Last week, in a battle of two “Original Big 3” members, Kevin McHale emerged victorious over Robert Parish and moved up The RBSF Ladder from #22 to #18. This week’s Challenge features two Boston sports heavyweights, one literally, as Red Sox legend Carl Yastzemski (#14) attempts to move up The Ladder by taking on boxing great Rocky Marciano (#6). A look at the contestants…
MARCIANO: Native of Brockton, Mass. Professional heavyweight boxer from 1947-55. World Heavyweight Champion from 1952-55. Retired with a perfect 49-0 record with 44 KO. In title fights he was 8-0 with 7 KO. Was named Ring Magazine Figher of the Year 3-times (1952, 1954-55). Was the winning boxer in Ring Magazine Fight of the Year 3 consecutive years from 1952-54 (1952: KO Jersey Joe Walcott in 13. 1953: KO Roland La Starza in 11. 1954: KO Ezzard Charles in 8). His 49 consecutive wins is the longest streak ever for a heavyweight. Only Heavyweight Champion ever to finish career undefeated. Only knocked down twice his entire career; he KO’d both of those opponents. Elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
YASTRZEMSKI: Played entire 23-year career (1961-83) with Red Sox. Helped Sox win 2 A.L. pennants (1967, 1975). In ’67 he won the Triple Crown (last player to do so) and was named A.L. MVP, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and A.P. Male Athlete of the Year. Selected to 18 All Star teams and won 1970 All Star Game MVP. Won 7 Gold Glove Awards. Career totals: 3,308 games, 1,816 runs, 646 doubles, 59 triples, 452 home runs, 1,844 RBI, 168 steals and a .285 batting average. Led league: On-base % (5x), OPS (4x), Batting Average (3x), Slugging % (3x), Runs (3x), Doubles (3x), Hits (2x), Total Bases (2x) and both Home Runs and RBI once each. Franchise career leader in: Games, At Bats, Runs, Hits, Total Bases, Doubles and RBI. Top-10 in MLB history in: Games (2), At Bats (3), Hits (6), Total Bases (8) and Doubles (8). First American League player to total 400+ HR and 3,000+ hits. His #8 is retired by the Red Sox. Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.
VERDICT: The Brockton Blockbuster’s unblemished record speaks for itself, not to mention the fact that he is the highest ranked native on The Ladder. However, in researching Yaz’s career totals for this Challenge it made me realize just how impressive the sheer volume of his career accomplishments are. He may never have won a title, but he did have one of the greatest seasons of all-time on perhaps the most important team in franchise history. As tough as it is to do it, I believe the Rock deserves his first career loss. My vote is for the man they call Yaz.
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5 comments:
Sorry...tough to keep the credentials short when you are dealing with guys this good.
I love Yaz but i cant move Rocky from his spot. I'm think that Yaz will win this one though since the Sox im sure have way more support on here than boxing does. Here's my few reasons to keep Rocky in his spot.
47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55--9 years 49 fights, that means he averaged a heavyweight fight once every 3 months for 9 years. In 49 fights he had 44 KOs.
definitely Yaz...triple crown?
i vote rocky. he never lost. no other heavyweight champ can say the same thing. yaz hasnt done anything that nobody else can say. he also won no titles and had fewer great years than manny or papi. plus the rock is one of our own
Rocky was the best fighter of his generation. Yaz wasn't even close to being the best outfielders of his generation, with Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Frank Robinson and Mantle being far superior -- in most cases both offensively and defensively. Yaz's peers were Kaline, Rose, Billy Williams and Reggie Jackson. So Boston, we know you love Yaz, but he is not on anyone's short list of being the greatest ever, never mind of his generation. Rocky is on a short list of being the greatest ever!
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