SPORTS fans today should consider themselves fortunate. They're living in the best of times -- sports wise, if not otherwise. McGwire is best, at
least for a seasonMark McGwire is the latest greatest in the world of sports.
He touched them all -- well, maybe he had to backtrack to first base -- a record 62 times this year, surpassing the single-season home run mark set by Roger Maris, who had outdone Babe Ruth.
The Babe still remains the greatest baseball player in my books. Don't forget, he was quite a pitcher, too. But he was from another era along with Ty Cobb and Cy Young. Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial and Willie Mays were heroes in the 1940s and '50s. Latter-day fans remember Pete Rose, who belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame for sheer numbers. Most at-bats, hits, you name it.
As this millennium draws to an end, fans vividly recall the records set by Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken and now McGwire, who could turn the home run record on its ear before the season is over.
Of course, Ruth and McGwire can't be compared since they've played in different eras. The only quantifiable standard is that McGwire has 62 home runs and counting, and Ruth hit 60. The greatest 'tweener for now belongs to Roger Maris with 61.
WHEN it comes to home runs in a season, McGwire is the greatest, although I doubt he will surpass Aaron's 755 career home runs. At 449 homers -- and counting -- McGwire could hit 70 in the next four years and still not pass Aaron.
In terms of the latest greatest, McGwire is unchallenged after making baseball history on "9-8-98." But I doubt he will be considered the greatest baseball player ever.
Yet in our time, and in my opinion, we have been fortunate to see five of the greatest athletes in their respective sports:
Michael Jordan, basketball.
In basketball, people can make a case for Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But in terms of the total package, Jordan is without peer. May he return for a farewell tour next season with the Chicago Bulls.
Boxing? Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano rank right up there. But for good luck, charisma and worldwide recognition at the peak of his career, nobody comes close to Ali.
I don't usually like to see athletes use sports as a soap box -- Reggie White's homophobic outbursts come to mind -- but Ali's stand on Vietnam has been vindicated.
As comedian George Carlin said, "The government took away his right to fight because he didn't want to kill people."
LIKE Ali, Pele was another world figure I had a chance to meet. Even those not enamored of soccer were entranced by the wizardry of the Brazilian superstar.
In golf, Nicklaus in his prime was simply incomparable. Bobby Jones must have been something in his time, as was Ben Hogan. But, to use a mixed metaphor, Nicklaus' accomplishments are truly Ruthian.
Kids might want to be Tiger Woods, but he's just a babe in the woods in golf. It'll take a lifetime and then some for Tiger to match Nicklaus' record of 70 PGA Tour victories, including 18 major championships.
Let it be said that ice hockey leaves me cold. But even I am aware of the remarkable accomplishments of the Great Gretzky, who won 10 National Hockey League scoring titles, including seven in a row with Edmonton.
Did you know that NHL training camp opens this weekend?