# Greatest Sports Photos? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 9, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992 "2012-08-09T19:41:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/41 "2012-08-12T01:40:04Z")
Walter Iooss’ capture of “The Catch” in 1981. [https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/photo/default.aspx?photographID=6962](https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/photo/default.aspx?photographID=6962) Chuck Bednarik celebrating his knockout hit on Frank Gifford. > **[Chuck Bednarik’s Hit on Frank Gifford Still Echoes (Published 2010)](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/sports/football/21anderson.html)** > > The notorious hit on the Giants’ Frank Gifford in 1960 provides insight for anyone involved in football’s current vigilance on concussions. Love that photo of the fans from the roof from what seems like a mile above old Forbes Field. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/42 "2012-08-14T00:47:10Z")
Barilko > **[Bill Barilko: Toronto Maple Leafs Legend](https://www.torontomike.com/billbarilko/)** > > His Legend GrowsIt was April 21st, 1951, game 5 of the Stanley Cup final between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens.  At the 2:53 mark of the first overtime period, Bill Barilko scored the last goal of his life winning the... ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/43 "2012-08-14T15:48:42Z")
Some good pictures here - mostly better ones selected by us than the original list. Below is my favourite. It’s actually a detail from a bigger picture that I can’t currently find online but the key compositional points are all intact. For context, this was the final of the Rugby World Cup in 2003. England and Australia are tied at 17-17 in the final minute of extra time. England have engineered their way into a position where one sweetly struck drop goal through the posts will win them the tournament. The photo is brilliant IMO as it captures so much: the open mouthed horror on George Gregan’s face as he attempts a charge down and knows he’s not going to get there to stop it, the fact that everyone is looking at Wilkinson - knowing that the game hinges on this one moment (even the guy on the floor whose head is obscured by an ankle is looking in Wilkinson’s direction), the purse-lipped concentration on Wilkinson’s face before he’s even struck it. It’s just superb - illustrating how all the stakes can come down to one man and one moment and sometimes, even those most directly involved, just have to watch. [Jonny Wilkinson drops for glory](http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=1111&tbm=isch&tbnid=KizRW4QEhxX5ZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/why-its-always-great-to-beat-the-aussies-1141064&docid=Q2I4e5f6AnbvlM&imgurl=http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1141061.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/2753067.jpg&w=615&h=409&ei=RXEqUNlHj8TiBLXbgNgM&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=169&vpy=279&dur=581&hovh=126&hovw=179&tx=169&ty=87&sig=117120818189208784871&page=1&tbnh=113&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=61&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:98) He succeeded. England won 20-17. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/44 "2012-08-15T14:28:48Z")
A favorite of mine: Mike Tyson, at age 19, whupping the tar out of Marvis Frazier. Including the count, the fight lasted 30 seconds. [Tyson-Frazier](http://fight-school.ru/uploads/posts/2012-04/1333892562_1986052.jpg). Talk about a picture taken at just the right moment… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/45 "2012-08-20T13:30:20Z")
Then-U.S. Sen. Obama had the Ali-Liston photo on his office wall: [![](https://media.photobucket.com/image/obama%20senate%20office%20ali%20foreman/gabbardd/ObamaAli.jpg) ](https://media.photobucket.com/image/obama%20senate%20office%20ali%20foreman/gabbardd/ObamaAli.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/46 "2012-08-20T14:57:11Z")
Recently colored photo of Juan Marichal and John Roseboro… [http://addins.wgem.com/blogs/sports/2012/08/pic-that-makes-me-smile](http://addins.wgem.com/blogs/sports/2012/08/pic-that-makes-me-smile) ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/47 "2012-08-22T04:17:19Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/48 "2012-08-22T04:29:37Z")
Peter Norman, the Australian athlete in #25 has just been given a formal apology by the Commonwealth Government for being crapped on for years & forced out of the sport. [Story](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-21/mps-pay-tribute-to-athlete-norman/4211564?section=olympics) ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/49 "2012-08-22T09:17:02Z")
[This photo of Aleksandr Karelin](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&as_st=y&biw=1024&bih=619&tbm=isch&tbnid=9QZNcgsUUoDg4M:&imgrefurl=http://manlyexcellence.com/forum/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D11%26t%3D11514%26start%3D3660&docid=0syRz_3QfT3C7M&imgurl=http://askthetrainer.com/image-files/aleksandr-karelin.gif&w=239&h=350&ei=yqI0UIaCBcmM4gSdmoHoAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=693&vpy=54&dur=3498&hovh=272&hovw=185&tx=100&ty=294&sig=107821222095641573253&page=1&tbnh=129&tbnw=93&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:0,i:140) should definitely be on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/50 "2012-08-22T10:06:06Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > A favorite of mine: Mike Tyson, at age 19, whupping the tar out of Marvis Frazier. Including the count, the fight lasted 30 seconds. As one wag said at the time, “Never before have so many paid so much for so little.” ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/51 "2012-08-22T11:20:47Z")
[The ball of the century.](http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/12/07/gatting_0812_narrowweb__300x427,0.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/52 "2012-08-22T12:08:00Z")
Doesn’t it seem excessive to have 2 out of 30 photos of the same exact event? Admittedly, one is a long-distance photo and the other a relatively closeup shot but two photos of the same damn thing? Was the compiler a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/53 "2012-08-22T16:45:26Z")
