What City has the best All Time athletes in all 4 Major Sports?

[Tabascocat]

Right but it's often the first thing you associate with right? I mean, there's no way he would be a Met but that's the first team association for me, wtih Ryan. That's what I'm trying to say.

I get ya. I wasn't born when he was a Met so he is just an Astro to me is all.

 

[jterrell]

Gretzky played in LA for 8 years and Edmonton for 9 years. Maddux played in Chicago for 10 years and Atlanta for 11 years and his best years were in Atlanta. If LA can't claim Gretzky then Chicago can't claim Maddux. I think both cities can rightly claim these guys.

If you ask Gretsky he is an Edmonton Oiler. His biggest moments and goals in his opinion are disproportionately tied to Edmonton. He is a Canadian and his move to LA was basically marketing.

Maddux was drafted by Chicago and played there until Atlanta gave him huge money.
He left ATL to go back to the Cubs.

These guys developed in their starting cities. They had very long, very fruitful careers but they were enshrined as members of the teams I associated with them.

If you want to talk ATL baseball they had Hank Aaron win a handful of MVPs and they had a Braves lifer in Chipper Jones who should both be ahead of Maddux in Braves history.

I'd argue the LAKings best player was actually Gretsky's buddy Luc Robitaille. He was drafted by them and played somewhere around 15 years there making a ton of all star teams.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I don't think anywhere comes close to Boston, largely because the players are so closely and completely associated with that city (unlike the Greg Madduxes and Nolan Ryans under discussion here). Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Tom Brady never played anywhere else, and Bobby Orr only played a few games elsewhere right at the end.

The funny thing is that before Brady, Boston wouldn't even show up on the list. Seriously, who's the greatest non-Brady Patriot? John Hannah? Andre Tippett? Bledsoe?

 

[Rogah]

I don't think anywhere comes close to Boston, largely because the players are so closely and completely associated with that city (unlike the Greg Madduxes and Nolan Ryans under discussion here). Ted Williams, Larry Bird and Tom Brady never played anywhere else, and Bobby Orr only played a few games elsewhere right at the end.

The funny thing is that before Brady, Boston wouldn't even show up on the list. Seriously, who's the greatest non-Brady Patriot? John Hannah? Andre Tippett? Bledsoe?

I'd say John Hannah, but it's hardly a glamorous position to be among the best at.

As far as what city various players "belong" to, my rule has always been to evaluate them based on what they did in that city, so I wouldn't consider Wayne Gretzky the greatest Blues player ever - although he just might be the greatest Oiler as well as the greatest King ever. I doubt any other player in sports could make the claim of being the best player for 2 separate franchises when you apply the criteria that they only get credit for what they did with that franchise.

 

[Derinyar]

Maddux won his first Cy Young in Chicago and really made himself a lot of money in the process. I wouldn't say he is the best Cub or best Chicago baseball player, but he is in the mix. He probably is the best Atlanta baseball player.

I don't consider Nolan Ryan to be the best Texas Ranger player. If he is, then that is one sad franchise. He definitely has the biggest appeal, but there were better players and even pitchers in Rangers history. I think Pudge Rodgriguez is the greatest Texas Ranger player.

I'd say Hank Aaron has something to be said as the best baseball player in Atlanta.

 

[joseephuss]

I'd say Hank Aaron has something to be said as the best baseball player in Atlanta.

Yes, of course. An oversight on my part. I would still put Maddux as one of the top 10 Braves of all time. He would also be one of the top 10 Cubs of all time. He is not limited to just one franchise.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Chicago had Walter Payton and Michael Jordan. Those two alone may be able to propel them to the best with just average guys from baseball and hockey.

Los Angeles probably is the winner. Football is actually the weakest representative, but there have been some great players that played for the Rams and Raiders when they were briefly there. Take you pick from numerous Lakers in basketball and the same for the Dodgers in baseball. Then you have Wayne Gretsky for hockey.

Do you count Gretzky as a whole or just his time in LA (because he was pretty much done by the time he got to LA).

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Man you would think New York would be better represented, since they literally have two of every sport (recently the nets)

But surprisingly weak in the areas other than baseball...

I agree. But I think Lawrence Taylor was the greatest defensive player of all time. After him, there's a big drop off in NY football.

 

[joseephuss]

Do you count Gretzky as a whole or just his time in LA (because he was pretty much done by the time he got to LA).

