This week on the redesigned ESPN.com Page 2, Jeff Merron attempts to answer the question, "Which athletic feat is first?", presenting an argument for the 10 best, which includes Nadia Comaneci's fifth perfect 10, Maradona's most-famous legal goal and Michael Jordan's oft-replayed hand-switching scoop against the Lakers ("A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!" gushed Marv Albert.) Missing from Merron's list is the greatest feat I ever saw, and I don't have to think twice about giving it such praise.
On Thursday, Aug. 1, 1996, at the Atlanta summer Olympics, Michael Johnson set a world record in the 200 meters with a time of 19.32 seconds in the final. (Details and commentary.) That number may not mean much to you — it didn't to me then — but figure in the context:
• Johnson came to Atlanta having set a 200m record with 19.66 in the Olympic trials, besting Pietro Minnea's 200 mark of 19.72 that had stood for 17 years. Almost two decades had passed and world-class athletes had trimmed just 0.06 off the record. In his gold shoes, Johnson whacked 0.32 off his own record, 0.38 faster than any other human in history.
• Barely in the picture to the right, taken by Heinz Kluetmeier for Sports Illustrated, is second-place finisher Frankie Fredericks. His silver-medal time of 19.68 was the third-fastest ever run in the event.
• Johnson ran 0.124274238 miles in 0.00536666667 hours. That's 23.16 miles an hour. Compare that to brisk treadmill runs at 8, 9, even 10 mph. At 23.16 mph, you'd end up in the hospital.
• Johnson's record is not subject to hypothetical debates comparing eras, technological advancements, playing styles, free agency and competition. We'll be arguing the merits of Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Jerry Rice, Wayne Gretzky, Jim Brown, the 1960s Packers and Celtics and the 1990s Bulls forever. With Johnson, there is no debate. He blew away history. Period.
• It beats individual plays in many game situations, because who's to say a different athlete in the same unique position could not have achieved the same? Was Jordan's move the most athletic in NBA history? Probably not. Was Dr. J. or is Vince Carter capable of switching hands on a layup? Of course. Take nothing away from such moments, but they're not as pure in terms of one person owning a feat that is absolutely untouchable.
• Speed doesn't slump. Speed doesn't streak. Dale Long set an MLB mark in 1956 by hitting home runs in eight straight games. It wasn't matched until 1987 by Don Mattingly. Obviously, neither is among the greatest home run hitters ever.
My Other Top Feats:
• Secretariat Wins 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 Lengths — Ranked only No. 7 on ESPN's list, this moment produced one of the most jaw-dropping sports photographs ever, that of jockey Ron Turcotte peering behind him to see if anyone else was even on the track. Secretariat's entry on Wikipedia.org reads, "On his way to a record time in that race (1:59 2/5), he achieved the unheard-of feat of running each quarter-mile segment fractionally faster than the one before it. The quarter-mile times were: 25 1/5, 24, 23 4/5, 23 2/5 and 23."
• Bob Beamon's 1968 long jump, Vince Carter's 2000 slam dunk contest, Rickey Henderson's 130 stolen bases in 1982, Bill Walton goes 21-22 in 1973 NCAA Tournament game, Mickey Mantle's reported 565-foot home run. Almost unfathomable acts of overwhelming athletic prowess.)
Overrated:
• Willie Mays' 1954 Catch: Happened to come in the World Series in a big spot in Game 1, but the varying distances at which Vic Wertz supposedly hit the ball clouds the legitimacy of how incredible a catch it was.
Other Sports Links:
• Dr. Z's Draft Memories — Paul Zimmerman recounts the biggest surprises, best strategists and that most amazing 1974 Steelers draft, in which they came away with four future Hall of Famers — Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster. (SI.com's NFL mock draft.)
• Obsessive Fans Track the National Pastime on the Web — Slate surveys the baseball blogs that hope to see plenty of action this summer.
• Race Hasn't Left the Ballpark — Longtime civil rights activist Richard Lapchick asserts that the way the public views Barry Bonds proves that "whites and African-Americans still do not look at an event or a person and see the same thing."
• Could Bonds Hit .400? — It may be a little early to project, but Bonds is hitting .514 on the season and hit .397 after the All-Star break during the past two seasons. He's slugging 1.378, meaning that walking him in every plate appearance this year would have been the best defense.
• Get Your Name on Yankee Stadium Marquee for Only $10 — At this cheap price, I'm gonna have to get my name up there some day. Also, check dates at Shea Stadium when kids can run the bases after games. It's not like the Mets give the infield much of a workout. (Links found on Manhattan User's Guide.)
I did not see Secretariet in person, but from the film that is the most amazing feat I have ever seen. Watching him run is almost mythical (and I am not a horse racing fan or horse enthusiast).
Posted by art at April 21, 2004 9:23 AM