible has happened! And, now, the only question was, could he make it around the base paths unassisted?! You know, I said it once before, a few days ago, that Kirk Gibson was not the Most Valuable Player; that the Most Valuable Player for the Dodgers was Tinkerbell. But, tonight, I think Tinkerbell backed off for Kirk Gibson. And, look at Eckersley——shocked to his toes!
They are going wild at Dodger Stadium——no one wants to leave!"

http://images.art.com/images/-/Kirk-Gibson-1988-World-Series-Home-Run--C10103671.jpeg

1980 Winter Olympics; US Hockey team vs. USSR a bunch of college rookies took down a team of professional intimidators.

If I were to think about the greatest sporting event I ever witnessed, I'm sure it would have happened at a baseball game. The Greatest Sport gets run down a lot for being slow and boring, but people don't appreciate how intricate the strategy can be during a game.

I'd have to rate the 2003 Kevin Millwood no-hitter up there with the great things. You don't see many pitchers throw a whole game anymore, let alone throw a no-hitter.

http://argentina.hautetfort.com/images/medium_ita-fra-zidane-headbutt-materazzi06-g.2.jpg

The streaker at Superbowl XXXVIII that went almost completely unnoticed by the press because of Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' that had Congress frothing at the mouth about indecency.

*nod*

The streaker at Superbowl XXXVIII that went almost completely unnoticed by the press because of Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' that had Congress frothing at the mouth about indecency.

*nod*

...was you? :p

I doubt many'll recognise it. But Gareth Edwards' try for the Barbarians. Rugby fans'll know the one.

Some that I like:

The 'Hand of God' (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=AJZtivkagAw)
Randy Johnson hits a bird (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=POz8ICQr9I0)
Bill Buckner 1986 World Series (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=IEpi6ZbM_nE)
Wayne Gretzky getting 50 goals in 39 games (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5f00zx36Q8)
Joe Carter 1993 World Series (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=eL_R5wL0ADY)

...was you? :p

Actually, it was the infamous Mark Roberts, Professional Streaker. *nod*

Whom I idolize. ;)

Actually, it was the infamous Mark Roberts, Professional Streaker. *nod*

Whom I idolize. ;)

Heh.

Any thoughts on the pic I posted earlier? Truly the greatest moment in sports history?

Heh.

Any thoughts on the pic I posted earlier? Truly the greatest moment in sports history?

what about this famous moment: http://www.vinniejones.co.uk/images/football/vj_pg_big.jpg

Greatest moment in sports history?

1958. The first sports game was created. That will be forever sports historys finest (And only good) moment. As far as I'm concerned at least.

When the Soviets beat the Americans in basketball in 1972.

What?

1980 Winter Olympics; US Hockey team vs. USSR a bunch of college rookies took down a team of professional intimidators.

^this

http://argentina.hautetfort.com/images/medium_ita-fra-zidane-headbutt-materazzi06-g.2.jpg

I am thinking of the 4chan gifs.

I really liked the Giants' Super Bowl victory. Other than that?

http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2007/10/takudzwa-ngwenya-smokes-bryan-habana.html

Our rookie amateur simultaneously scoring a try and totally owning the fastest rugby union player in the world was a kinda a big deal for me.

what about this famous moment: http://www.vinniejones.co.uk/images/football/vj_pg_big.jpg
You know what I love about that? The fact that a photographer managed to get such a great shot of it, with the full act and the expressions on both Jones' and Gascoigne's faces.

As for greatest moment in sports...I'll come back to that.

January 11th, 1987, the AFC Championship game between the Denver Broncos and the Cleavland Browns:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drive

Harmison at Edgbaston ;ironic given he's done sod all since then, and I can't envisage him doing so at any point soon, however, I can remember watching this delivery in the pub throughly dejected, and it genuinely was a special moment.

The Champions League final, 1999, the Camp Nou.

and....Bodyline. Douglas Jardine deserved, provided he didn't recieve one, a knighthood for devising his terribly cunning plan, and having the spine and balls to follow it through.

