world's best athletes

this has probably been discussed before but I'd like to give an opinion
I used to think that basketball players, requiring speed strength and coordination made the best athletes
but now, I convinced that baseball players are the best
they have to do so many things well
and they have to do the hardest thing in sports, hit a baseball
a 95 mph slider or cutter
they must also play defense, have speed, have a strong throwing arm and the power to hit it out of the park
yeah, baseball has it by a mile
rodeo clowns come in second

Originally posted by lemondrop
this has probably been discussed before but I'd like to give an opinion
I used to think that basketball players, requiring speed strength and coordination made the best athletes
but now, I convinced that baseball players are the best
they have to do so many things well
and they have to do the hardest thing in sports, hit a baseball
a 95 mph slider or ...[text shortened]... he power to hit it out of the park
yeah, baseball has it by a mile
rodeo clowns come in second

By far and away AFL players here in Australia. Not other sportsman holds a candle to them

Originally posted by radioactive69
By far and away AFL players here in Australia. Not other sportsman holds a candle to them

they are no doubt tough
but any one with size, speed and strength can play most sports except baseball
hitting the ball has doomed many a great athlete

Originally posted by lemondrop
they are no doubt tough
but any one with size, speed and strength can play most sports except baseball
hitting the ball has doomed many a great athlete

But you don't need to be real fit or very athletic to be a baseballer. A good eye is about it. Most of them would be classified in the same sort of athletic shape as professional dart players. Not real athletic but a good eye.

Originally posted by lemondrop
this has probably been discussed before but I'd like to give an opinion
I used to think that basketball players, requiring speed strength and coordination made the best athletes
but now, I convinced that baseball players are the best
they have to do so many things well
and they have to do the hardest thing in sports, hit a baseball
a 95 mph slider or ...[text shortened]... he power to hit it out of the park
yeah, baseball has it by a mile
rodeo clowns come in second

Now this is a great thread Lemondrop. This is something my coach use to talk to us about. It all depends on your school of thought. Baseball is considered a skill. By the way, I am not saying you are wrong in any way, and I am not saying I am right. I am just chatting. My coach use to say to be considered the best athletes, or among the best athletes in the world many things go into it.

Example. Baseball players are considered more of a skill. When you think of an athlete, what do we think of? Cardio is always a must. Some strength. Ability to run, jump, and agility. If you think of baseball players, they can do things you described that nobody on the planet can do. Your spot on. But they also smoke, drink, and in many cases they are drunk at times during a game.

Golf is the same. To hit the ball "consistently" the way they do? And in Golf and baseball, you have athletes who are way over weight, and can run fifty feet without pulling a muscle. Again this is what my coach said to me. Please do not think I am arguing, or disagreeing with you. Just some other things to consider okay? 🙂

Basketball players came up. They are in shape almost every single one of them. The shot clock is on 25 seconds to get down, set up your D, set up your offensive set, and push the ball for a shot, and then back to the opposite side twenty five seconds later. They can jump, run, cardio fantastic, they don't smoke or drink and are not over weight. Now yes, some are. lol But on a whole, not many.

It has been said here in the States that what you call football players, or what we call soccer players, are among the best athletes in the world. They can do all those things, but then the agility with their feet and what they can do with a ball is just short of a miracle.

It all comes down to what the criteria is for "what the best athlete is". For me, I think you can have a small group that we can call equal, but the best athletes in the world. To pick one sport? That is really tough but a fantastic thread.

For me? I think back to Michael Jordan running the court, lifting off before the foul line, and dunking the ball. No to many in this world that can do that. To be honest I know a lot of sports. But if you really think about how many we never even heard of? From all kinds of different countries, who knows what we might come across.

Even bowling is really hard. A skill. But as much as I respect the consistency, and even though lucky people get a perfect game, the pro's make it because they can handle the pressure of playing on tv, but consistently. They are great. But I would not think of them as athletes.

Which brings me back to baseball. A skill that is almost god like. But the best athletes in the world? It certainly is in there for one of the choices that is for sure.

I would need to look at more sports and for me, cardio, agility, jumping, running, and skill all have to be in there to be the best. I just cant pick one? lol lol Really great thread. I wish I could answer it.

Baseball is a great answer though. You could easily be correct on this one.

Originally posted by VESPIN
Now this is a great thread Lemondrop. This is something my coach use to talk to us about. It all depends on your school of thought. Baseball is considered a skill. By the way, I am not saying you are wrong in any way, and I am not saying I am right. I am just chatting. My coach use to say to be considered the best athletes, or among the best athletes in the ...[text shortened]... could answer it.

Baseball is a great answer though. You could easily be correct on this one.

Well if we're looking at it that way then decathletes and heptathletes would have to be the best sportspeople. To be good at this sport you need to be proficient in just about everything fitness plus skill.

I also think that professional bike riders are extremely good athletes. Riding in the grand tours is tough both physically and mentally. These guys (the ones not on drugs) are tough as marble.

