Sport stars from the past

[Ilmago]

I always have this type of arguments with sports fans. I'm a strong believer that great sport stars from the past could have success in today's game. For example:

Baseball:
-Babe Ruth
-Lou Gehrig
-Ty Cobb
-Walter Johnson

Hockey:
-Maurice Richard
-Gordie Howe
-Jacques Plante

Basketball:
-Bill Russell
-George Mikan
-Bob Cousy

Football:
-Jim Brown
-Bart Starr
-Johnny Unitas

That's just to name a few players.

In your opinion do you believe sports athletes that dominated their era like Babe Ruth did in the early 1900's would be able to put up the same numbers, or close to in this generation?

 

[Michael_ Gee]

This is beyond obvious, Ilmago. The stars would still be stars, but their numbers would be different because the sports have changed. Holy cow, Gordie Howe, one of the athletes you cited, proved it. He successfully competed in about four generations worth of hockey.

 

[Ilmago]

This is beyond obvious, Ilmago. The stars would still be stars, but their numbers would be different because the sports have changed. Holy cow, Gordie Howe, one of the athletes you cited, proved it. He successfully competed in about four generations worth of hockey.

I agree with you Michael, but a lot of people make the argument that players today are bigger, faster and stronger then what they were while Maurice Richard played hockey. They also say that the Goalies are much better then they were in their era.

When it comes to Baseball, they keep saying that pitchers like Walter Johnson or Cy Young didn't have the velocity that the pitchers from today and the batters of today's generation would have a field day if they pitched to them. One guy made the argument that Babe Ruth wouldn't be able to handle a fastball thrown by Pedro(when he was in his prime)

That said, it might be obvious to me and you, and probably a few other posters on these forums, but a lot of people make the argument that superstars from the past wouldn't be able to handle it in today's era.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Don't you think stars from the past would take advantage of the same advantages modern day athletes have? Babe Ruth would be able to lift weights and shoot steroids up his ass. Jim Brown would do the same.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Babe Ruth would be lucky to hit as well as Jack Cust if you plopped him straight into today's game.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

For Ruth, you also have to factor in suspension times and how long he would spend in rehab.

Bronko Nagurski would have kicked ass today. Jim Brown ditto.

George Mikan? Probably a pedestrian NBA player.

 

[Ilmago]

Don't you think stars from the past would take advantage of the same advantages modern day athletes have? Babe Ruth would be able to lift weights.

That's another thing I keep saying in my argument. The likes of Babe Ruth would be able to have a proper gym, they would have a nutrition plan unlike they did in the past, the transportation would be more comfortable then riding the train.

I know Babe Ruth did have a trainer later in his career, but his workout routine would definitely be more advanced in today's game.

 

[poindexter]

On an old Superstars shown on ESPN classic, Joe Frazier, the heavyweight champ of the world, could not lift what looked like 135 pounds over his head.

a bar, and 45 pound weights on each side.

The heavyweight champ of the world.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Bill Simmmons eviscerated George Mikan in his basketball book. It was a very thoughtful chapter. No way could Mikan play today.

 

[spnited]

Wilt Chamberlain could not average 50 a game in today's NBA but he would be far and away the best center in the league.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Babe Ruth would be lucky to hit as well as Jack Cust if you plopped him straight into today's game.

Well, you'd also have to take into account Ruth would be 115 years old, too.

 

[mustangj17]

Babe Ruth would be lucky to hit as well as Jack Cust if you plopped him straight into today's game.

Well, you'd also have to take into account Ruth would be 115 years old, too.

Julio Franco played until was 115.

 

[ThomsonONE]

When it comes to Baseball, they keep saying that pitchers like Walter Johnson or Cy Young didn't have the velocity that the pitchers from today and the batters of today's generation would have a field day if they pitched to them. One guy made the argument that Babe Ruth wouldn't be able to handle a fastball thrown by Pedro(when he was in his prime)

That guy is an idiot. Walter Johnson is regarded as one of the, if not the hardest throwers in baseball history. Ruth is the greatest hitter in history, and would be successful in any era.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

That's just it. Sports moves on a curve as athletes get bigger, faster (and in the case of baseball pitchers, radar guns get altered by teams and broadcasters. I swear every pitcher in both leagues has gained 5 mph on the ball since 2004) and stronger. So you have to assume that, say George Mikan, who was the biggest player in the sport at 6-11, would today be the biggest player in the sport at about 7-6, with muscles. Jack Nicklaus drove the ball 280 with a persimmon head driver at age 22. At age 22 today, he'd have a metal driver and the souped ball of today, and so on.

 

[Drip]

Wilt Chamberlain could not average 50 a game in today's NBA but he would be far and away the best center in the league.

So true. But Spnited, he'd have a helluva lot of 50-point games playing against the bums that are on the court today.

 

[cranberry]

Considering global scouting and the exponentially larger talent pool, I'd say very few former stars would be stars of the same magnitude today. The competition they faced was considerably weaker.

 

[JC]

Wilt Chamberlain could not average 50 a game in today's NBA but he would be far and away the best center in the league.

So true. But Spnited, he'd have a helluva lot of 50-point games playing against the bums that are on the court today.

compared to the 6'8" bums that were trying to guard him.

 

[spnited]

Wilt Chamberlain could not average 50 a game in today's NBA but he would be far and away the best center in the league.

So true. But Spnited, he'd have a helluva lot of 50-point games playing against the bums that are on the court today.

compared to the 6'8" bums that were trying to guard him.

There are no current NBA centers who are anywhere near as good defensively as Bill Russell (even at 6-9) or Nate Thurmond, who was 6-11, 240 and played Wilt very tough.

Wilt would chew Dwight Howard up and spit him out.

 

[JC]

Wilt Chamberlain could not average 50 a game in today's NBA but he would be far and away the best center in the league.

So true. But Spnited, he'd have a helluva lot of 50-point games playing against the bums that are on the court today.

compared to the 6'8" bums that were trying to guard him.

There are no current NBA centers who are anywhere near as good defensively as Bill Russell (even at 6-9) or Nate Thurmond, who was 6-11, 240 and played Wilt very tough.

Wilt would chew Dwight Howard up and spit him out.

Those are the exceptions, but just pure size and athleticism the players he would be playing against now are better. I have no doubt that he would still dominate but Drips comment about bums is ridiculous

 

[spnited]

Agreed, JC. But Wilt also was a lot quicker than people realize.