1980 Winter Olympics; US Hockey team vs. USSR a bunch of college rookies took down a team of professional intimidators.
/\ this and
When the Soviets beat the Americans in basketball in 1972.
/\ this and

When the 2004 Summer Olympics where the Argentines beat the U.S. 89-81.

January 11th, 1987, the AFC Championship game between the Denver Broncos and the Cleavland Browns:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drive

no. that did not happen, will never happen, and will never be spoken of again. Anyone caught speaking of it will be strung from their thumbs between the uprights.

/\ this and

/\ this and

you keep winning points.

I'm not a Sydney fan, but Plugger's (http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/1008852.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193CC300C081D9F4700F20B3A680F39A35B610EC14202399317E30A760B0D811297) 1300th goal was pretty huge. That and his Point.

I'm not sure if this actually qualifies as the greatest moment, but me and my friend found it memorable, and we couldn't stop laughing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMpoXHfeJw

Rolling squid;13581446']no. that did not happen, will never happen, and will never be spoken of again. Anyone caught speaking of it will be strung from their thumbs between the uprights.
It did happen, but what does it matter? Elway choked in the Superbowl and had to wait another 9 years to finally win one.

I'm not sure if this actually qualifies as the greatest moment, but me and my friend found it memorable, and we couldn't stop laughing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMpoXHfeJw

I laughed. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJoxGpEswOI

This is a high school game. The kid is no playing NCAA ball for Tubby Smith at Minnesota. I'm in Purdue's Paint Crew and one of my buddies wanted to use a picture of this play to put on a poster with the word FLUKE on it. He got shut up three weeks later in the NCAA Tourney when Blake had an almost equally amazing play to beat IU at the buzzer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u51znupszPw
I was in attendance for this shot. Purdue lost the first game against I-L-L-D-U-I so we stayed for the game since we payed a scalper $60 for our rafter seats.

Women's sport:
2000 Olympics, water polo final - Australia 4, USA 3, winning goal scored with less than a second remaining.

Report (http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2000/WATERPOLO/)

Men's sport:

The ball of the century, of course:

Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_of_the_century)

I particularly like these lines from Wikipedia:

Perhaps the most memorable and amusing quote which emerged as a result of Warne's now famous delivery came from England captain Graham Gooch, on the reaction of Gatting: "He looked as though someone had just nicked his lunch.", particularly comical as Gatting is much-mocked for his rotundness.[5] This was further alluded to by journalist Martin Johnson, who said "How anyone can spin a ball the width of Gatting boggles the mind"[5], and again by Gooch who added "If it had been a cheese roll, it would never have got past him."

I love the Edward's try. So brilliant in so many ways. (Also illegal in one way but I don't care).

I also like Gerrard's goal in the FA Cup Final against West Ham to draw level.

Willie Mays' catch in the '54 World Series is incredible, as is Tris Speaker's in the '12 World Series (nobody knows about that one though).

Bill Mazeroski's shot in 1960 is also great.

Though the greatest sports moment of all time hasn't happened yet, and it will be the last play that brings the Cubs their first World Series trophy in at least 100 years. That will truly be incredible.

The Champions League final, 1999, the Camp Nou.

I think the 2nd leg against Juventus was just far more compelling a match - the actual final wasn't such a great game aside from those last 2 minutes, which I grant could be considered the most amazing 2 minutes in football, but the entire game not so much.

You'll obviously know all this but for those who don't...

For the 2nd leg against Juventus, which I think was the semi-finals, Man U had drawn at home for the 1st leg, giving Juventus an away goal, which was an advantage in itself.

With the game being played in Turin, Juventus then scored 2 goals in the first 10 minutes or so. I remember everyone thinking it was simply over, then a goal came and the thought that it only took one more goal to give Man U 2 away goals so it possibly wasn't that hard.

60 minutes later and Man U ran out 3-2 winners and into the finals.

I'm not a huge Man U fan but that was simply an extraordinary game of football.

