# Biggest busts in the history of US sport **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072 "2002-07-27T04:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/61 "2002-07-31T03:57:31Z")
Andy Messersmith, not baseball’s first free agent (Catfish Hunter) but baseball’s first free agent bust. A dominant pitcher prior to free agency but 17-22 with an ERA above 4.00 and numerous injuries thereafter. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/62 "2002-07-31T05:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lorenzo \* > \*\* > > Call it irrational, but I am less paranoid of accusing someone of being a vegetarian than I am of accusing someone of illegal drug use. Does it have to make sense? > > Seriously, I believe Walton’s protein-deficient vegetarian diet was common knowledge and commonly accepted as fact while he was a Trailblazer. \*\* But Walton had been suffering from foot injuries as early as high school days. He had injuries at UCLA. And he was already a vegetarian at UCLA. Walton later had surgery to correct his chronic foot problems, which most sources, I’ve come across say were due to his abnormally high arches in his feet. And I’ve found nothing in bios of Walton that mention anything about vegetarianism contributing to his injuries. Walton did end up suing the Trailblazers for giving him poor medical advice (settled out of court I believe). A lot of people did not like Walton for his political beliefs and his lifestyle There are numerous vegetarian athletes now and I haven’t heard that any of them are any more prone to injuries than any other athlete. ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/63 "2002-07-31T05:48:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\* > > And I’ve found nothing in bios of Walton that mention anything about vegetarianism contributing to his injuries. \*\* I’ll look for some cites. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/64 "2002-07-31T06:56:16Z")
In the category of overhyped busts - the tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King. Individuals, Michael Jackson as a baseball player. The name escapes me, but that Steeler (Mean Joe Green?) lineman who tried out pro boxing and turned out to be too big a target. ---
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/65 "2002-07-31T07:25:41Z")
The boxer (used in the most liberal sense) was Ed “Too tall” Jones,IIRC. As to an earlier Johnny Lattner reference he played defensive half for the Steelers in '55 (one of his many college talents-and prime reason for his Heisman-a do everything guy on both sides of the ball),then got drafted and tore his knee up in a military football game-never to play again. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/66 "2002-07-31T07:25:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*Individuals, Michael Jackson as a baseball player. The name escapes me, but that Steeler (Mean Joe Green?) lineman who tried out pro boxing and turned out to be too big a target. \*\* Do you mean Michael _Jordan_? And ex-Cowboy, Ed ‘TooTall’ Jones? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/67 "2002-07-31T07:59:49Z")
Mark Davis. Great relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres, won the Cy Young Award in 1989. Signed a big-money deal with the Kansas City Royals after that season, and…pfft. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/68 "2002-07-31T09:35:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*Individuals, Michael Jackson as a baseball player. \*\* He couldn’t figure out how to hit a slider AND grab his crotch at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/69 "2002-07-31T14:13:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by imthjckaz \* > \*\* > Do you mean Michael _Jordan_? > > And ex-Cowboy, Ed ‘TooTall’ Jones? \*\* My face isn’t exactly red but it’s close. Of course I meant “Jordan.” Besides it wasn’t my fault, my wife interruped me (as Adam said it was, "the woman thou gavest to be with me …), and you guys have got to learn to read “meaning” from the “context,” and … ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/70 "2002-07-31T14:21:26Z")
Then again, there was a Mike Jackson who played baseball - still does, I think. Oh, and a Michael Jackson who was a WR in the NFL for many years, too… ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/71 "2002-07-31T15:59:24Z")
Gino Toretta: Heisman winner, led 'Canes to Nat’l title Lawrence Phillips: All-American rb at Nebraska. Did a year and 2/3rds of yeoman work with St. Louis but off the field problems ended his brief career. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072/72 "2002-07-31T17:53:03Z")
I’d disagree with Geno Torretta. He was a good college QB on a good team, but I don’t think he was every highly thought of as professional material. After all, he was taken in the 7th round with the 192nd overall pick. Not exactly a lot of confidence from the pro level. For me, a bust has to fit at least one of the following categories - 1. Was drafted highly and expected to be a big contributor 2. Already in the league but was acquired by another team at a high price (trade/free agency) Benoit Benjamin fits the bill for the first scenario, while Vin Baker fits the second one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-busts-in-the-history-of-us-sport/121072.md?page=3)