It’s hard to pick which picture of Tom Watson sinking the chip at 17 to help him win the 1982 U.S. Open, so I settled on [this one](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GykJvcCS9rU/SjpnS-DDZtI/AAAAAAAAAIw/nO_vFXxswHo/s400/Watson_82Open.jpg). The shot was declared by [ESPN to be the #1 shot in the history of golf](http://www.sportsvideodaily.com/wp/index.php/2011/06/20/june-20-1982-tom-watson-wins-us-open-at-pebble-beach/), fwiw. I wouldn’t go that far----Sarazen’s double eagle at 15 during the final round of the 1935 Masters is my choice—but it’s certainly an iconic golf shot. And a lot easier to get a picture of. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/54 "2012-08-22T17:24:50Z")
Packer fan here, [http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=909&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=u6vEDo2bYYKSvM:&imgrefurl=http://www.6magazineonline.com/2010/10/nfl-network-top-100-players-50-41/&docid=mtcXchCH8qtuiM&imgurl=http://www.6magazineonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/nitschke.jpg&w=360&h=360&ei=exU1UP3TKaiMyAGB9IGgDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=532&sig=109081130750647620628&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=134&start=0&ndsp=36&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:102&tx=81&ty=43](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=909&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=u6vEDo2bYYKSvM:&imgrefurl=http://www.6magazineonline.com/2010/10/nfl-network-top-100-players-50-41/&docid=mtcXchCH8qtuiM&imgurl=http://www.6magazineonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/nitschke.jpg&w=360&h=360&ei=exU1UP3TKaiMyAGB9IGgDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=532&sig=109081130750647620628&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=134&start=0&ndsp=36&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:102&tx=81&ty=43)]Ray Nitschke laying wood to some chump. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/55 "2012-08-22T17:50:25Z")
I get weary of people crapping on lists, but man, this one looks like it was cobbled together in ten minutes. As previously stated, very few of these are actually great photographs; most are simply photos of significant sports events. Many are very ordinary (Messier smiling and holding the Stanley Cup? There are dozens of similar shots taken every June). I would put the Ali shot at number two behind the Bobby Orr photo, which will always be my sentimental favorite. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/56 "2012-08-23T01:15:00Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > [The ball of the century.](http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/12/07/gatting_0812_narrowweb__300x427,0.jpg) And, my personal favourite, [the ball grab of the century](http://www.fulanos-worte.de/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/bilder/vinnie_gazza.gif). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/57 "2012-08-23T09:47:42Z")
[The closest finish in Indy 500 history: Al Unser, jr beats Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds in1992.](http://openwheelamerica.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/92finish.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/58 "2012-08-23T10:14:20Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > \ > JT Snow with the bat boy > \ That was in the 2002 World Series, still a painful memory for us Giants fans. That wasn’t the bat boy, that was Darren Baker, son of Giants manager Dusty Baker. I believe after this play that MLB came out with a rule on the min age for kids allowed on the field, but I don’t have a cite. Yes, it’s better suited to video. In [the picture in this article](http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/article/881585--griffin-series-brings-back-bad-memories-for-giants), we see JT grabbing little Darren, with years-later-to-be-SF-Giants-catcher Bengie Molina with outstretched right hand, shooing away Darren Baker while hoping there isn’t a throw to the plate at that moment, the umpire also hoping we don’t have a play at the plate, and that looks like Rich Aurilia in the background as the on deck batter. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/59 "2012-08-23T20:21:10Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > [The closest finish in Indy 500 history: Al Unser, jr beats Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds in1992.](http://openwheelamerica.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/92finish.jpg) Again though, this may be a photo of an iconic sporting moment but is it really a great _photo_? I’d say no. A better photo of a less iconic moment is [this](http://www.brdcprints.co.uk/image/340718/stirling-moss-at-the-start-of-the-1952-mille-miglia). Stirling Moss at the start of the 1952 Mille Miglia, not the more obvious 1955, but I think it captures far more about about the man and the race. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992/60 "2012-08-23T20:34:11Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > [The ball of the century.](http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/12/07/gatting_0812_narrowweb__300x427,0.jpg) I was racking my brains for a good cricketing photo and I’m not sure I have one. And with all due respect Cicero I don’t think that one makes the grade either. I recall watching Warne bowl that very ball and I’m not sure what a photographer has to do to capture quite how astonishing that delivery was. So yes an iconic moment, but not a great photo. (personally [I quite like this one](http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=637&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=sDSI7V0znon6YM:&imgrefurl=http://www.pakistancricketonline.com/pakistan-vs-england-a-history-of-controversies&docid=9oEGsYtKeL0CxM&imgurl=http://www.pakistancricketonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/shakoor-rana-vs-mike-gatting.jpg&w=485&h=669&ei=2JE2UN7NIc_BswaUjoC4Dw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=114&vpy=53&dur=737&hovh=264&hovw=191&tx=111&ty=144&sig=117011067653210371474&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=99&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:71), it involves Mr. Gatting as well but in a slightly more attacking mode) I’ve also got a memory of a photo of Brian Close after facing the Windies in the 70’s. I think he was in trunks on the beach but his torso was a mass of bruises. My google-fu has deserted me though and I can’t find it. (I _think_ it was Brian Close, it was \*definitely \*the Windies) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-photos/630992.md?page=4)