Here we go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bckcXmdRM&NR=1

Here we go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bckcXmdRM&NR=1

I swear to God, pole vaulting was one of those sports that I, in my general wanton disregard for personal safety, could not bring myself to try and it was thoughts of these sorts of occurences that remain my reasons.

you keep winning points.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/Sarothai/Smileys/Dziekuje.gif
* saves up points*
* hopes to buy something cool with them... *

One of the greatest moments is Jack Lovelock winning the 1500m at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Perfectly executed, described by one reporter as "a race magnificent beyond all description …There never was such a run nor such a runner" and made all the more famous by the effect it had on the normally staid BBC radio commentator who lost all poise in the dying seconds of the race:
'Lovelock leads! Lovelock! Lovelock! Cunningham second, Beccali third. Come on, Jack! A hundred yards to go! Come on, Jack!! My God, he's done it. Jack, come on! Lovelock wins. Five yards, six yards, he wins. He's won. Hooray!!'

Here's the footage:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/814661

and a bit more info about the man:
http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/lovelock.html

When the Soviets beat the Americans in basketball in 1972.

What?

This actually qualifies for Soviet Groundhog Day.

Replay the last few seconds of the game over and over again until the Soviets win. :rolleyes:

I don't know, it could be the miracle on ice, but I'd really take a really good baseball game over that any day. I just can't think of one in particular right now.

I think the 2nd leg against Juventus was just far more compelling a match - the actual final wasn't such a great game aside from those last 2 minutes, which I grant could be considered the most amazing 2 minutes in football, but the entire game not so much.

You'll obviously know all this but for those who don't...

For the 2nd leg against Juventus, which I think was the semi-finals, Man U had drawn at home for the 1st leg, giving Juventus an away goal, which was an advantage in itself.

With the game being played in Turin, Juventus then scored 2 goals in the first 10 minutes or so. I remember everyone thinking it was simply over, then a goal came and the thought that it only took one more goal to give Man U 2 away goals so it possibly wasn't that hard.

60 minutes later and Man U ran out 3-2 winners and into the finals.

I'm not a huge Man U fan but that was simply an extraordinary game of football.


Keane was unbelievably good in Turin, especially given that he received a yellow card early in the game thus barring him from the final. However, the drama of the final was something else.

Seedorf's strike when he played for Real Madrid is one of the best goals ever:

The Goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo2ob9N6rPM)

I also like Gerrard's goal in the FA Cup Final against West Ham to draw level.

.

Eh, Gerrard's shot you see every week really. Beckham has a shout for best goal with his half-way line shot.

You've got Jesse Owens achievement in the 1936 Olympics.

That'll be Jesse Owens. Here he is winning the 100m in 1936.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1XclGwJY8s

That'll be Jesse Owens. Here he is winning the 100m in 1936.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1XclGwJY8s

One of the more pleasant hiccups in that whole 'master race' theory. :)

If I were to think about the greatest sporting event I ever witnessed, I'm sure it would have happened at a baseball game. The Greatest Sport gets run down a lot for being slow and boring, but people don't appreciate how intricate the strategy can be during a game.

I'd have to rate the 2003 Kevin Millwood no-hitter up there with the great things. You don't see many pitchers throw a whole game anymore, let alone throw a no-hitter.

And that's why it gets run down.

Greatest moment in sports history?

1958. The first sports game was created. That will be forever sports historys finest (And only good) moment. As far as I'm concerned at least.

You're going to have to explain this one in a bit more detail. I've no idea what you mean, as sports have been around far longer than 1958. Now, if you're talking about a sports-based board game or card game, then you might have something.

Though the greatest sports moment of all time hasn't happened yet, and it will be the last play that brings the Cubs their first World Series trophy in at least 100 years. That will truly be incredible.

No more incredible than any other team winning the "World" Series. Sorry, but you people who are fans of big city teams have to get over yourselves. Not everybody thinks the Cubs winning the "Just Barely North America" Series will be anything but the end of another season. You act like the Cubs deserve it or something, just for having not won it in a century. So what?

Some that I like:

The 'Hand of God' (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=AJZtivkagAw)

In England we don't call it 'the hand of God', we call it 'that cheating mother fucker, Argie bastard coke fiend, using his hand to diddle us'.:D

In England we don't call it 'the hand of God', we call it 'that cheating mother fucker, Argie bastard coke fiend, using his hand to diddle us'.:D

Yes, because the English have never had assholes on the field and have never cheated without getting caught.