Originally posted by radioactive69
Well if we're looking at it that way then decathletes and heptathletes would have to be the best sportspeople. To be good at this sport you need to be proficient in just about everything fitness plus skill.

I also think that professional bike riders are extremely good athletes. Riding in the grand tours is tough both physically and mentally. These guys (the ones not on drugs) are tough as marble.

I had my category three license and raced. Your the first to actually understand or seem to, just how BRUTAL that sport is. I was more of a road, long distance type racer. As a category three, you can race with category two's in some races. And from there it is professional. It starts at cat five, as the beginners. And you have to place in the top three, some top ten in order to get enough points to move up in a category.

That sport is brutal. But wow is it a lot of fun. The only issue I have with them being great athletes? Is they are the best in the world at what they do, freak of natures. And one hell of a pick.

But so many cant do anything else but race. But I cant speak for all of them, nor do I know enough about what they do off the bike. But what they do on the bike having raced some of the best, and getting killed by them, they do things that you would think the human body could not do.

Great Pick.

"I'm not an athlete. I'm a professional baseball player."---John Kruk.

Originally posted by vivify
"I'm not an athlete. I'm a professional baseball player."---John Kruk.

good way of stating it. He is a broadcaster for ESPN. And He loves Taco Bell. lol They still tell stories about it. He finished his career with a .300 batting average I believe. A well loved guy and player but no, not the worlds best athlete. lol lol loves his fast food to much. lol

Originally posted by radioactive69
Well if we're looking at it that way then decathletes and heptathletes would have to be the best sportspeople. To be good at this sport you need to be proficient in just about everything fitness plus skill.

I also think that professional bike riders are extremely good athletes. Riding in the grand tours is tough both physically and mentally. These guys (the ones not on drugs) are tough as marble.

see? Even gave you a thumbs up. I had some convulsions. But I am okay now. And I agree with the decathletes , and heptathletes would be considered among the best as well. All the events in track and field? Yes. They have to be included in that. In my humble opinion. Good Picks.

Originally posted by radioactive69
But you don't need to be real fit or very athletic to be a baseballer. A good eye is about it. Most of them would be classified in the same sort of athletic shape as professional dart players. Not real athletic but a good eye.

A good eye, timing, the ability to rotate your hips fast and properly, like a perfect golf swing, so much skill goes into baseball, there is just no way to calculate it. That is just hitting. Playing infield is a skill most will never know. It's a beautiful game to watch.

for me the fittest athletes must be tennis players the amount of games and time involved to win a match is impressive
like all individual sport there is no hiding place if you are tired, team events like football you can have a breather.
baseball a bit like cricket if your side is batting it can be a long wait until you get a turn. cricket once described as 99% boredom 1% terror
the most brutal sport i have ever seen is shinty, totally insane
good thread lemondrop see if we can keep it civil
😀

fielding, hitting and throwing involve a different set of skills
until you stand at the plate and try to hit a 95 mph fastball with movement you really can't appreciate the skill of a ballplayer
it takes a bit of courage to say the least
body shape and size is position dependent
in my opinion, baseball players just have to do a lot of things well

Originally posted by lemondrop
fielding, hitting and throwing involve a different set of skills
until you stand at the plate and try to hit a 95 mph fastball with movement you really can't appreciate the skill of a ballplayer
it takes a bit of courage to say the least
body shape and size is position dependent
in my opinion, baseball players just have to do a lot of things well

Exactly right. That is why I had placed pitching, but added the infield play. The agility, speed, eye hand coordination, and you cant be out of shape and play the infield. So that is also a good pick. Tennis is also a great one. So is swimming!!! Every muscle needed, and the endurance and strength, everything goes into that. Tennis is a just as great as the others. The only thing is you do get breaks in between games, points, and sets. But that aside, the ability to do what they do? Again, defies all logic. Hitting a ball over 120mph on a serve? My god. I would not even see it. And most don't know this. I only know it due to competing in running, the only sport I can say I really had a lot of talent for. Tennis players are playing on clay, or anything other then grass, it is twenty to thirty degrees hotter on the court. Imagine the hottest day of the year, or decade, then add twenty degrees to it or even thirty degrees to it? Most would die. Tennis players have to be included.

Baseball is still in it though. Love the game.

Originally posted by lemondrop
fielding, hitting and throwing involve a different set of skills
until you stand at the plate and try to hit a 95 mph fastball with movement you really can't appreciate the skill of a ballplayer
it takes a bit of courage to say the least
body shape and size is position dependent
in my opinion, baseball players just have to do a lot of things well

Lemondrop? What is the game Shinty? I never heard of it. I could google it. But it's more fun to hear people describe it. More passion in it that way. This is one of the best threads in ages. I love learning about new sports. 🙂 I am always in awe of people who can do things I cant do. Which is a very long list lol