Just his time in LA. No he wasn't done by the time he got to LA. He played great for much of his time as a King. It wasn't as great as his time with the Oilers because that was such an incredible level he achieved in Edmonton. He finished in the top 3 in points in 5 seasons during his 8 years in LA while leading the league twice.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Just his time in LA. No he wasn't done by the time he got to LA. He played great for much of his time as a King. It wasn't as great as his time with the Oilers because that was such an incredible level he achieved in Edmonton. He finished in the top 3 in points in 5 seasons during his 8 years in LA while leading the league twice.

My bad. For some reason I was thinking of his time in NY (when he was done). Yeah, he was very good in LA, but not nearly as good as he was in Edmonton, but still easily LA's best player ever.

 

[joseephuss]

My bad. For some reason I was thinking of his time in NY (when he was done). Yeah, he was very good in LA, but not nearly as good as he was in Edmonton, but still easily LA's best player ever.

At least in the conversation as best LA King ever. A couple of other names were thrown out that may have been better. Hockey isn't my sport, but Gretzky was great enough to not make that matter. I could see he was great and still very good while in LA.

 

[Doc50]

Hard to argue with Boston's # of stars and longevity.

This can be solved by adding up the # of HOFers for each city.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If we are going to say that it's the city he accomplished most in, then you might consider Aaron for Milwaukee. His best years were there.

 

[joseephuss]

If we are going to say that it's the city he accomplished most in, then you might consider Aaron for Milwaukee. His best years were there.

Both cities could claim him. He hit 0.320 and had 398 HRs in Millwaukee in 12 seasons(33 HRs per season). He hit 0.298 and had 335 HRs in 9 seasons in Atlanta(37 HRs per season). This doesn't count the two seasons he played with the Brewers at the end of his career.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Both cities could claim him. He hit 0.320 and had 398 HRs in Millwaukee in 12 seasons(33 HRs per season). He hit 0.298 and had 335 HRs in 9 seasons in Atlanta(37 HRs per season). This doesn't count the two seasons he played with the Brewers at the end of his career.

I agree but you can't have it both ways. If you are going to say that a player like Gretsky can only be an Oiler, then you have to say the same about Aaron.

 

[joseephuss]

I agree but you can't have it both ways. If you are going to say that a player like Gretsky can only be an Oiler, then you have to say the same about Aaron.

I agree if someone holds that philosophy. I don't. Gretzky is one of the all time Oilers and Kings. Aaron is an all time Millwaukee Brave and Atlanta Brave. Nolan Ryan is an all time Angel and Astro and maybe Ranger. I don't think Ryan is the best Ranger. He doesn't even rank in the top 10 in wins for them and only ranks 8th all time in winning percentage. His career was so short for them.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I would also agree with this approach. I mean, I don't think it matters if a player plays in two or more cities. If he had a great career in each of those cities and he wore the Jersey, then it stands to reason, IMO, that said player could be the greatest player in each Franchise's history.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

I think Dallas could make a pretty good case for being at least in the top 10 of that list.

Football- Take your pic really from Staubach, Smith, Lilly etc.
Basketball- Dirk Nowitzki
Baseball- Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez **If the criteria needs to lean towards "homegrown talent", I'd think a case could be made for him.
Hockey- Mike Modano **The records he holds for points, goals, playoff points scored and games-played for an American-born player, are hard to argue with IMO.

 

[DFWJC]

I think Dallas could make a pretty good case for being at least in the top 10 of that list.

Football- Take your pic really from Staubach, Smith, Lilly etc.
Basketball- Dirk Nowitzki
Baseball- Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez **If the criteria needs to lean towards "homegrown talent", I'd think a case could be made for him.
Hockey- Mike Modano **The records he holds for points, goals, playoff points scored and games-played for an American-born player, are hard to argue with IMO.

At least we have legit players.
It certainly doesn't compare to Boston or LA, but it's respectable.

There's a chance we end up with HOFers in all 4 sports.
Not bad!

 

[DallasCowpoke]

At least we have legit players.
It certainly doesn't compare to Boston or LA, but it's respectable.

There's a chance we end up with HOFers in all 4 sports.
Not bad!

That's true. And if Nelson Cruz knew how to play a fairly routine fly into R-field, we'd be one of those elite cities w/ championships in all 4 sports too!