In light of similar threads regarding careers cut short by injury, or that were almost cut short by injury, which athletes are notable for getting out while the getting was good, unprompted by scandal, failing skills, failing popularity, etc.?
I’d nominate Ken Dryden, retiring in 1979 after his team won four Stanley Cups in a row and Dryden himself won or shared the Vezina Trophy four times in a row.
Sandy Koufax.
Wasn’t Koufax’s retirement prompted by worsening arthritis?
Yes it was, but he did go out at the top of his game. He used common sense rather than ego, which is rare among athletes.
I guess another choice would be Barry Sanders.
Bjorn Borg… walked away at 26 with many more Grand Slams still in his grasp.
Have to go with the Marvellous one here. Hagler walked away from boxing after his defeat to SRL, never to return. Now he did leave on a defeat (highly, highly contentious, argued over to this day), and he was a little past his peak - but it is almost unheard of for boxers to hang em up in this fashion. I mean boxers fighting on past their prime is a given, it’s a cliche. Given that Marvin had one of the all-time, titanium-alloyed untouchable chins, there is no doubt he could have fought on at the top level for a few more years and made a lot more money.
Rocky Marciano. Undefeated heavyweight champ (49-0 with 43 KOs) but quit at age 33.
Joufax and Marciano came to mind first, but a few more nominees:
Bobby Jones
Jim Brown (still the best running back on Earth when he quit to make movies)
John Elway (he was definitely on the decline, but how many guys can retire as Super Bowl MVP?).
Roger Staubach (he was still one of the elite quarterbacks when he retired, and had taken the Cowboys to the NFC championship game against the Rams, but his family was concerned about the concussions he’d suffered, and convinced him it was time to quit).
Robert Smith (retired at age 30, as the NFC’s leading rusher. COULD have sought a big contract as a free agent, but decided his body had taken enough punishment)
Barry Sanders
Michael Jordan.
Or do you mean “retired and stayed retired”?
Ned Jarrett. Won a couple of championships and a lot of races. Early in the 1966 season, after winning the 1965 championship, Jarrett decided to retire at 34 to spend more time with his family. Considering what other drivers have done, many into their 50’s, Jarrett could have won a lot more races and championships.
Agreed.
Tiger Woods
(What’s that you say?)
To go on with the Swedish tennis players, both Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg quit while they were ahead.
But Borg beats them though.
Maybe not the greatest, but Eric Cantona deserves a mention here - I’m sure he had a few more brilliant years left when he quit.
Steve Redgrave won Gold at 5 conscutive Olympics, and then retired… that’s pretty good!
Secretariat (who retired after his 3 year old season and did not race at 4, starting a bad trend of horses who retired early to stand at stud).
Exactly who I was going to say. You could probably include Mayweather as well, assuming he stays retired.
Pretty good to say the least, but I wouldn’t say he retired at the top of his game - the last win was a very close struggle, with sheer determination winning through in the end - there’s no way he could have competed successfully at another Olympics. I’m not knocking the man one bit, his is one of the greatest sporting achievements ever, but he retired at the top of hsi sport, not ‘the top of his game’ - if you see the distinction.