Your city's top-10 athletes of all time...

[rfournier103]

My New York Top Ten (according to a Boston guy):

Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Lawrence Taylor
Jackie Robinson
Mike Tyson
Walt Frazier
Patrick Ewing
Derek Jeter

There weren’t any Rangers, Islanders, Jets, or Mets that jumped off the page like the athletes listed above.

Maybe New Yorkers might be able to clarify if there is anyone from the above teams that should be on this list and who they might replace.

 

[rfournier103]

My stab at Los Angeles:

Sandy Koufax
Don Drysdale
Earvin Magic Johnson
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wayne Gretzky
Kobe Bryant
Wilt Chamberlain
James Worthy
Elgin Baylor
Jerry West

It’s very Laker-heavy, but Angelenos are free to throw their two cents in if someone is more deserving than the ten listed here.

 

[PhoenyX]

Ruth
Howe
Orr (I think he was from Detroit? Maybe not...)
Williams
Batista
Sherwood
Demonhauser

That's all I got off the top of my head.

 

[FourRings]

I know theres big overlap but it just doesnt make sense when talking about cities. Maybe if we want to start talking about States or geographical locations sure, but Newark isnt NYC. Buffalo is 6 hours from NYC so I dont think anyone would consider Buffalo players for NYC for good reason. Brodeur is definitely more of a figure in NYC than a Buffalo player but that doesnt mean hes an NYC icon when he played 20 years in Newark either.

Would you count Gretzky for anaheim just because he played in LA?

That's tough. I'm not entirely sure to be completely honest because I don't know the how sporting teams/rooting interests overlap in the LA/Anaheim area but I'd probably say yes. I don't think I'd exclude Duck players (if there were any) from the LA top-10 list just like I wouldn't exclude Mike Trout from it.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Winnipeg
1. Terry Fox
2. Teemu Selanne
3. Cindy Klassen
4. Jennifer Jones
5. Milt Stegall
6. Patrik Laine
7. Bill Mosienko
8. Dale Hawerchuk
9. Clara Hughes
10. Jeff Stoughton

Solid list although Fox was only in Winnipeg for a year or two before he moved elsewhere. As the greatest offensive lineman in CFL history, Chris Walby belongs on the list over at least a few of those people. Same with George Knudson, Terry Sawchuk, Chuck Gardiner, Johnathan Toews, and Andy Bathgate if you are including athletes who grew up here but played elsewhere.

 

[3rd Sedin]

1. Pavel Bure
2. Henrik Sedin
3. Daniel Sedin
4. Doug Flutie
5. Christine Sinclair
6. Lui Passaglia
7. Roberto Luongo
8. Geroy Simon
9. Alphonso Davies
10. Markus Naslund

Davies was a stretch, but I think in 5 years if somebody saw this they’d say he’s too low.

 

[rfournier103]

1. Pavel Bure
2. Henrik Sedin
3. Daniel Sedin
4. Doug Flutie
5. Christine Sinclair
6. Lui Passaglia
7. Roberto Luongo
8. Geroy Simon
9. Alphonso Davies
10. Markus Naslund

Davies was a stretch, but I think in 5 years if somebody saw this they’d say he’s too low.

I have a couple of Doug Flutie stories for you if you’re interested...

The first is... I was watching a Red Sox game on TV a several years ago and a NESN (they do the Sox games, too) cameraman spotted Flutie at Fenway Park. Just as Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy are talking about Flutie - he catches a foul ball! After the game, Flutie told the NESN on-field reporter, who wanted a sound bite from Flutie, that that was the fourth consecutive game that he caught a foul ball at!

My second story came from a guy that I worked with once who played against Flutie on the gridiron in high school. He told me that he was playing for Milton High the night Doug Flutie began his high school career as a freshman at Natick. On the opening kickoff of his very first game, Flutie is back to receive the kick and runs it all the way back for a touchdown. The very first play of his very first game - touchdown.

Doug Flutie is arguably the best football player the state of Massachusetts has ever produced.

 

[Binister]

Helsinki

Jari Litmanen
Teemu Pukki
Mikael Forssell
Lauri Markkanen
Teemu Selänne
Jari Kurri
Esa Tikkanen
Erik Karlsson
Brian Rafalski
Antti Niemi (footballer)

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

My New York Top Ten (according to a Boston guy):

Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Lawrence Taylor
Jackie Robinson
Mike Tyson
Walt Frazier
Patrick Ewing
Derek Jeter

There weren’t any Rangers, Islanders, Jets, or Mets that jumped off the page like the athletes listed above.

Maybe New Yorkers might be able to clarify if there is anyone from the above teams that should be on this list and who they might replace.

Tom Seaver bumps Tyson off the list simply because he didn't play for a NY area team.

Broadway Joe Namath bumps Ewing based on popularity and importance to the city at the time and he won a championship.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Ruth
Howe
Orr (I think he was from Detroit? Maybe not...)
Williams
Batista
Sherwood
Demonhauser

That's all I got off the top of my head.

Orr is NOT from Detroit. Parry Sound Ontario

 

[ManofSteel55]

For Edmonton, it basically comes down to where Warren Moon fits on the list of greatest Oilers ever, ha ha. (j/I, I will put Ray in there too).

Gretzky
Messier
Coffey
McDavid
Kurri
Fuhr
Moon
Anderson
Draisaitl
Ricky Ray

 

[rfournier103]

Tom Seaver bumps Tyson off the list simply because he didn't play for a NY area team.

Broadway Joe Namath bumps Ewing based on popularity and importance to the city at the time and he won a championship.

You can probably talk me into Namath over Ewing, but Tom Seaver over Mike Tyson???

Tyson might not have played a “team” sport, but still an athlete, from NYC, and was the NUMBER ONE boxer of the 1980s. The UNDISPUTED Heavyweight Champion of the World. Nothing against Tom Seaver, but I don’t see it.

