I was just thinking this morning of what sports figures/athletes I miss watching on TV (or live)

Who do you miss? Could have been someone just watched as a kid, perhaps your childhood hero, and someone you liked as a teen or adult.

Who do I miss?

Baseball:
- I miss watching Willie Stargell coming up to bat, watching him windmill his bat before the pitcher threw the ball
- When Roberto Clemente came up to bat, he'd often shake his neck back and forth. I miss seeing that.
- I miss seeing Juan Marichal in his wind-up, high leg kick.
- Watching Al Hrabosky getting psyched up before he'd face another batter. He'd walk behind the mound; psych himself up and walk angrily back to the pitchers mound to face the batter.
- Seeing big huge men like Willie McCovey & Dave Kingman swing that bat.
- I miss the Expos.

Hockey
-I miss watching Gilbert Perreault and his end to end rushes at the start of his NHL career. That was something else.
-Watching Bobby Orr skate with the puck, the things he did on the ice. I miss Bobby.

With most of these, I'm probably showing my age here.

I took this photo when I visited Yankee Stadium in 1978. Yankees on the field before a game. Maybe Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Mickey Rivers, Chris Chambliss, Willie Randolph and others are in this photo. I know some of them are, just don't remember who.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8493/8430693000_0b78fa6533.jpg

http://tripleinthegap.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/kirby.jpg

Nevermind of all the controversy and crap at the end, he was and is still one of my favorite players.

It is not any particular player I miss but what I do miss is an era. A time when every team, even the bad ones,
had one or two Hall Of Fame caliber players. A time when players were as loyal to the fans as the fans to them.
The Big Red Machine and The We Are Family Pirates. The Steel Curtain, The Purple People Eaters and The No Name
defense. The Broad Street Bullies, the Julius Irving - Larry Bird rivalries. Classic matches from The Lakers, Celtics and
Sixers. The heavy weight bouts, Ali, Frazier, Holmes and Forman. What a great time for sports, it is all gone now.

It is not any particular player I miss but what I do miss is an era. A time when every team, even the bad ones,
had one or two Hall Of Fame caliber players. A time when players were as loyal to the fans as the fans to them.The Big Red Machine and The We Are Family Pirates. The Steel Curtain, The Purple People Eaters and The No Name
defense. The Broad Street Bullies, the Julius Irving - Larry Bird rivalries. Classic matches from The Lakers, Celtics and
Sixers. The heavy weight bouts, Ali, Frazier, Holmes and Forman. What a great time for sports, it is all gone now.


Very true.

I miss the days of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man Randy Savage, Andre The Giant, Bob Backlund and many others when wrestling was good.

Some more photos I just found. Please forgive the blurriness of the photos. All these were taken at Jarry Park, in Montreal.

This first one was taken in 1973??, just prior to the start of a ball game.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8433125834_4a894b6997.jpg

This one was taken in 1973 or 1974 (not sure). Johnny Bench is behind the batting cage. I was able to acquire his autograph (and Pete Rose's and Joe Morgan's) that same day. Looking at the batting stance, that might have been Tony Perez taking batting practice.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8433125858_fd04f045c9.jpg

This is a photo I took when I met Gary Carter back in 1975. Fan appreciation day. He was quite friendly.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8433125820_fa3dd0b7aa.jpg

Very true.

I agree with what you highlighted in Loki's post; it seems like there has been a lack of loyalty amongst players/fans.

Also, to a much lesser extent, I sorta miss the Rams being in L.A. (not that I was ever a football fan to begin with).

I miss in cricket the players that had distinct characteristics, like Viv Richards, Ian Botham, Shane Warne and Phil Tufnell, In a strange way, the players are still at the sporting arena for they now commentate for the media. Please add tennis players of John McEnore, Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras.