Like the fictional character Roy Hobbs in the baseball movie The Natural, some people, places and events have left their mark in such an overwhelmingly significant way that we are compelled to remark: “There goes the best that ever was.”

The following are my choices in a variety of categories, in no particular order.  My criteria: repeated excellence over time, the total impact on sport, art or society, and the degree to which they set the tone or became the prototype for excellence. (In most instances these selections are from within my own lifetime and/or direct experience.  For instance, I have no way of gauging Hitler vs. Genghis Khan...)  

Spitting – Reggie Jackson

Jackson could casually and almost effortlessly eject a stream of spittle from between his teeth that would travel in a straight shot for over twenty feet.  With accuracy.  The man was a giant.

Mustache – Rollie Fingers

The essential barbershop handlebar.  He reinvented it and he maintained it.  Who’s in second place?

Car – Ford Model T

Sure, there are muscle cars and expensive cars and beautiful cars… but this is the original deal, the one that put your grand daddy on the road in the first place.

Inventor – (tie) Leonardo de Vinci / Ben Franklin

If it was invented, chances are these guys did it first.

Talk show host – Johnny Carson

Sure he seems weird and affected today, but he established the basic desk and guest format that everyone copies.

Observer of the human condition – (tie) Mark Twain and George Carlin

Never before have there been two more astute and quotable characters then these two.  My personal heroes, both.

Demonstration of political muscle – Diane Feinstein

In the 1980’s, then-San Francisco Mayor Feinstein came on TV after a particularly heinous crime: a disabled, elderly woman was raped, dragged down a flight of stairs and left half naked on the street.  Taking off her glasses for effect and staring right into the camera, Feinstein said: “I don’t know who you punks are, or who you THINK you are, but I’m comin’ to get you.”  Within 24 hours the perpetrators were behind bars.

Left Jab – Mohammed Ali

Cassius invented it, now even Letterman mimics it.

Long jump – Bob Beamon

The Perfect Jump was finally bested in 1991.  But the original feat surpassed the existing mark by 22 inches, and stood for 23 years.

American speed skating – Eric Heiden

The man-child in the golden suit won ALL the medals and was THE story of the 1980 Olympics, not that idiot poser hockey team.

Hard-rockin harmonica tune – WhammerJammer, Magic Dick, J.Geils Band

Magic Dick on the lickin’ stick, shoves the harmonica into rock ‘n roll hyper space forever.  “Lemme’ hear ‘ya Dicky!’

Black and white photographer – Ansel Adams

Lugging a 70 pound tripod and land camera through the Sierra waiting for the perfect shot.  Getting it more often than anyone ever has.

Notorious failed Indian fighter – Gen. George Custer

Custer’s total and humiliating defeat is the gold standard of massacres from the white man’s point of view.

Golfer

It’s gotta be Tiger, but golf is a polite game so we’ll let Jack clutch it a few more years.

Tennis player

Like Tiger Woods and swimming’s Michael Phelps, it is probably a little soon to declare a champion.  However the ultimate champion of tennis is likely to emerge from the battle between current stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Soccer moments

None, unless you count the mandatory riots.

Wrestler – Cael Sanderson

UNDEFEATED (159 – 0) throughout his entire college career, four time NCAA champion and Olympic champion to boot.  Is anyone even close?

Pitching performance in the World Series – Don Larson

The ultimate perfecto

College Athlete at Michigan State – Brad van Pelt

This is really just a plug to remember Brad van Pelt who passed away of a heart attack this spring.  In an age of specialists, van Pelt lettered in football, baseball and basketball, was All-American and Sullivan Trophy winner as the nation’s best.  He went on to a monster career in the NFL.  He was only 58.   

Show of defiance

The Chinese protester that stood in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square.  Who was that guy?

Blonde – MM

The only blonde of consequence.  The original.

Cartoon character – MM

Tugboat Willie was there when no one else was. 

Cartoon strip – Calvin and Hobbes

Our world was diminished the day that Bill Watterson stopped drawing the incredibly perceptive comic strip Calvin and Hobbes.

Advocate for women’s sports – Billie Jean King

Billie Jean took the inequities of sport and single-handedly raised the bar and the payoff for women.  (But that Bobby Riggs thing was weird.)

MacGyver – MacGyver

Extinction – Permian

At the end of the Permian Era, 250 million years ago, fully 95% of all species on Earth went extinct.  The culprit is in question but asteroid impact seems a likely candidate.  Think of it this way: you have evolved, NOT from the original primordial slime, but from the 5% that squeaked through this extinction. 

Leap of faith – Columbus

Shall we point vaguely west in a tiny wooden ship and sail off the end of the Earth?  Hell, I’m in!

Geologic mapping – Douglas Houghton

Paddled along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in a birch bark canoe in the 1840’s and NAILED a very complex geology.  What might he done with a land rover and a GPS??

Dinosaur – T. rex

Others were bigger, faster, more furious… but T. rex set the curve and is the predator against which all other predators are measured.  My what recurved, serrated teeth you have!

Hockey Player – Gordie Howe

I know Gretzky broke every record in the book, but he did it with a helmet.  OK, I’m just trying to keep it in the family.   

Super hero – Superman

The original.  The Man of Steel, not yet another sissy, wanna-be in tights.

Field goal – Tom Dempsey, New Orleans Saints

In 1970, club-footed Tom Dempsey, wearing a special shoe, kicked a 63 yard field goal against the Detroit Lions that still stands as the NFL record.  Did anyone check that shoe?

Feat of modern engineering – (tie) North American transcontinental railroad and sending a man to the moon

Feat of ancient engineering – the Great Pyramids

Most over-hyped non-record – Ripkin’s Ironman

Ripkin was a great player, there have been many great players.  But all he did was show up and selfishly refuse to let anyone else play.  Big whoop.

Thief – Ricky Henderson

I lived in Oakland and watched Ricky during his prime.  At that time, he would draw a walk, steal second base, steal third base.  Everyone in the park knew he was going to go but he did it anyway - 1406 times – the major league record.

TV show – Twilight Zone

In terms of consistent excellence and going where no show had dared (or thought) to go before.  Rod Serling gets an award too – for sheer creative brilliance. 

Dare devil – Evil Kneivel

Others have gone faster and farther, but no one ever did it with so much pain and passion.

Tarzan – Johnny Weissmuller

Johnny Weissmuller IS Tarzan.  AaaeeeeaaaaHhh eeeahhh!

Cheap beer (personal choice) - Heileman’s Old Style (“Dog Style”), La Crosse, Wisc.

I’m sure you disagree.  Life is full of choices..  Make your own list.