Yes, because the English have never had assholes on the field and have never cheated without getting caught.

That is correct old bean, it's our sense of fair play don'tcha know!:D

Yes, because the English have never had assholes on the field and have never cheated without getting caught.

Clearly. We invented the game, therefore we can't cheat, we just change the rules :p

These two are pretty awesome moments:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MpSo1aciPqU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VU15oPVh7Xw&feature=related

29 August, 1882: The death of English Cricket

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!!!

*Gets drunk, grows a mullet and smokes a pack of Winnie Blues*
*wears flag as cape*

First some national propaganda...

At the 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich, Virén won both the 5,000 and the 10,000 meter events. At the 10,000 meter final held on September 3rd, Virén broke Ron Clarke's 7-year old world record despite falling in the twelfth lap after getting tangled with Frank Shorter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasse_Viren)


Then a comment...

IMO crap like basetesticle or crickit should not apply as they're neverheards outside of the countries they're played (namely USA and British empire).

And finally the answer...

I think Hand of God is a good overall contender.

IMO crap like basetesticle or crickit should not apply as they're neverheards outside of the countries they're played (namely USA and British empire).
.

With cricket, that's about a third of the world's population.

Bristol City promotion to the Championship 06/07

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLnKi4ZlsgY&feature=related

With cricket, that's about a third of the world's population.

IIRC around 10 countries play cricket at the highest level.

That does not make it a global sport by any standard.

edit:
It's closer to qualification than basetesticle though. :)

29 August, 1882: The death of English Cricket

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!!!

*Gets drunk, grows a mullet and smokes a pack of Winnie Blues*
*wears flag as cape*

2005 Ashes series - Aussies knocked down to size

*Gets drunk, shaves head and smokes a pack of Bensons*
*wears cheap sportswear*

IIRC around 10 countries play cricket at the highest level.

That does not make it a global sport by any standard.

Then outside of Football (soccer) what is a global sport then? The only other one I can think of is Athletics.

Pure Numbers wise cricket is probably the second most popular sport in the world.

Then outside of Football (soccer) what is a global sport then? The only other one I can think of is Athletics.

Well - I'd say, for example, volleyball, basketball, cycling, tennis and golf are more widely played and/or followed than cricket.

Though, cricket is more global than - for example - basetesticle.


I would also add certain winter sports (ice hockey, certain ski-events, skating, stuff from winter olympics) but their status as global is of course very debatable - However they are practiced almost everywhere where ice, snow & winter in general are possible (as opposed to crickit). :)

Cricket may not be followed in many countries, but where it is played the people are fanatical about it - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and now Bangladesh.

The appeal is like football - can be played anywhere flat and doesn't have a huge start up cost (unlike golf)

I think the global games tend to be more team based, where loads of people can share the equipment. I recently watched kids playing cricket near India Gate in Delhi and it was about 200 a side!!

Well - I'd say, for example, volleyball, basketball, cycling, tennis and golf are more widely played and/or followed than cricket.

I would also add certain winter sports (ice hockey, certain ski-events, skating, stuff from winter olympics) but their status as global is of course very debatable - However they are practiced almost everywhere where ice, snow & winter in general are possible (as opposed to crickit). :)

How are you judging? In sheer numbers of population as I said cricket kicks the hell out of all those sports. Plus although only 10 play at the highest level, you've got a lot of lesser members who play one day international matches. Over 30 off the top of my head.

How are you judging? In sheer numbers of population as I said cricket kicks the hell out of all those sports.

It's not about numbers - though I find it *very* hard to believe that a batting game would have more players than a simple ball game (eg. basketball, with its 218 member nations or volleyball with 219 member nations) - but prevalence over nations and amount of spectators around the world. If you took out India & Bangladesh you'd reduce cricket to a minority sport by terms of players and spectators, ousted by other not-quite global sports like rugby.

For that matter, give me a numbers, how many registered crikit players are there in the world?

