Last week Adam Vinatieri kicked himself 9 spots up the RBSF Ladder to #52 by easily defeating former Sox owner Tom Yawkey in “Wednesday’s Challenge”. This week once again pits two athletes from very different areas of the sports world: Boston native and record-breaking jockey Chris McCarron, currently #44, attempts to hold of the challenge of Bruins Hall of Fame goaltender Gerry Cheevers, who currently sits at #54. A closer look at the two contentents…
MCCARRON: Professional jockey for 28 years (1974-2002). Amassed 7,141 wins in 34,239 mounts (21%). Retired as thoroughbred racing’s all-time leader in purse earnings with over $264 million in winnings. Rode 6 winners in U.S. Triple Crown Races (two each in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes). Won first two legs of the Triple Crown aboard Alysheba in 1987. Won 9 Breeders’ Cup races, included 5 Breeders’ Cup Classics. Led U.S. Champion Jockeys in wins 3 times (1974, 1975, 1980) and earnings 4 times (1980, 1981, 1984, 1991). Elected to U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1989.
CHEEVERS: Played 12 seasons with Bruins (1966-72, 76-80). Two-time Stanley Cup Champion (1970, 1972). Career record of 229-101-74 with 2.89 GAA. Career playoff record of 53-34 with 2.69 GAA. Named NHL All Star in 1969. Top 10 in the league in Wins 8-times, Shutouts 7-times and GAA 6-times. He is Top 3 in franchise history in Games, Wins and Shutouts. Was also Bruins head coach for 4+ seasons (1981-85) compiling a 204-126-46 record, before being dismissed 56 games into the ’85 season. As head coach he led the B’s to the conference finals in 1983. Had perhaps the most recognizable mask in hockey history: old-school white mask covered with stitches. Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.
VERDICT: Cheevers has two rings, an amazing mask, and played all but 2 games of his NHL career as a member of the Bruins (those in ‘62 with the Maple Leafs). However, he also left for 4 seasons from 1973-76 to join the Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA. How many more Cups could we have won if “Cheesey” had stayed in Boston? McCarron, meanwhile, has a ridiculous resume and ranks far higher in the overall ranks of his chosen sport than Cheevers does in his. His overall body of work, and his unlikely road to success, is simply more impressive to me, thus earning McCarron my vote in this week’s Challenge.
Posts
4 comments:
This is the actually the first individual sport athlete to be up for a challenge I believe. Will be interesting to see how he does against a Boston team-sport player...
(part II, does that influence your pick?)
As great as the numbers are for McCarron, how can you vote against the mask...
I cant have a jockey ahead of the goalie for Boston's last Stanley Cup. For that matter as impressive as the numbers i cant see having a jockey in the top 75. He rides a horse in a circle. His main job is to whip a horse until it runs faster.
Guess the pink jockey hat vs the greatest mask of all time is going to help McCarron's cause.
Admittedly I don't know a ton about horse racing, but I'd be willing to bet that if there wasn't some talent on behalf of the jockey than the same guys wouldn't win all the time...like every other sport.
Why such a horrible voter turnout this week?
Post a Comment