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The 116 Year Dash
This video makes an argument I used to make whenever I got into a debate with an old-timer about the current baseball players versus the past.
I’d let them go on and on about Honus Wagner and Napolean Lajoie, then I’d hit them with this.
“Me, a fairly decent athlete, but by all means not a standout athlete, would have medaled in the 1896 Olympics in the 100 meter dash.”
That always left them without much to say.
Maudie N Mandeville
August 7th, 2012
…would have medaled in the 1896 Olympics unless I ate the same way they did and wore the same moccasins they wore and couldn’t work out on my Universal Gym 5 days a week with my trainer while the old geezers were out plowing.
norman einstein
August 7th, 2012
Wow…Jesse Owens…what a lazy wanker.
And Tom Burke…he just PHONED it in.
BFH in 2016! Be there…or be square.
norman einstein
August 7th, 2012
Meant to mention…that’s a very cool graphic, though.
And these kids today!
Video: Just how fast is Usain Bolt? – One race, every medalist ever | Quite Normal
August 7th, 2012
[...] Via Iowntheworld [...]
muddjuice
August 7th, 2012
When your “job” is to be an athlete 24/7/365, then you are probably going to smash the records from people who actually did something other than train for their events all year round….
Ace
August 7th, 2012
Always hated this bogus argument. If you, a “decent athlete”, were somehow transported back to 1896, you couldn’t come close to qualify for the Olympics. In fact, you’d struggle to do anything. If Honus Wagner was transported to 2012, with every advantage of modern sports, he’d be the best player in baseball.
Katechon
August 7th, 2012
Evolution!
BigFurHat
August 7th, 2012
Ace,
It’s not a bogus argument.
Athletes today, no matter what reasons you want to give, whether it be, nutrition, the money, training techniques, knowledge etc. the athletes today are bigger, stronger, faster, better.
Why would this upset you?
It’s a fact.
And there is no way of knowing if the athletes of yesteryear would have what it takes to achieve high level pro play of today. Some body types fit in perfectly with the slower game and not necessarily the right body type to ever become a finely tuned athlete of today. Perhaps there was a player back then that you never heard of that could be made into a great present day athlete, and not necessarily Honus Wagner.
If the average athlete today was put back in time, as is, he’d most likely be the best athlete.
If Honus Wagner was teleported forward, as is, he’d be marginal, at best. He didn’t see the pitching then that he’d see today, and you have no way of knowing if he’d be able to hit a 90 mph CHANGE UP. Or a 92 mph slider.
To simply say he would is pure fantasy and guess work on your part.
About 20 years ago there was a player still alive that faced Walter Johnson – The Big Train. They asked him to estimate the speed of his pitching compared to present day.
He said he threw about as hard as Greg Maddox. A pitcher that never broke 90 mph and was considered a finesse pitcher.
And Honus Wagner was playing in an inferior league.
Black athletes were kept out, which meant that Wagner was playing against some people who most likely would not be good enough to be in baseball if they had a “best gets the job” hiring policy.
muddjuice
August 7th, 2012
Back then people played sports for the love of the game. Today it’s all big business.
Kinda like politics. Back then people got into politics to serve, now it’s all big business…..
Maudie N Mandeville
August 7th, 2012
Fur- Honus Wagner was the best out of everybody alive in his day. Are you? Shit, I’m right here and female.
Maudie N Mandeville
August 7th, 2012
Fur- I didn’t know that black pitchers were racially advantaged in throwing, except for Leroy “Satchel” Paige. Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Cy Young, Greg Maddux,Tom Seaver, Lefty Grove, RAndy Johnson, *Bob Gibson, Warren spahn, Steve Carlton, Kid Nichols, Eddie Plank, Pedro Martinez, Mordecai “Three Fingers” Brown, Nolan Ryan, Carl Hubbell, Bob Feller,….