 

[waitin425]

Joe Thornton
Eric Lindros
Drew Doughty
Tessa virtue
Scott moir

Can’t find who else was born in London. Too early

 

[waitin425]

Joe Thornton
Eric Lindros
Drew Doughty
Tessa virtue
Scott moir

Can’t find who else was born in London. Too early

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

You can probably talk me into Namath over Ewing, but Tom Seaver over Mike Tyson???

Tyson might not have played a “team” sport, but still an athlete, from NYC, and was the NUMBER ONE boxer of the 1980s. The UNDISPUTED Heavyweight Champion of the World. Nothing against Tom Seaver, but I don’t see it.

Okay, but he stood out compared to all of the others on the list that were a part of NY teams. I consolidated the list so the criteria was more specific.

If you open it up to all athletes who have plated for a NY team or are from NYC, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be on the list.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

delete

 

[rfournier103]

Okay, but he stood out compared to all of the others on the list that were a part of NY teams. I consolidated the list so the criteria was more specific.

If you open it up to all athletes who have plated for a NY team or are from NYC, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be on the list.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar never represented NY after he left high school. Tyson did.

If you want to restrict it to just team sports, then I guess Tyson doesn’t make the cut. In MY humble opinion, having boxed competitively myself, boxers are every bit the athletes that hockey; football; basketball; and certainly baseball players are.

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar never represented NY after he left high school. Tyson did.
View attachment 339179

If you want to restrict it to just team sports, then I guess Tyson doesn’t make the cut. In MY humble opinion, having boxed competitively myself, boxers are every bit the athletes that hockey; football; basketball; and certainly baseball players are.

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this.

I'm not disagreeing with you but I am just lost on your criteria.

First, it was all NY team players with one outlier, which I challenged.
Then, Tyson had to be included because he was from NYC.
Now, Jabbar is dismissed because he did not represent NYC like Tyson did.

I just sounds as if you are forcing Tyson in anyway you can.

 

[rfournier103]

I'm not disagreeing with you but I am just lost on your criteria.

First, it was all NY team players with one outlier, which I challenged.
Then, Tyson had to be included because he was from NYC.
Now, Jabbar is dismissed because he did not represent NYC like Tyson did.

I just sounds as if you are forcing Tyson in anyway you can.

The criteria I used was teams played for, and in Tyson’s case, where he was fighting out of. Whenever he was introduced before a bout for the first decade of his pro career, the ring announcer always said, “from Catskill, New York... Iron Mike Tyson!”

I freely admit that I have a soft spot for “the sweet science” of boxing, and I like to see the sport get its due. As I said, it’s just my opinion, and I did not limit my selections to “team” sports.

 

[Neutrinos]

My stab at Los Angeles:

Sandy Koufax
Don Drysdale
Earvin Magic Johnson
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wayne Gretzky
Kobe Bryant
Wilt Chamberlain
James Worthy
Elgin Baylor
Jerry West

It’s very Laker-heavy, but Angelenos are free to throw their two cents in if someone is more deserving than the ten listed here.

Shaq is easily above Worthy

 

[newfy]

You can probably talk me into Namath over Ewing, but Tom Seaver over Mike Tyson???

Tyson might not have played a “team” sport, but still an athlete, from NYC, and was the NUMBER ONE boxer of the 1980s. The UNDISPUTED Heavyweight Champion of the World. Nothing against Tom Seaver, but I don’t see it.

Top boxer of the 80s amd arguably the greatest peak for a boxer ever. Definitely belong on the list for NYC

 

[3rd Sedin]

I have a couple of Doug Flutie stories for you if you’re interested...

The first is... I was watching a Red Sox game on TV a several years ago and a NESN (they do the Sox games, too) cameraman spotted Flutie at Fenway Park. Just as Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy are talking about Flutie - he catches a foul ball! After the game, Flutie told the NESN on-field reporter, who wanted a sound bite from Flutie, that that was the fourth consecutive game that he caught a foul ball at!

My second story came from a guy that I worked with once who played against Flutie on the gridiron in high school. He told me that he was playing for Milton High the night Doug Flutie began his high school career as a freshman at Natick. On the opening kickoff of his very first game, Flutie is back to receive the kick and runs it all the way back for a touchdown. The very first play of his very first game - touchdown.

Doug Flutie is arguably the best football player the state of Massachusetts has ever produced.

They didn’t call him Magic Flutie for nothing! He’s an incredible athlete and extremely underrated. I appreciate you sharing those stories! I was lucky enough to see him play several times when I was really small, but not old enough to appreciate what I was witnessing.

He played just two years for the BC Lions, and then he was a thorn in our side for years playing for Calgary. His brother Darren was also really underrated and made one of the greatest catches in CFL playoff history which led to the Lions pulling off a major comeback upset against-ironically- Doug and his Stampeders. The whole final comeback drive is in the link below but the play you’re looking for is at 5:20. Still remember this like it’s yesterday!

 

[raswilliam]

I will try NY, Get killed but its my list so F off....
1. Babe Ruth
2. Mickey Mantle
3. Joe D
4. LT
5. Walt Frazier
6. Mariano Rivera
7. Joe Namath
8. Patrick Ewing
9. Mark Messier
10. Jackie Robinson

11. Ron Jeremy (Queens, NY)

 

[raswilliam]

Joe Thornton
Eric Lindros
Drew Doughty
Tessa virtue
Scott moir

Can’t find who else was born in London. Too early

jeff carter, craig Mctavish, craig simpson

 

[ColbyChaos]

That's a little petty.
LA and OC are one metro area

Besides the Angels identify as the Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Angels - Wikipedia

You forget a bit.. Los Angeles Angels *of Anaheim