Plus although only 10 play at the highest level, you've got a lot of lesser members who play one day international matches. Over 30 off the top of my head.
Can any country rise to the top level through their personal effort? Is cricket freely competitable sport?

From Wiki

The International Cricket Council has 101 members: 10 Full Members that play official Test cricket matches, 33 Associate Members, and 58 Affiliate Members.

A lot of these associates and affiliates are small countries, but it shows the game is played around the world.

Tonya Harding sending a crook to hit Nancy Kerrigan on the leg to disqualify her from the Winter Olympics. Nothing better than drama between bitches. LOL!:D

It's not about numbers - though I find it *very* hard to believe that a batting game would have more players than a simple ball game (eg. basketball, with its 218 member nations or volleyball with 219 member nations) - but prevalence over nations and amount of spectators around the world. If you took out India & Bangladesh you'd reduce cricket to a minority sport by terms of players and spectators, ousted by other not-quite global sports like rugby.

For that matter, give me a numbers, how many registered crikit players are there in the world?


Can any country rise to the top level through their personal effort? Is cricket freely competitable sport?

Can't find any exact figures, it's known as the most popular sport in the asian sub-continent, namely India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Australia, . It is also very popular in England, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Any country can become a top class nation. Bangladesh most recently maybe 5-6 years back. Associate members play Int'l one day matches against the major nations and usually winning a few games against full member opposition merits full member status, though I don't know the exact requirements (if there are exact ones).

1980 Winter Olympics; US Hockey team vs. USSR a bunch of college rookies took down a team of professional intimidators.

Yeah, that.

Or, the Colorado Rockies getting to the World Series. The whole Rockies team has a budget about the size of a player's salary for the Yankees (I exaggerate a little, but you get the picture), but they ROCKED last season. Here's to them doing it again.

Tonya Harding sending a crook to hit Nancy Kerrigan on the leg to disqualify her from the Winter Olympics. Nothing better than drama between bitches. LOL!:D

:eek:
You're mean...:(

Not maybe the "Greatest moment in sports history," but this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbl_Yjm7VBk) is really one of the best finishes I've ever seen. Twelve hours of racing, the Ferrari essentially straining the car, fireworks going off in the background because other classes has already finished. Awesome. Though the Porsche should have won.

Maybe the triumph of the 'underdog' (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Ford-GT-40-1967-Lemans-Win_76598.htm) GT40 at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, after which Dan Gurney started a sports tradition- (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans)
When Dan Gurney won the 1967 race with co-driver A.J. Foyt, the two drivers mounted the victory stand and Gurney was handed a magnum of champagne. Looking down, he saw Ford CEO Henry Ford II, team owner Carroll Shelby and their wives, as well as several journalists who had predicted disaster for the high-profile duo. Gurney shook the bottle and sprayed everyone nearby, establishing a tradition reenacted in victory celebrations the world over for the past 40 years. Gurney, incidentally, autographed and gave the bottle of champagne to a LIFE magazine photographer, Flip Schulke, who used it as a lamp for many years. He recently returned the bottle to Gurney, who keeps it at his home in California.
During the night the Ferrari, down by at least a lap, knew their best chance was to force the Ford into a mistake. The driver rode up on the GT40, flashing lights and riding directly behind him. Gurney kept his pace and even pulled out of the line to let the Ferrari by, but it remained behind. Eventually, Gurney pulled off the track entirely, followed by the Ferrari. They sat there for what Gurney described as a matter of moments that felt like an eternity before pulling back on the track. The Ford driver was not to be unsettled.

Or maybe the 1970 Le Mans where Jackie Ickes protested what he felt was the dangerous Le Mans start, where the drivers lined up along the track opposite their cars and at the start ran across the track, jumped in their cars and drove off (it's why Porsche 911s have the ignition on the left hand side, so the driver can start the car with one hand and put it in gear with the other). He walked across the track instead of running. His GT40 managed a win of only 100 yards after 24 hours of racing.

I thought of another one, but no one at this point is reading a bunch of essentially trivia about endurance sports car racing...

I thought of another one, but no one at this point is reading a bunch of essentially trivia about endurance sports car racing...

QFT.

QFT.

Well http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/tounge.gif